Manila, 12 September 2018 – Red Cross teams have been placed at the highest level of alert as communities in Northern Luzon in the Philippines brace for Typhoon Mangkhut (known locally as Ompong). Mangkhut is expected to make landfall Saturday morning of 15 September.

Typhoon Mangkhut’s ferocity is being compared to that a Category 5 Atlantic Hurricane. Its high winds and torrential rains could cause widespread damage to islands and coastal areas. It will also enhance the southwest monsoon (Habagat), bringing more potentially ruinous rain to Central Luzon which is home to most of the country’s productive agricultural land.

Richard Gordon, the Chairman of the Philippines Red Cross said:

“We’re worried for the 10 million people in the Philippines living in the path of this destructive storm, including those who have been displaced several times due to the monsoon rains last July and August. We are preparing our emergency assets and relief items. Our staff and volunteers are on high alert for possible deployment.”

Red Cross emergency response teams, search and rescue teams, water, sanitation and health units, and community-volunteers in Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, and Manila are on standby.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in the Philippines is on alert to support response efforts.

For updates, please follow @IFRCAsiaPacific and @philredcross.

For more information, contact:

Richard Gordon, Chairman, Philippine Red Cross; +63 (0) 917 899 7898; chairman@redcross.org.ph

Mary Joy Evalarosa, +63 (0) 998 960 6291; maryjoy.evalarosa@ifrc.org; @MJEvalarosa

In Kuala Lumpur: Rosemarie North, +60 122 308 451, rosemarie.north@ifrc.org

In Geneva: Matthew Cochrane, +41 79 251 80 39, matthew.cochrane@ifrc.org