Though many feared that Typhoon Hagupit would be similar in strength and destruction to last year’s Typhoon Haiyan, thankfully this was not the case.

While the storm struck the Philippines with wind gusts of up to 210 km an hour, left up to 18 inches of rain in its wake, and caused widespread destruction, flooding and landslides, many lives were spared thanks to early warning systems, stronger buildings and people taking better precautions including the evacuation of more than 900,000 people.

Though many feared that Typhoon Hagupit would be similar in strength and destruction to last year’s Typhoon Haiyan, thankfully this was not the case.

While the storm struck the Philippines with wind gusts of up to 210 km an hour,  left up to 18 inches of rain in its wake, and caused widespread destruction, flooding and landslides, many lives were spared thanks to early warning systems, stronger buildings and people taking better precautions including the evacuation of more than 900,000 people.

In total, 27 people died as a result of Typhoon Hagupit, which is much lower than originally anticipated. Some of the affected communities were areas where World Renew and its partner, the Christian Reformed Church of the Philippines, have responded to in previous disasters.

The typhoon-resistant houses and buildings that World Renew constructed in the Haiyan response became a place of refuge for many who needed a safe place to evacuate.

Mr. Von Bautista and his family received a new home from World Renew following last year’s Typhoon Haiyan. They stayed in their house as Hagupit swept through.

"I feel confident about the house that World Renew built," he said.

After the typhoon, World Renew staff conducted Rapid Needs Assessments with each of the communities in its project areas. Mrs. Von Bautista said "We heard the wind whistling outside, we heard the wind was strong, but we felt safe inside the, because of the masonry walls."

However, Typhoon Hagupit was approximately 600 km wide and wrought extensive damage in most of the places where it first made landfall. Many families lost their homes and possessions. Agricultural projects started since the last typhoon were wiped out.

World Renew is asking for funds to be able to provide shelter kits for repair of homes, emergency food assistance, sleeping mats and hygiene supplies as well as seeds to restart agriculture where these needs are not being responded to by the government or other NGOs. World Renew aims to respond in Guiuan municipality of Samar province, Tacloban municipality of Leyte province and possibly Los Baños municipality of Southern Luzon province.

Please consider donating to this response. Donate online or send checks marked “Philippines Typhoon Hagupit 2014” to:

World Renew US
1700 28th St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49508
Tel: 1-800-552-7972

World Renew Canada
3475 Mainway
P.O. Box 5070 STN LCD
Burlington, Ontario, L7R 3Y8
Tel: 1-800-730-3490