Super typhoon Rai, locally named Odette, brought torrential rains, violent winds, floods, storm surges and mudslides to Central and Southern Philippines in the afternoon of December 16, 2021. The 15th typhoon to hit the country and considered as one of the world’s strongest storms last year, STY Rai left a wide path of destruction and debris in high-risk areas in at least seven regions including MIMAROPA, Western, Central and Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, SOCCKSKARGEN, and CARAGA, affecting over 9.9 million people in 531 municipalities.
STY Rai left 1.57 million damaged houses, 500,000 more than of Haiyan, across 11 of the Philippines’ 17 regions. Of these, 423,492 are totally destroyed and the most affected provinces are Cebu, Bohol (Region VII) and Surigao del Norte (Region XIII), accounting for 61% of destroyed homes. More than a month after Rai’s onslaught, around 180,000-200,000 people remain displaced, either staying in evacuation centers or with family and relatives or other temporary housing.
ACT Philippines Forum members, National Council of Churches in the Philippines and World Renew will be responding in the severely affected regions of the country with an appeal budget of USD1,607,162.
