Disaster responders in the Philippines need your help!
The Standby Task Force is officially deploying in response to a Digital Humanitarian Network (DHN) request from UN OCHA to assist with media monitoring and mapping for Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), a super typhoon due to make landfall in the Philippines at 01:00 UTC on Friday, November 8th.
Please consider contributing your time to this new deployment! You do not need to be a member of the SBTF, you simply need to follow the steps below and log into Skype.
Thank you very much for your time and we look forward to working with you!
Activator: UN OCHA via DHN
Deployment timeframe: 21:00 UTC, Thursday, November 7 – 22:00 UTC, Sunday, November 10.
Platform: The deployment will use the MicroMappers platform that the SBTF are testing and the Ushahidi map platform. Regarding MicroMappers, this deployment is open to anyone with an internet connection; no previous training or SBTF membership is required. Regarding the Ushahidi map, we will need SBTF volunteers with experience in using Ushahidi.
STEP 1: Please sign up for the deployment and indicate your availability here:
http://tinyurl.com/n2d9vd9
STEP 2: We will add you to the Skype chat window for the deployment called Typhoon Yolanda – Palau General Chat. Please check this Skype window for further instructions and link to the platform for the deployment.
Deployment Leads:
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Justine Mackinnon – , Skype: fidget01
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Jeannine Lemaire – , Skype: j.m.lemaire
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Per Aarvik – , Skype: per_aarvik
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Super Typhoon Haiyan, known locally in the Philippines as Yolanda, is equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane, posing a major threat to people and property across the island nation.
Earlier on Thursday, local time, the winds with this exceptionally dangerous storm increased to 280 kph (nearly 175 mph), tying it with Super Typhoon Lekima for the strongest tropical system in the world for the 2013 season based on wind speed and central pressure. The strength of Haiyan (Yolanda) is equal to that of an extremely powerful Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic.
The typhoon is expected to make landfall at around 09:00 local time (01:00 UTC) on Friday between Samar and Leyte, two of the Visayan Islands in central Philippines. It is then forecast to move over to the South China Sea north of Palawan Island on Saturday, meteorologists say. Its anticipated path will take it directly over the Filipino region struck hardest by a 7.1-magnitude earthquake in October. Around 12 million people live in the Manila metro area, where the storm is expected to hit Saturday, with another 10 million in the central Philippines, where the storm will likely hit hardest.
Accuweather warns rainfall along the storm’s path could measure over 8 inches (200 mm), with mudslides becoming an increasing concern at higher elevations. Making matters worse, a tropical cyclone has already drenched parts of the central Philippines, meaning the storm’s rainfall will likely lead to worse flooding and mudslides.
The typhoon can have a high humanitarian impact based on the maximum sustained wind speed and the affected population and their vulnerability. Schools and offices have already been closed in the region and thousands of people are being evacuated. The estimated population to be affected by Category 1 (120 km/h) wind speeds or higher is 14.2 million
Useful links:
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http://www.weather.com/news/weather-hurricanes/tropical-storm-typhoon-haiyan-threatens-manila-philippines-20131104 [Weather.com]
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http://www.gdacs.org/report.aspx?eventid=41058&episodeid=16&eventtype=TC [GDACS]
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http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/ [Philippines Weather Agency]
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