Responding to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

WPSAR Vol 6, Suppl 1, 2015 | doi: 10.5365/wpsar.2015.6.4.HYN_026 www.wpro.who.int/wpsar 1 a Western Pacifi c Surveillance and Response Journal, Division of Health Security and Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Offi ce for the Western Pacifi c, Manila, Philippines. b Offi ce of the WHO Representative in the Philipines, Sta Cruz, Manila, Philippines. Published: 6 November 2015 doi: 10.5365/wpsar.2015.6.4.HYN_026 The Philippines is a disaster-prone country, 1 ranked as the second highest country worldwide at risk of natural disasters.2 On 8 November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (local name “Yolanda”) made landfall in the Philippines and had significant impact (Box 1).3 It was the strongest typhoon to have ever made landfall in the western North Pacific Ocean with a storm surge of 5–6 metres.4 Typhoon Haiyan left a corridor of destruction across the Philippines (Figure 1) and affected the lives of 16 million people, devastated a health system and challenged every sector of the country.3 Regions 6, 7 and 8 – Western, Central and Eastern Visayas – were the most affected (Figure 1).