British weather experts to help the Philippines prepare for disasters like Typhoon Haiyan

10 Nov 2014 09:56 AM

British expertise from the Met Office will help the Philippines better predict and prepare for natural disasters.

As the Philippines marks one year since the devastating Typhoon Haiyan, the International Development Secretary has announced new UK support for the country’s long-term recovery.

A team of meteorologists and senior climate scientists from the Met Office will head to the Philippines to help develop their national weather centre, helping the country to better plan evacuations, put in place life-saving public warning services and build infrastructure that can withstand natural disasters.

Weather scientists from the Philippines will also be brought to the UK to be trained in how to use the supercomputers and sophisticated software behind the Met Office’s weather and climate prediction systems.

As well as this work with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the £9 million aid package will get small businesses back on their feet and help the country prepare for the financial costs of future disasters.

The total package includes:

International Development Secretary Justine Greening said:

The UK was at the forefront of the international response to Typhoon Haiyan. One year on from the devastating typhoon the UK has not forgotten about the people of the Philippines. As communities there continue the process of rebuilding their lives, UK aid is making a difference.

By sending a team of specialists from the Met Office we are offering the very best of British expertise and weather know-how to strengthen the Philippines’ resilience to future disasters. We are also helping restart vital fishing and farming industries so thousands of the poorest women-led households can get their livelihoods back.

It will not happen overnight, but the sooner people can get back to work and get on with their lives the sooner the country as a whole can fully recover.

Notes to editors

Typhoon Haiyan was the strongest storm ever recorded at landfall, killing 6,190 people, damaging more than a million homes and wiping out roads, schools and hospitals. The UK was one of the leading responders with £77 million in humanitarian funding delivering lifesaving food, shelter and medicine.

This included:

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