Press Release: Typhoon Ketsana: Commission aids the Philippines; ready to help Vietnam and Laos

The European Commission provided €2 million in emergency humanitarian aid to the vulnerable Filipinos most affected by tropical storm Ketsana. A rapid response coordinator from the Commission's Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) was on the ground in Manila. According to the Philippine National Disaster Coordinating Council, nearly two million people have been affected by Ketsana with more than 600,000 displaced in evacuation centres and makeshift shelters. Since hitting the Philippines, Ketsana has intensified in strength and has now slammed into the coast of central Vietnam as a full-blown typhoon. More than 167,000 people have been evacuated from areas at risk in Vietnam. ECHO teams in the region are on standby to ensure a rapid response, including for Laos as the typhoon is moving west towards this country.