UAE pledges $9.5m aid as Philippines tries to recover from Supertyphoon Goni

At least 16 people were killed when the devastating typhoon tore through the island of Luzon on Sunday

Residents walk past a toppled structure as waves batter the coast of Sorsogon province. AP Photo

Strong waves batter the coast of Sorsogon province as a typhoon locally known as Goni hits the country. AP Photo

A rescuer carries a sick child as they evacuate residents living along a coastal community in Manila, Philippines. AP Photo

A view of heavy rain during Typhoon Goni in Sorsogon City, Sorsogon. Reuters

Residents evacuate with their chickens to safer grounds as rains from a typhoon locally known as Goni start to pour in Manila. AP Photo

Families are evacuated by members of the Philippine Coast Guard to safer ground in Camarines Sur province, eastern Philippines. Philippine Coast Guard via AP

Residents carrying their belongings arrive at an evacuation center in Legaspi, Albay province. AFP

Residents crowd a grocery store to buy essential goods in Legaspi, Albay. AFP

A man fishes in a swollen river caused by heavy rains in Ilagan town, Isabela. AFP

A worker removes an advertisement in preparation for typhoon Goni in Pasay City. EPA

Satellite image released by NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) shows a typhoon locally known as Goni moving around the Philippines. NASA via AP

The UAE has pledged more than $9.5 million of crucial aid to help the Philippines recover from Supertyphoon Goni which devastated the country this week.

At least 16 people were killed and tens of thousands of homes destroyed when the typhoon – which reached speeds of 225kmph – tore through the island of Luzon on Sunday.

A delegation from the UAE travelled to Manila, the country’s capital, to deliver emergency items including large quantities of shelter material such as tents and tarpaulins.

The mission was carried out on the orders of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, in collaboration with Emirates Red Crescent (ERC).

Ferocious winds and heavy rain caused chaos on the island earlier this week and triggered major flooding and landslides across southern parts of the country.

Power lines also went down which left many people without electricity and running water for days.

A ERC spokesman said field reports were being carried out to decipher what additional aid would be needed over the coming days.

While phase one of the humanitarian aid programme focused on sending emergency shelter for those left displaced by the typhoon, the UAE will be sending food and medical equipment as it continues to help the country recover from the natural disaster.

News agencies reported that nearly 400,000 people fled their homes before the typhoon and most of them remain in evacuation centres as authorities scramble to restore power and telecoms services in the hardest-hit areas.

The storm is the most powerful typhoon to make landfall on the islands since 2013, when Typhoon Haiyan killed at least 6,000 people.