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The devastation being wrought by typhoon Hagupit must break the stranglehold of complacency that has gripped the first week of climate negotiations at COP 20 in Lima, Peru said international relief organization Oxfam.

Cyclone Yasa landfall in Fiji yesterday, carrying destructive winds of up to 345km/h, heavy rain and storm swells, has flattened homes and left major devastation to roads, and vegetation. More than 600,000 people in the South Pacific island nation are now affected, thousands of which are already in evacuation centers as the tropical storm disrupted access to essential utilities including water supply and sanitation facilities, as well as food.

In response to the onslaught of super Typhoon Goni, which hit the Philippines earlier this month and left hundreds of thousands without a home, Oxfam together with international and local partners is supporting 49,000 people in the hardest-hit areas of the Bicol region with lifesaving aid.

Following Typhoon Rai, hundreds of thousands of families are spending the new year in cramped evacuation centers, some being confined in rooms hosting seven families at a time, according to Oxfam.

The Philippines is struggling to recover from last month’s massive Typhoon Rai that caused losses worth 11.1 billion Php ($215m) to agricultural crops and farmland and another 17.5 billion Php ($330m) damages to homes, roads, electricity and water lines.

In response to the 21st tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year, Oxfam Philippines Country Director said:Oxfam together with our local partners are closely monitoring Typhoon Ulysses, known internationally as Typhoon Vamco.

Statement from Felipe Ramiro, acting country director of Oxfam in the Philippines on impact of super typhoon Haiyan: “Initial reports from the ground indicate that the provinces of Samar and Leyte in the Visayas region are the hardest hit. Electricity in these areas has been cut off and communication has been difficult. Flights to these provinces and other areas have also been cancelled.” “As of early afternoon today, around 42,000 families or 210,000 individuals have been affected and are staying in 562 evacuation centers in 22 provinces, according to the…

Many countries in Asia, including Bangladesh, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines, should invest more in their governments’ capacity to protect their citizens given the region's vulnerability to climate change.

Despite widespread destruction and massive logistical obstacles in the wake of the Philippines typhoon, fast action backed by generous international support and the solidarity of local people has helped millions of people survive and prevented any major outbreak of disease.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that 4.3 million people live in the projected path of this destructive storm.