FAIRFIELD, Conn., July 8, 2016

As China awaits the imminent arrival of Typhoon Nepartak, Save the Children has confirmed it will launch an emergency response in flood and typhoon affected parts of the country.

Packing winds of up to 150 mph, the category four storm ripped through Taiwan on Friday morning and is now preparing to bring intense rainfall to large portions of eastern China.

China is already battling its worst flooding in more than a decade, withat least 39millionpeople currently impacted across 14provinces, mainly in the southeast.

Typhoon Nepartak is expected to bring heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours, exacerbating an already critical situation.

“This is a double disaster here in China, with devastating flooding compounded by a super storm,” said Save the Children’s Acting Country Director in China, Wang Le.

“I’m particularly worried about the impact the storm and flooding will have on children, who are so vulnerable in emergencies like this.Save the Children stands ready to respond and we will be doing all we can to help those affected.”

Meanwhile the scale of destruction caused by Typhoon Nepartak in Taiwan is beginning to emerge, with cars tipped over and roofs ripped off buildings. Three deaths and over one hundred injuries have been reported.

Save the Children will begin carrying out assessments in flood and typhoon affected parts of China as soon as it is safe to do so, and will plan an emergency response to meet the urgent survival needs of affected families – especially children.

The aid agency has been working in China since the early 1980s including in child protection, education and health.