Super Typhoon Haiyan batters Philippines: See how you can help
The Pacific island country is struggling to cope after one of the most powerful storms in recorded history killed thousands & wreaked damage far worse than expected.
Super Typhoon Haiyan batters Philippines
The most powerful storm ever to make landfall struck the Philippines, forcing over a million people to flee.
The deadly Typhoon Haiyan flattened hundreds of homes and forced hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate to emergency shelters when it stormed ashore, bringing wind gusts reaching 170 mph, mudslides and flashfloods.
Millions of residents have been displaced. Survivors were described as being in desperate need of clean drinking water and food as officials continue to survey the damage. Communications, electricity and water supplies are all down.
Brian Goldbeck, acting ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, issued a disaster declaration to provide an immediate $100,000 for relief efforts. Officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development are deployed around the country to monitor the damage.
The organizations listed below are deploying urgent relief efforts on the islands. See how you can help:
The American Red Cross has launched a family tracing service among other aid operations. If you are unable to reach a family member in the Philippines, you can contact your local chapter of the American Red Cross to initiate a tracing case. Representatives added that it has deployed two people to assist with assessments in the Philippines. It asks those who want to support relief efforts to mail a check to their local American Red Cross chapter, with "Philippines Typhoons and Flood" in the memo line. Go to redcross.org for local chapter information or redcross.org.ph to donate directly to the Philippine Red Cross.
The Philippine Red Cross said it has mobilized teams on the ground to help with rescue and relief operations. Click the link to learn more.
UNICEF is taking donations to help provide children with shelter, clean water, nutrition and vaccines. Representatives said its staff in the Philippines is being repositioned to help in relief efforts and 66 tons of emergency supplies are being sent from Copenhagen. An airlift set to arrive on Tuesday will include water purification systems, storage equipment and sanitation supplies. Donations can be made to UNICEF at unicef.org/support.
World Food Programme (WFP), a United Nations organization, said it will send more than 40 tons of high energy biscuits and work with the Filipino government to help with logistics and emergency communications systems. Representatives said they have allocated $2 million for the disaster response and officials joined an assessment mission to survey damage in Leyte and Samar provinces. It asks for donations at www.wfpusa.org or by texting the word AID to 27722 to instantly donate $10.
Save the Children is also mounting disaster relief efforts to help children and families in the region with emergency assistance.
Catholic Relief Services is accepting donations on its website as it begins moving supplies and staff to respond to the typhoon.
World Vision said it will provide food and water to those in evacuation shelters. Representative said it is putting together resources to assist 1.2 million people, including food, hygiene kits, emergency shelter and protection. It asked for one-time donations to be made at worldvision.org.
Habitat for Humanity plans to offer shelter repair kits for families who need to re-build their damaged houses.
Operation USA said it will allocate donations directly to relief and recovery efforts.
National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) has created a disaster relief fund for victims in the Philippines.
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee has begun collecting donations for relief efforts. To contribute, go to www.jdc.org or call 212-687-6200.
Google has also launched a person finder.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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