Typhoon Haiyan: 'The world needs to get mobilized"

 

Typhoon Haiyan: 'The world needs to get mobilized,' US general warns as death toll grows

Five days after a typhoon struck the Philippines, causing widespread destruction and a massive death toll, the recovery efforts in the hardest-hit cities continue.
By Harry Smith, Nancy Snyderman and Eric Baculinao, NBC News
MANILA, Philippines -- The world must respond now to the disaster caused by the most violent storm to ever make landfall, the general in charge of U.S. relief operations in the typhoon-shattered Philippines said Tuesday.
"The rest of the world needs to get mobilized, the rest of the donor community," Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy told NBC News from the base in Manila where much of the aid was being sent to the disaster zone. "There are people who are suffering tonight. A week from now will be too late. We need to mobilize tonight."


HOW YOU CAN HELP

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. 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.