Philippines Typhoon Appeal launched by Christian Aid Ireland

Christian Aid Ireland has launched an emergency appeal to help those affected by Typhoon Haiyan, thought to be the strongest tropical cyclone in recorded history.

Thousands of people are feared dead after Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in the early hours of 8th November. Known locally as Yolanda, the typhoon is believed to have affected over 11 million people. Many cities and towns have experienced widespread destruction; homes are destroyed, roads are blocked by debris, air and seaports are damaged, and water supplies, power lines and communication lines are cut. This in a region already struggling to recover from last month’s earthquake, which killed 222 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.

Helping communities recover will take years. Right now, however, immediate needs will include fresh water, food, shelter and clothing

Christian Aid Senior Programme Manager Alwynn Javier, based in Manila, said the damage has been colossal;

“We are dealing with so many islands, and with all lifelines cut it’s going to be very difficult to assess, but we expect the final picture to be catastrophic. Helping communities recover will take years. Right now, however, immediate needs will include fresh water, food, shelter and clothing.”

As people emerge in shock from the ruins, many are coming to terms with the deaths of loved ones and the fact that everything they own has been swept away: ‘We have lost our homes, we have lost our livelihoods. The future is uncertain’, said one elderly man. The government is providing as much assistance as they can, however they have asked for international support. The government and humanitarian community in the Philippines are running short of resources after working to cover the multiple emergencies that have hit within the past three months.

Christian Aid already has partners on the ground and has been working with the communities affected since before the typhoon struck. The Philippines has a long history of cyclones and our partners are very experienced in dealing with situations like this. So far they have helped people reach emergency shelter and are delivering vital relief to thousands of people caught in the path of the storm. However the scale of this typhoon has been overwhelming and more aid is urgently needed.

Please make a donation and help us reach people left homeless, hungry and vulnerable. £40/€47 could buy a relief package for a family who have been displaced by the typhoon. This could include sleeping mats, blankets, hygiene kits, mosquito nets, candles, a kitchen starter kit and water purification tablets. £21/€25 could provide a month’s emergency food for three families. While £100/€118 could provide sanitation packs for up to 50 families, helping prevent the spread of diseases in the days following the disaster.

To find out more about the situation in the Philippines and Christian Aid Ireland’s response please visit www.christianaid.ie/philippines–typhoon

Josefa Pizon, a member of one of Christian Aid’s partners organisations in the Philippines, has also recorded this short video explaining more about what has happened;