02 October 2009

FOUR days into the emergency response to the devastation caused by Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) in The Philippines, Salvation Army teams continue to work tirelessly providing life saving assistance to many families who have lost everything.

The death toll is now at 246 people and likely to rise. More than 1.9 million people were affected by flooding, with around 375,000 having to abandon their homes and take refuge in evacuation centres. Salvation Army emergency teams continue to work round the clock to assist those in the greatest need, with the initial response concentrated on victims in the Manila, Quezon City, Marikina and Fairview areas.

The initial response has included:

• Food parcel distribution by volunteers to 1,800 families in Sinagtala, Quezon City – each parcel contained rice, sardines and noodles
• Preparation and distribution of relief bags to 700 desperate families in Parang, Marikina
• Emergency food distribution in North Fairview, assisting 800 families
• Emergency food distribution to 200 families in Kaunlaran Bagong Silang.

The Salvation Army is conducting rapid assessments to ensure the most appropriate use of its resources. There also remains concern in the region about other tropical storms that may make landfall later this week, with potentially devastating results.

As emergency relief efforts continue, The Salvation Army is already looking at ways to address the storm’s long-term effects on communities where already-vulnerable people have lost everything. Following the distribution of food and non-food items it will continue to work with community members to assist them in rebuilding their lives.

 

Salvation Army team members distribute food

A crowd of people gathers as Salvation Army team members give out food

 

 

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