LIFE-SAVING relief supplies from children’s charity Plan International are on their way to flood-hit communities in the Philippines.
At least 652 people are dead and hundreds are missing after a tropical storm swept through the island of Mindanao early on Saturday.
More than 140,000 have been hit by the disaster – with 45,000 fleeing to evacuation centres.
“The most urgent need for survivors is clean drinking water,“ says Carin van der Hor, Plan’s Country Director in the Philippines.
“Hygiene is a major concern – and people also need safe places to sleep.”
Plan is sending 10,000 specialist hygiene kits, 10,000 water purifiers and 2,000 water containers to two of the worst-hit areas: Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro.
“The hygiene kits and ‘hyposols’ will be given to around 8 500 families in evacuation centres,” says Ms. Van der Hor.
“The water containers will augment those that have been distributed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.”
“We will be seeing how we can help the most marginalized in this situation - children, women and indigenous peoples.”
The Southern island of Mindanao is usually spared the worst of the Philippines' annual storms.
Aid workers are concerned about the emotional impact of the disaster on children and indigenous tribes in particular.
“The magnitude of impact on the psycho-social well-being of children – especially those who have lost their families – seems huge and the organization feels this is something we will need to respond to soon,” says Carin van der Hor.
“In the meantime, we have teams on the ground making sure we deliver the aid that people need as quickly as we can.”
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Editor’s notes:
Ms Carin van der Hor is available for interview by mobile phone.
Plan runs a former child soldier registration project in parts of Mindanao and has been working in the Philippines since 1961. It has extensive experience working with children and communities in the wake of disasters. For more information about Plan’s work in the Philippines, including previous disaster responses, go to http://plan-international.org/where-we-work/asia/philippines .
For media inquiries, please call:
Rose Foley
Media Relations Officer
07964 296 431
For more information on Plan’s work or to make a donation call 0800 526 848 or visit www.plan-uk.org