Ormoc City, a port city in the Philippines – Take Action!

I arrived by boat in Ormoc City, a port city in the Philippines. One step onto the ground and you know it’s a disaster zone.

It’s all destroyed. Typhoon Haiyan has destroyed everything. Tin roofing sheets are hanging off trees like wet cardboard. Electric poles were broken like toothpicks.

And amidst the wreckage, the people are growing desperate.

It’s now very hot, and people are parched. Some officials just came and told us that people have been breaking into shops, trying to get rice. People haven’t had food for three days, and they’re trying to feed their families.

You can make a truly awful situation bearable, or at least survivable, but we need you to act quickly.

We URGENTLY need your help to supply food baskets, hygiene kits, shelter, and more to typhoon survivors and others in desperate need worldwide.

CARE has a long history in the Philippines that stretches back to 1949. For decades, we’ve been providing emergency relief when disaster strikes and helping communities prepare for disasters. We were there in 2009 when typhoon Ketsana hit and again in 2012 when typhoon Bopha ripped through the country.

Neither of those storms managed to create the destruction and death on anywhere near this scale –which is why we’re ramping up our emergency response as quickly as possible.

News reports are suggesting at least 10,000 have died. Without food, water, shelter or electricity, those who remain are facing a dire situation. Already I’ve seen people drinking water from broken pipes lying out in the open. There simply is no other source of water.

CARE is working quickly to get storm survivors shelter, food, and clean water. And we plan to stay and help with the long-term rebuilding, as well. Overall, we hope to help 150,000 storm survivors – but we can’t possibly do it without your help.

You can only imagine the devastation – but you can make a difference. Donate right away to supply food, water, and other essentials to Filipinos and others who need your help.

We’ll start moving again at first light. I don’t think anyone is going to get much sleep tonight. The scenes are too awful.

We must get emergency supplies into these areas as quickly as possible.

Sincerely,

Sandra Bulling
CARE International Emergency Communications Officer