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typhoon haiyan

Up to four million children affected by Typhoon Haiyan

60 metric tonnes of emergency aid is due to arrive in the Philippines tomorrow from UNICEF’s central supplies in Denmark.

imageChildren displaced by Super Typhoon Haiyan in the city of Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines (Image: UNICEF/JMaitem)

IT IS NOW estimated that up to four million children could be affected by the super typhoon that blasted through the Philippines.

Staff from UNICEF have been rushing emergency supplies to areas ravaged by Typhoon Haiyan including therapeutic food for children, health kits, water and hygiene kits.

The charity’s emergency specialist in Tacloban City, Leon Dominador Fajardo, said today: “People, families with children are walking along the ruined roads. I don’t know where they are going – there is nowhere to go. They are walking because their homes are gone and they have nowhere to go.”

imageA family affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan resting along the street in the city of Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines (Image: UNICEF/JMaitem).

“So many people have nothing. Their children are hungry, some are sick, and they are frustrated,” he explained.

Christopher de Bono, Regional Chief of Communication, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific, said logistics in the affected areas are “a huge challenge”.

There are many parts of the country that were in the path of Typhoon Haiyan that are still inaccessible, so there is a lot we still don’t know and many children – probably millions – who desperately need our help and are not yet receiving it.

image60 metric tonnes of emergency aid is due in the Philippines tomorrow from UNICEF’s central supplies in Denmark (Image: UNICEF).

UNICEF’s warehouse in Copenhagen is airlifting US$1.3 million worth of additional supplies for another 10,000 families, including those affected by the recent earthquake in Bohol. The shipments contain water purification tablets, soap, medical kits, tarpaulins, and micronutrient supplements.

Children who have escaped the terrible violence of Haiyan still need urgent assistance to survive the aftermath of the storm, the charity said today.

Particular concerns include health, due to the impact of the typhoon on water supply and sanitation systems. Children also need safe and protected spaces to be able to play and resume studying while adults work to recover their homes and livelihoods.

UNICEF launched its emergency appeal yesterday to address the immediate needs of children and their families. Donations can be made online of by calling Lo-call 1850 767 999.

Up to four million children affected by Typhoon Haiyan
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  • Typhoon Haiyan

    The impact of the storm was severe as it made several landfalls to island groups within central Philippines.Source: UNICEF/JMaitem
  • Typhoon Haiyan

    Typhoon Haiyan, the world’s most powerful typhoon of the year, hit the Philippines on 8 November 2013, 4.30 am local time on Guiuan, Samar Island with winds of 235 kilometers per hour and 275 kilometer gusts.Source: UNICEF/JMaitem
  • Typhoon Haiyan

    A mother carries her daughter as they walk in Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines.Source: UNICEF/JMaitem
  • Typhoon Haiyan

    Children walking outside a school building damaged by Super Typhoon Haiyan in Santa Fe, Leyte, Philippines.Source: UNICEF/JMaitem
  • Typhoon Haiyan

    Residents surveying the damage caused by Super Typhoon Haiyan (local name Yolanda) in the city of Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines.Source: UNICEF/JMaitem
  • Typhoon Haiyan

    Residents inside an evacuation camp in Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines.Source: UNICEF/JMaitem
  • Typhoon Haiyan

    A child displaced by Super Typhoon Haiyan.Source: UNICEF/JMaitem

Related: National state of calamity in Philippines as Irish aid agencies call for support>

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