Last week Typhoon Hagupit has caused one of the largest peacetime evacuations in history.  It is the most powerful storm to hit Philippines this year. Reports of 21 deaths and estimated 1 million people took shelter at 687 evacuation centres.  The evacuations contributed greatly to the reduced loss of life however over 2.2 million people are affected and Eastern & Western Samar Island are badly hit.

In 2013 November Super Typhoon Haiyan passed through these same locations killing thousands of people and leaving a million homeless. This year being better prepared the Philippines’ Government Emergency Operations Centre starts to provide help immediately to victims; the military is clearing roads and airstrips; our  Integral Alliance* (IA) partner members are coordination in Manila and Tacloban.  One field partner Food for the Hungry is already at work providing for the needs of these families with food, water, shelter and other needed items.

We thank God for small number of lives loss and for the immediate relief response from the Government and military.  However, the affected communities are not yet recovered from the attack of last year Typhoon Haiyan. On-time relief assistance is urgently needed as well as the long-term relief rehabilitation and disaster risk reduction assistance.  Furthermore, there is still a High risk of further flooding and landslides in coming week.  Pray for God’s protection and provision to the affected communities, and for the safety of the frontline aid workers.

CEDAR’s Relief and Rehabilitation Work in Past: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief/
CEDAR Approach on Relief and Rehabilitation: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief-approach/

*Integral Alliance is a global alliance of 19 Christian relief and development agencies, working together to present a more effective response to poverty worldwide. CEDAR is one of the member agencies.