More than 5.6 million people have been affected by Typhoon Bopha (local name "Pablo"), which made landfall as a Category 5 typhoon on December 4 in the Philippines on the southern island of Mindanao. Typhoon Bopha has resulted in a number of flash flooding, landslides and road blockages. This typhoon, the strongest cyclone to ever hit the island, struck an area that does not normally receive typhoons. Some communities were completely destroyed.
As a non-profit humanitarian organization that strives to provide help to those in need around the world, the Canadian Red Cross has lent its support to the Red Cross Movement's relief efforts in the country, but more work still needs to be done in order to help communities rebuild.
The storm's impact
While the Red Cross has provided humanitarian aid to people in the Philippines who were affected by Typhoon Bopha, there is still a need for additional help throughout the country.
"Before the typhoon came, we were living with my mother," says 29-year-old Stella Navales, who now resides with her husband and family in a home made of tarpaulin and plywood. "We hoped to start building our own house but at the moment we only have money for our day to day living."
Before Typhoon Bopha stuck, Stella's husband was employed in the mining industry. But since the storm, he's been unable to work and the family has been largely dependent on humanitarian aid received from organizations like the Red Cross.
Stella's family is just one of more than 200,000 families whose homes were damaged or destroyed in Mindanao, one of the poorest islands in the Philippines. In other parts of the country, the search for safe shelter is a constant struggle.
"We worry that the floods will come again, [and] the children wake at the slightest sound outside," says 63-year-old Rodrigo Palaga, who lives in San Roque, New Bataan, with his family of six.
With its roof of corrugated iron and mud-covered walls, Rodrigo's home has been damaged by the heavy rains and flooding that have impacted the area. His house is not fit to live in, so his family has been sleeping under a tent made of tarpaulin that was provided by the the Red Cross.
"We have been given some food supplies and household items but what I really need is plywood and tools to fix up the house," he says.
How you can help
It's been nearly two months since Typhoon Bopha caused extensive damage to the homes and livelihoods of people in the region.
Damage to infrastructure and to coconut and banana plantations and other crops were reportedly in the hundreds of millions of dollars, impairing the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands. To date, more than 14,000 people remain in evacuation centres. More than 1,800 people were killed or remain missing due to the typhoon, but those who have survived are in need of assistance from the global community.
With the help of generous Canadians like you, the Red Cross can continue to support relief efforts on the ground and improve the lives of people affected by similar emergencies and disasters.
To make a difference today, please donate online or at your local Canadian Red Cross office.