MANILA, Philippines, SEPT. 29, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Caritas is responding to the worst flood the Philippines has seen in 50 years, which killed some 250 people Saturday and displaced hundreds of thousands more.
In just 12 hours, Tropical Storm Ketsana dumped a month’s worth of rain on the city of 12 million people, submerging 80% of the capital.
Caritas will initially provide aid for a total of 10,000 families in the seriously affected areas.
Caritas Philippines Executive Director Sister Rosanne Mallillin called the situation «very challenging.»
«Many of our local social actions centers are still unable to reach the worse-hit areas because of the debris and the flooding,» she explained. «People are in need of food and clean water, as many of the water sources have been contaminated. We’re also sending cooking utensils, sleeping mats and bed sheets.»
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