Christian relief organisations are responding to the disastrous storm that has devastated parts of the Philippines.
Typhoon Mangkhut, the most powerful tropical storm this year, hit with ferocious speed on Friday evening (Saturday morning local time), causing mass destruction. Thousands of families have lost their homes, and damage to crops is estimated to be worth around $346 million (AUD). According to officials in the Philippines, the death toll is currently 74, and this is expected to rise.
Almost 600,000 people have been affected by the disaster, and almost 200,000 remain stranded in evacuation centres with nowhere else to go.
Among the responders is World Vision, which has so far given hygiene kits, blankets, mats, mosquito nets and other relief items to 350 families in some of the worst hit areas in Cagayan Province.
Rommel Fuerte, national director of World Vision Philippines, said: 'This is just the beginning of World Vision's emergency response.
'There is an urgent need for life-saving help. Children desperately need aid – and fast. We are also very concerned about child protection issues in the wake of the typhoon. It's vital that we're on the ground ready to provide psychological first aid and protection for children who need it most,' he added.
World Vision is appealing for donations from the public to help it respond to the needs of children and their families.
'The lives of thousands of families have been devastated through the loss of loved ones or homes,' said Lanelyn Carillo, one of World Vision's first staff members deployed in the wake of the typhoon.
'Rice and corn plantations have been flattened, houses destroyed and trees toppled. The impact of this typhoon will last for years to come.'
Additional World Vision teams are on their way to the landfall area in Baggao, where 350 more families will receive life-saving emergency relief. The charity has prepositioned supplies for 4,000 families, and will scale up its response as needed.
Another Christian charity, Medair, is also among those responding to the need and has deployed a team to assess the situation. James McDowell, head of the charity's global emergency response team, said: 'We are anticipating a high humanitarian impact, especially in more rural areas.'
The team is composed of shelter, logistics, communications, and emergency response distribution experts. Additional staffing resources are already in Manila.
According to Christian Aid, Typhoon Mangkhut's effect on vulnerable communities in remote, mountainous areas is troubling.
Maria Alexandra Pura, Christian Aid's country director in the Philippines, said: 'In the Philippines, we experience around 20 typhoons a year and some of these provinces have been hit again and again throughout this year's typhoon season. Mangkhut is coming at the heels of smaller storms so the ground is already saturated, and people don't have time to recover in between.
'Remote areas – upland and small island communities - could be isolated by landslides and turbulent waves for days or even a week.'
She added that the effects of the typhoon would be seen over the next weeks and months. 'We are currently coming out of the 'hunger season' and farmers were just days away from harvesting their crops but now they are destroyed. At a time when they were expecting to start making some money and clearing their debts, this has happened. This, as well as the current high inflation, will only exacerbate the food price issue. With so many crops destroyed, there is a clear need for agriculture support and to help people adapt their methods of earning a living.'
The typhoon made landfall in China's Guangdong on Sunday, the country's most populous province, after wreaking havoc in Hong Kong and Macau.
