UNICEF appealed for HK$101M in response to urgent needs of clean water supply from 2.2 million children affected by typhoon Bopha in the Philippines
2012-12-12
HONG KONG, 12 December 2012 — UNICEF is responding to the urgent needs of 2.2 million children affected by the strong typhoon Bopha which slammed into the South Philippines in early December. The typhoon killed 647 people, over 5.4 million people, including 2.2 million children are affected, and 780 people are still missing. UNICEF appealed for HK$ 101 million from Hong Kong and global citizens to support the immediate assistance of education, nutrition, child protection, water, sanitation and hygiene to affected children and families.
Typhoon Bopha, known locally as Pablo, is the strongest typhoon to hit the Southern Philippines in decades, triggering flash floods and landslides, and killed 647 people. The UN joint assessment team reported 100 per cent destruction in many rural and mountainous areas and 5.4 million people in over 1,900 villages are affected. 130,000 people are now staying in evacuation centres. Classes remain suspended in those areas where there was extensive damage to the schools. At least 307 schools were partially or totally destroyed and 156 other schools are now used as evacuation centres.
UNICEF is particularly concerned about the provision of clean water, as all water facilities have either been damaged or contaminated, which could lead to an outeak of cholera, diarrhoea, malaria and dengue fever that threaten children’s lives. It has dispatched 3,000 water kits and hygiene kits, and 1,000 tarpaulins kits to the affected areas. More hygiene and waters kits are also ready to be delivered to 8,000 families. These kits include water containers, water purification tablets to ensure clean, safe water, and soap, toothush and toothpaste, sanitary napkins to keep families healthy.
UNICEF and other UN agencies, non-government organisations are working alongside the Government to develop an action plan for recovery for six months. Nutrition supplies and emergency health kits have been sent to affected areas.
UNICEF has teams in the areas most affected and will continue to assess and respond to the needs of children and families, and is now appealing for HK$101 million (US$13 million) to support the relief work. “We hope Hong Kong public would also join the effort to help children and their families by supporting UNICEF’s emergency relief work,” said Ms Irene Chan, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF. “One single water purification tablet from your donation is able to turn four to five liters of dirty water into safe drinking water, helping the affected children and families. Every individual has the power to save children’s lives, please join hands with UNICEF to help the children in need.”
Donation for the affected areas in the Philippines:
| Online donation: | www.unicef.org.hk/donate | |||||||||
| Direct Bank-in: |
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| Cheque: | Payable to ‘Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF’ (Please send us the cheque with personal details with remark ‘Philippines Typhoon’ at the back and send to ‘Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF, 3/F, 60 Blue Pool Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong.’) | |||||||||
| PPS: | Please use your contact number as the bill number. Press UNICEF merchant code: 6012, and then select bill type 3 “emergency”. | |||||||||
| Hotline: | 2833 6139 |