According to some estimates, as many as 10,000 people have been killed in a massive typhoon that struck the Philippines over the weekend. The storm, dubbed Super Typhoon Haiyan, was one of the strongest ever recorded, and despite wide-scale evacuations, it overwhelmed more than 40 providences where many shelters were destroyed by winds and flooding. Authorities say that at least 2 million people were affected by the storm and that 23,000 homes sustained serious damage or were completely destroyed. The U.S. has dispatched water, generators and aid to the city worst effected by the super storm, but because of damaged infrastructure and communications equipment, there has been some difficulty getting aid to the millions of people in need of food and clean water. Pope Francis called for a prayer vigil for the victims of the typhoon, and was joined by thousands at the Vatican to pray for the people of the Philippines. Organizations that are accepting donations to help victims include …
There are many others accepting donations for humanitarian relief efforts currently being directed to the effected regions. If you know of any especially good ones, let us know in the comments …
