FEARS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES AS TROPICAL STORM TEMBIN LEAVES TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION
Reports of collapsed homes, deadly landslides and flash flooding have emerged after Tropical Storm Tembin swept across the southern Philippines island of Mindanao on Friday.
“This is an absolute tragedy for many children in what should be a festive and joyful time of year, when people are relaxing and spending time with their families,” Save the Children Country Director in the Philippines, Ned Olney said.
“But instead Tropical Storm Tembin has brought strong winds, landslides and huge amounts of rainfall. Such heavy rains will also make accessing the worst affected communities difficult, and we hold grave fears for many of those unaccounted for.
“Save the Children has a long history of responding to humanitarian emergencies in the Philippines and we stand ready to respond to this disaster if required.”
The aid agency is already responding to the displacement caused by fighting in the city of Marawi, also in Mindanao.
ENDS
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