Christian Aid's country manager in the Philippines, Daphne Villanueva, was forced to flee her home with her husband and two teenage children, walking through water that was neck high and at times so deep they had to swim.

It took them an hour and half to reach a school less than a mile away that was being used as an evacuation shelter 'It was terrifying. We left home at 4.30 in the afternoon when the water was waist high. The roads became rivers and soon it was up our necks, and in some places deeper. The junctions were particularly dangerous because of the currents were stronger there.

'At one point they were just too powerful so we had to find another way. By the time we reached safety, it was almost dark. We had been joined by a dozen other people trying to get through, which made it easier. We were able to help one another.

'The children were very scared. My daughter is 13, and a little small for her age. We had to hold on to her so tightly to stop her being swept away. Later we cried together but at the time we were just trying to survive.'

Daphne, aged 45, her husband Rowel, their daughter River (13) and son Forest (16) are now sheltering at the Christian Aid office in Manila. Their home, a bungalow in a village outside Ancicolo City on the far eastern outskirts of Manila was all but completely submerged in the deluge.

Daphne believes problems for the communities in that area might have been compounded when floodgates on two nearby dams were opened at the same time.

'The water behind both was allowed to rise to a critical level before it was released,' she said. 'Why was it not done sooner, so the water could escape in a more measured way? The rivers below the dams quickly burst their banks.'

The rain, she said, had started on the 22nd and initially there was no cause for alarm. Over the following days, however, it became much stronger. 'It was endless,' she said. 'We hung on at home until mid afternoon, and then tried to secure things such as official documents on the top of the highest cupboards, but there was only so much we could put up there.

'Eventually we knew we had to leave.I think we have lost about 98% of our possessions, but the house, I'm told is still standing. It must be much, much worse in poorer communities where the houses themselves were washed away. I have heard there were deaths but I don't know how many.'

On leaving the evacuation centre to make for the Christian Aid offices, she found the roads clogged with people desperately trying to find loved ones from whom they had become seperated.

With the water still at waist height she and her family managed to hitch a ride on a passing lorry. Within minutes they were joined by 50 other people all trying to reach drier land. 'Much of Christian Aid's work in the Philippines through partner organisations is concerned with Disaster Risk Reduction, and combating climate change. This is the first time I have ever experienced being caught up in a disaster,' she said.'I have many things to reflect about.'