Baltimore --

Lutheran World Relief (LWR) is responding to several major disasters that have wreaked havoc in Asia, destroying communities and leaving scores of casualties with many more people lacking shelter, food, or medical care.

 

"This has been a turbulent and frightening two weeks for the people of the Philippines, Indonesia, and also the Pacific Islands of Samoa and Tonga," says LWR president John Nunes.

 

On Saturday, September 26, Typhoon Ketsana slammed the Philippines, leaving hundreds dead and driving thousands more from their homes. In less than 24 hours, the storm

brought a month's worth of rain to the capital city of Manila, washing away homes and crops.

 

"Our partners tell us that the typhoon hit the island of Luzon so fast that residents were not prepared for it and had to seek refuge on their roofs," says

Joanne Fairley, LWR's Director for Asia and the Middle East. Recent reports put the death toll around 300, with 700,000 people displaced. On October 3, a second typhoon, named Parma, struck, causing more flooding, claiming 17 more lives, and leaving a large portion of the northern Philippines without electricity. The two storms have caused significant damage to the agricultural infrastructure of the Philippines with officials predicting shortages of rice and other essential crops in 2010.

 

On Wednesday, September 30, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck West Sumatra in Indonesia, toppling buildings and destroying homes and roads. The next day a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck, causing more destruction and widespread panic but no additional casualties. Most recent reports put the death toll at over 700 people with 1,000 still missing. The total number of deaths may not be known for some time as efforts have shifted to focus on delivering aid to the survivors, many of whom are now homeless.

 

 "Many have tried to seek refuge in places of worship but now even they are full and some are simply living outside their destroyed homes," adds Fairley.

 

Lutheran World Relief is responding to both these crises by working directly with partners on the ground and through its membership in the Action by Churches Together (ACT) International global aid alliance. In the Philippines, LWR is working with partners, including the Lutheran Church of the Philippines, to distribute food and supplies to 17,000 families in and around Manila.

 

In Indonesia, LWR is also working with local partners to deliver food and supplies and will also provide psychological support to people who have been traumatized by the disasters.

 

Lutheran World Relief needs to raise $300,000 to mount a full response to respond to these disasters. LWR is accepting donations for the "Asia Disasters" fund online at lwr.org, by phone at 800-LWR-LWR-2 or by mail at PO Box 17061, Baltimore, MD 21298-9832.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL DISASTERS:
Editors:  When listing organizations receiving donations for aid
to survivors of major disasters outside the United States,
Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please

include:

Lutheran World Relief, www.lwr.org, 1-800-597-5972