In the Philippines, relief workers have been battling through heavy rains in an attempt to reach those yet to receive any aid following Typhoon Ketsana.
More rains battered Manila yesterday, adding to the misery of those in evacuation centres and flooded slum areas. The rains have come as a second typhoon, “Parma”, is currently on-track to strike the Philippines on 3 October.
World Vision relief teams have been working through the rain to deliver aid and assess needs in communities that have been cut off for days.
Elnora Avarientos, national director for World Vision Philippines, said: "These rains are yet another challenge to our relief staff. Not only do they threaten to push Manila back into flooding chaos but they hamper our reaching families and communities already devastated by Typhoon Ketsana."
"Some communities are still submerged by floodwaters,” she said. “I am fearful that further heavy rains brought about by Typhoon Parma could make already fragile living conditions even worse, leading to a great deal of misery."
World Vision relief packs were dispatched in Rizal, east of Manila, to a poor community that had been cut off since Saturday. In Marikina, World Vision handed out 720 family relief packs that included rice, noodles, canned goods and water. Hundreds of relief items are being packed by volunteers to be distributed shortly.
Boy Bersales, Humanitarian and Emergencies Director for WV Philippines, said: "A number of children have been reported to have upper respiratory conditions, colds and fevers and we fear an outbreak of diarrhoea because there is not enough potable water to drink. We are organising a medical mission of doctors and nurses to address this issue."
A special safe-play zone for children has been set up in Marikina, eastern Manila, to help children recover from the distress of the disaster, providing a haven where they can play and sing songs. Staff are planning to set up more of these Child Friendly Spaces in the coming days.