Christian Children's Fund of Canada (CCFC) is preparing to reach survivors in southern Philippines after a tropical storm swept through the area and unleashed massive flash floods, killing scores of people. 

As a member of the ChildFund Alliance, CCFC is working together with ChildFund International and supporting local partners to dispatch emergency supplies to the affected area, including food items, blankets, sleeping mats, bottled water, hygiene kits, and school supplies. 
 
"Living through a natural disaster is a traumatic experience for everyone, but especially for children," said Mark Lukowski, Chief Executive Officer of Christian Children's Fund of Canada.  "Our goal is to help children return to normal activities and routines, so that they can adjust better to life after the disaster."

The floods were triggered by Tropical Storm Washi, which devastated a southern Philippines region and dumped a month's worth of rainfall in the span of only a few hours.  More than 1,000 people were killed while they slept, rousting hundreds of others to their rooftops and turning two coastal cities into muddy, debris-filled waterways.  About 45,000 displaced people are crowded in temporary evacuation centers.  

Rowena Sugay of CCFC is visiting the area to assess the situation and better understand the needs of children and families on the ground. 

"There is nothing but mud and knee-deep floodwaters," said Sugay.  "Children are in shock and confused about the situation, and parents are worried about their destroyed houses and lost livelihoods."

Marites, a local resident and mother of three children currently living in a temporary shelter, spoke of the destruction brought by the floods.  "We thought we were going to die," she said.  "It all happened very fast and we couldn't save anything.  Our house was totally washed away." 

Christian Children's Fund of Canada is raising funds to meet the immediate needs of children and their families in the flooded communities.