Typhoon flooding in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines

October 21, 2010: Typhoon Megi, the most powerful storm to hit the Philippines in years, smashed into Isabela Province on Monday, leaving a trail of devastation. According to the Associated Press, 140 mile-an-hour winds and gusts of 162 mph slammed Palanan Bay in the northern Philippines.

Power, phone, and Internet services have been severed in the eastern provinces of Cagayan and Isabela. Roads leading to coastal Isabela Province, 200 miles northeast of the capital Manila, are blocked by fallen trees and debris. Powerful winds created near-zero visibility; collapsed trees and crushed homes are responsible for 10 deaths but reported deaths could rise once communications are restored.

Preparing for the vicious storm was like preparing for war, a retired general told the Associated Press. Caught offguard by last year’s typhoon, the government had prepared residents for Megi by closing schools, evacuating families, banning shipping in the area, and putting soldiers on standby.

SOS Children's Villages Provides Help After Natural Disasters

Map of SOS Children's Villages in the Philippines

While the main goal of SOS Children’s Villages is to raise vulnerable children in warm and loving homes, in times of disaster SOS is on the ground to offer emergency help.

In 2008, for instance, when flooding from Typhoon Fengshen forced Filipino families to leave their homes, SOS was there to distribute rice, canned food, and noodles. SOS-Iloilo gave refuge to sixty families living in the vicinity of the Children’s Village. When Manila experienced the worst flooding in four decades due to Typhoon Ondoy in 2009, SOS was there to distribute relief goods to affected families in Muntinlupa City, where SOS-Manila is located.

Because of a history of frequent storms in places like the Philippines, SOS is prepared to help those in need. At times when Children’s Villages become cut off from the outside world because of power outages, downed trees, and impassable roads, SOS relies on generators to keep its facilities operating.

Become a SOS Global Village Builder today as a way to help SOS prepare to feed and shelter children and families before natural disasters hit. For just 40 cents/day you can join a movement for a child's right to a family and make dreams come true.

Would you like to learn more?  Sign up to receive SOS Children's Villages eNewsletters to stay informed about issues that affect children around the world.