It’s happened once again.  Just like hurricane Katrina, the earthquake in Japan, or superstorm Sandy, a natural disaster has reared its ugly head and uprooted the lives of thousands of people. This time, it is a typhoon named Haiyan that came thundering in on the coast of the Philippines, leaving up to ten thousand people dead, according to the “Chicago Tribune.”

Last Friday, a typhoon, which is the name for a hurricane that develops in the West Pacific, formed in the Pacific ocean and blew over the Philippines into Southeast Asia.  The storm had gusts of up to 250 miles per hour and waves over 15 feet tall, according to CNN.  Haiyan is unofficially the largest storm of its kind ever recorded.

The storm destroyed a large amount of Filipino homes and infrastructure, leaving  thousands of people on the streets with their entire lives destroyed.  The Philippines is a very poor country, so the damage was especially bad.  Officials are not able to make it into some of the worst areas, so many people have not received any aid and damage tolls are still left at a rough approximation in many areas.

Countries around the world, as well as the UN, have sent aid to the Philippines, which have reported to be incredibly short on water and food.  The conditions are so bad for many people that they are forced to drink dirty water from the ground, with just a t-shirt to use as a filter. Stores across the country have already been cleaned out by looters, leaving many people starving with no hopes of getting food without foreign aid.

The United States have sent the U.S. Marines to the area, providing supplies and manpower.  In addition to Marine presence, the U.S. authorized two hundred thousand dollars in aid, authorized by President Obama on Saturday, according to CNN.

Many different aid organizations are requesting funding, including the World Food Programme, which you can donate $10 to by texting AID to 27722.