The Yukon's Filipino community has planned an emergency meeting for late this afternoon to discuss ways to help the thousands of people devastated by the recent massive flash flooding in the southern Philippines.

"I've been getting calls ever since this happened from people who want to help, who want to do something for everyone who is struggling,” Yvonne Clarke, the president of the Canadian Filipino Association of the Yukon, said Wednesday.

More than 1,060 people are dead or missing and 28,030 homes have been damaged or destroyed, following last weekend's tropical storm Washi, according to the county's government.

More than 43,600 people are taking shelter in 51 evacuation centres and another 266,000 people are staying with relatives or in makeshift structures. Officials say that number is likely to rise as more information becomes available.

The United Nations has likened the scene in the region, which includes the cities Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, to the impact of an inland tsunami.

Today, the international organization called for $28.6 million in funding to help those affected

Clarke estimates there are at least 2,000 Filipino-Canadians living in the Yukon, many with family still in the damaged areas.

"There is a lot of concern for all the people still living there, especially those who already had very little, now everything is gone,” she said.

Clarke, who has lived in the Yukon for the last 17 years, said her family members in Dumaguete City were lucky and only experienced a relatively minor amount of flooding.

"All my family is there, about five minutes from the coast. We were lucky because our house is made out of concrete,” she said.

"A lot of people living close to the water were living in shanties and those have been swept away.”

Clarke said it's been difficult explaining to her children, who visited the area a few years ago, that the houses are now gone.

"They could not imagine it; all they said was, ‘Oh my God, that's such a populated area,'” she said.

A member of the Yukon association happened to be in the country visiting family members when the storm hit.

"He tells me he is planning on going to the areas soon to see the damage for himself,” Clarke said.

The association is planning to set up a trust fund by the end of the week at the Scotia Bank for Yukoners looking to donate money.

Money raised will likely be sent to the Red Cross, Clarke said.

"We're also waiting to hear back from the person in the Philippines to see if we could send him some money so he can help people right away,” she said.

Clarke said she hopes members of the business community will also step up and help out.

The emergency meeting will begin at 5 p.m. at the Yukon Employees Union building (2285 Second Ave. beside Fountain Tire).

Anyone looking for more information can contact Clarke at 456-4211 or yclarke@northwestel.net