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Katrina Aid Today is a national case management consortium which will provide disaster case management services to disaster vicitms. It was created by The United Methodist Committee on Relief. They just received $24.5M in federal funding to add to the more than $66M they received from foreign nations and non-profit agencies.

The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that $5.8M in disaster relief has yet to be released to the disaster victims.

The World Health Organization has been closely monitoring the situation and estimates the amount needed to be $12.8M now.

Total cost for disaster vicitm relief and reconstruction of the devastated area is estimated to cost more than $1 billion.

The disaster has left at least 138,000 missing or dead.

The U.S. Small Business Administration announces today the opening of three additional Disaster Loan Outreach Centers and one Business Recovery Center on Monday, July 21 at 9 a.m. The locations of the Centers will make it convenient for disaster victims affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding of June 5 and continuing to apply for disaster loan assistance. The SBA encourages victims to visit the Centers to apply for assistance.

The value of disaster loans approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration from flooding and tornadoes this spring in Iowa has passed the $100 million mark.

The agency as of Thursday had approved more than $101.1 million in disaster loans, according to Joe Folsom, the agency’s district director for Iowa.

Nebraska taxpayers affected by the storms, tornadoes and flooding from May 22 through June 24 are entitled to certain forms of tax relief, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. Individuals who live, work or have a business in the counties declared disaster areas may apply.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency said the counties included in the federal disaster declaration are Buffalo, Butler, Colfax, Custer, Dawson, Douglas, Gage, Hamilton, Jefferson, Kearney, Lancaster, Platte, Richardson, Sarpy and Saunders.

More bodies are set to arrive in Cebu today, raising the body count of the MV Princess of the Stars victims to 259.

The bodies will be processed at the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes along Junquera St., Cebu City and not at the Cebu International Port (CIP), where the new forensic site would be set up.

Verizon Wireless is using text messaging to help victims of the natural disasters in China and Myanmar. Residents in central and northeastern Pennsylvania who have Verizon post-pay cell phone service can text the word “cyclone” or “quake” to 4SAVE.
They will get a text message back asking them to confirm a $5 donation to Save the Children. By replying “Y,” the donation will be accepted and appear on the next month’s phone bill.

Customers can text up to five times for a total donation of $25.

Donations will be accepted through July 31.

Relatives of missing persons in the MV Princess of the Stars sinking, braved the stench of decomposing flesh as they viewed 49 bodies, which were brought to Cebu by Sulpicio Lines yesterday.

However, only the bodies of Juvelyin Requilme Jr., 16; Esmeralda Lequi-gan, 54; Julie Mendoza, 43; crewmember Ruel Lariba and PNP 7 Band member SPO3 Adolfo Villareal were identified by the anxious family members at the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in Junque-ra St., Cebu City yesterday.

U.S. President George Bush says the United States will do it all it can to help the victims of the typhoon that struck the Philippines over the weekend. VOA’s Paula Wolfson reports following talks at the White House with Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, Mr. Bush announced plans to send a U.S. aircraft carrier to the scene.

When a ferry was capsized by a typhoon off the coast of the central Philippine island of Sibuyan, rescuers performing searches fear that all on board may have died as a result.

A distress signal was sent out by the MV Princess of the Star the previous night after Typhoon Fengshen hit the country.

A rescue vessel was dispatched, but had to return due to severe weather conditions. The vessel was carrying 626 passengers and 121 crewmembers.