The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is working with local Adventist Community Services (ACS) in the Northern Philippines to distribute emergency food supplies for more than a thousand families affected by Tropical Storm Ketsana.

The emergency food packs contain staples such as rice, beans and milk and will last a family for one week.

"I am thankful for ADRA and ACS for the help they extended to our people," said Teresita Daza, chairperson for Concepcion Uno, one city supplied with ADRA emergency packs. "To feed them for one day is already worthy of appreciation, but 250 families [received] their food for the week."

The death toll in the Philippines rose to 246 since the storm hit the northern islands last weekend, with more than 450,000 people affected by the rains and flooding, Bloomberg reported.

Church leaders in the Central Luzon region estimate 5,000 Adventist church members were affected by the storm. They said at least 10 are confirmed dead.

The storm, called Ondoy in the Philippines, also caused nearly $100 million in infrastructure damage and crop losses.

Funding for the relief comes from the church headquarters in the Southern-Asia Pacific region, ADRA, and the churches in the Central Luzon area.