An entire neighborhood is destroyed in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan on November 13, 2013 in Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

The destruction in the Philippines caused by Typhoon Haiyan is immense, with the death toll currently standing at around 2,500 people. Today Mayor Vince Gray released a statement encouraging D.C. residents to donate to a “reputable disaster-relief organization.”

“Unfortunately, we are bearing witness to another historic tragedy in the Philippines, which has suffered from disastrous typhoons and storms in recent years,” Gray said in the release. “My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of the central Philippines, as well as to the residents of the District of Columbia who have loved ones there. I have reached out to Philippines Ambassador Jose Lampe Cuisia, Jr. to express my sympathies and to offer any assistance the District may be able to provide.”

According to Gray, over 3,000 Filipino Americans live in the District. He cited UNICEF, the American Red Cross, and the Embassy of the Philippines as places to donate to.

While millions of dollars in donations have already rolled in, it may not be enough. USA Today reports:

Despite the outpouring of generosity, organizations such as the Philippine Nurses Association of America are scrambling to set up donor pages on line, seeking financial help. UNICEF has sent out an appeal for $34 million to help 4 million children impacted by the typhoon, saying funding is urgently needed for food, medicine, clean water and sanitation. UNICEF has taken in $4.6 million in donations the past three days, vs. $12.3 million it received from donors in the same period following the Haiti quake and $5.4 million it received within three days of the 2004 tsunami.

Here’s more depressing info via the Post:

As authorities in this typhoon-ravaged nation struggled Tuesday with a mammoth relief effort, survivors were becoming increasingly desperate, short on food and supplies and terrified about waiting longer for help.

A few residents of hard-hit areas scrawled signs with a simple message: “Help us.”