Disney donates $500,000 for aid for typhoon victims in Philippines

BURBANK, Calif., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday it has committed $500,000 in humanitarian aid to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

The company said it will donate the money to Save the Children and The American Red Cross, as well as match donations from employees to organizations involved in disaster relief.

"Our hearts go out to the millions of people in the Philippines affected by this tragedy," Robert A. Iger, chairman and chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Co., said in a statement. "We hope this donation and our employee matching gift contributions will help families begin to rebuild their lives in the wake of this devastation."

Haiyan has been described by some experts as the strongest typhoon ever recorded. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Manila estimated 9 million people were affected by the massive storm, Voice of America reported.

The number of confirmed dead has reached more than 1,700 people in the Philippines, thus far, with fears the total could reach 10,000.