Manila - The United Nations Wednesday raised its flash appeal for donations to help victims of deadly storms in the Philippines to 144 million dollars.

The UN's initial appeal was for 74 million dollars in early October. So far, only 26 million dollars have been received.

The UN said additional funding was needed as aid agencies struggled with limited resources, hampering their ability "to follow through with humanitarian action plans designed to support life-saving projects and to launch early recovery efforts."

According to the latest assessment by UN agencies and non-governmental organizations, 4.2 million people were still in need of humanitarian assistance, including more than 520,000 children below the age of 5.

"Of particular concern for humanitarian agencies are the estimated 1.7 million people still displaced or living in areas that remain flooded," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

Nearly 1,000 people were killed when storm Ketsana and typhoons Parma and Mirinae pummelled the Philippines in late September and early October, affecting close to 10 million people and destroying more than 40,000 homes. (dpa)