Philippines typhoon kills at least 10,000 people

[KittyWampus]

Philippines typhoon kills at least 10,000 people

Tribune wire reports
4:30 p.m. CST, November 10, 2013

TACLOBAN—

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The United Nations said an unknown number of survivors had no food, water or medicine. Relief operations were hampered because roads, airports and bridges had been destroyed or were covered in wreckage, it said.

Super typhoon Haiyan destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of structures in its path as it tore through Leyte province on Friday, said police chief superintendent Elmer Soria.

Huge waves from one of the strongest storms ever recorded swept away coastal villages and devastated Tacloban, a main city in the region. Some officials likened the destruction to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

"From a helicopter, you can see the extent of devastation. From the shore and moving a kilometer inland, there are no structures standing. It was like a tsunami," said Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas, who was in Tacloban before the typhoon struck the city.

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Soria, quoting local officials, said the estimated death toll so far was 10,000. That could climb once rescuers reach remote villages along the coast.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-typhoon-philippines-20131110,0,3220526.story


U.S. MARINES ON WAY

International aid agencies and foreign governments are also sending emergency teams. At the request of the Philippine government, the United States defense secretary, Chuck Hagel, ordered the deployment of ships and aircraft to bring in emergency supplies and help in the search-and-rescue operations, the Defense Department said.

Approximately 90 American Marines and sailors based in Okinawa landed in the Philippines on Sunday, part of an advance team sent to assess the scope of the disaster and determine what the Pentagon might need to assist in relief work. According to Col. Brad Bartlet, a Marine spokesman, the team has asked for C-130 cargo airplanes, MV-22 Osprey helicopters and other aircraft, and the Navy has sent two P-3 Orion surveillance aircraft. Orions are often used during natural disasters to patrol the seas looking for survivors stranded in ships and boats.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/world/asia/philippines-typhoon.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0&rref=world&hpw