PHILIPPINES: Humanitarian crisis after Typhoon Haiyan devastates central Philippines

Record ID: 564748

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: Humanitarian crisis after Typhoon Haiyan devastates central Philippines
  • Date: 9th November 2013
  • Summary: TACLOBAN CITY, PHILIPPINES (NOVEMBER 9, 2013) (REUTERS) SOLDIERS AT BADLY DAMAGED AIRPORT BADLY DAMAGED AIRPORT PARKING LOT PHILIPPINES FLAG FLYING BADLY DAMAGED BUILDING DEBRIS IN AIRPORT OFFICE SMASHED WINDOWS IN AIRPORT CONTROL TOWER VARIOUS OF REMAINS OF HOUSES VEHICLE LYING ON ITS SIDE NEXT TO FILING CABINET (SOUNDBITE) (English) PHILIPPINES INTERIOR SECRETARY, MAR ROXAS, SAYING: "The devastation is.......I don't have the words for it. It's really horrific, it's a great human tragedy. There's no power, there's no light. By the time the sun sets, it's dark, and you're just going to have to make your way to where you can find some shelter." ROXAS SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) PHILIPPINES INTERIOR SECRETARY, MAR ROXAS, SAYING: "We're opening as many stores as we can, so that the people can have access to food. There is some looting that is going on, we've deployed the army and the PNP (Philippines National Police) as much as we can and we're trying to secure power and water which are the basics." ROXAS WITH JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) PHILIPPINES INTERIOR SECRETARY, MAR ROXAS, SAYING: "There's no.....we have not begun to count, we have not begun to count because there's no information. Even between here and Tacloban, there's no radio, there's no cell site." VILLAGES LINING UP TO RECEIVE HELP VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS AND MEDICS HELPING WOUNDED VILLAGERS VARIOUS OF OVERTURNED CARS AND DEBRIS
  • Embargoed: 24th November 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Disasters
  • Reuters ID: LVA6YW3FW8546P7Q8BKGSDF420L
  • Story Text: One of the strongest typhoons ever to make landfall devastated the central Philippines, killing more than 1,000 people in one city alone and 200 in another province, the Red Cross estimated on Saturday (November 9), as reports of high casualties began to emerge.
    A day after Typhoon Haiyan churned through the Philippine archipelago in a straight line from east to west, rescue teams struggled to reach far-flung regions, hampered by washed out roads, many choked with debris and fallen trees.
    The death toll from the fast moving storm was expected to rise sharply.
    On Saturday, roads in Tacloban in the central Leyte province, one of the worst-hit areas, were either under water or blocked by fallen trees and power lines and debris from homes blown away by Haiyan.
    The airport was destroyed as raging seawaters swept through the city, and bodies covered in plastic were lying on the streets.

    "The devastation is.......I don't have the words for it. It's really horrific, it's a great human tragedy. There's no power, there's no light. By the time the sun sets, it's dark, and you're just going to have to make your way to where you can find some shelter," said interior secretary, Mar Roxas.
    Local television network ABS-CBN showed images of looting in one of the city's biggest malls, with residents carting away everything from appliances to suitcases and grocery items.
    Roxas said the government was trying to deal with the situation.

    "We're opening as many stores as we can, so that the people can have access to food. There is some looting that is going on, we've deployed the army and the PNP (Philippines National Police) as much as we can and we're trying to secure power and water which are the basics," he said.
    The Philippines has yet to restore communications with officials in Tacloban, a city of about 220,000. A government official estimated at least 100 were killed and more than 100 wounded, but conceded the toll would likely rise sharply.

    "We have not begun to count, we have not begun to count because there's no information. Even between here and Tacloban, there's no radio, there's no cell site," said Roxas.
    About a million people took shelter in 37 provinces after President Benigno Aquino appealed to those in the typhoon's path to leave vulnerable areas.
    Officials started evacuating residents from low-lying areas, coastlines and hilly villages as early as three days before the typhoon struck on Friday, helping to limit the loss of life, several officials said. But not all headed the call to leave.
    Haiyan was the second category 5 typhoon to hit the Philippines this year after Typhoon Usagi in September. An average of 20 typhoons strike every year, and Haiyan was the 24th so far this year.
    Haiyan weakened to a category 4 on Saturday, though forecasters said it could strengthen again over the South China Sea en route to Vietnam.
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