News and Features Editor
Typhoon
Haiyan has put the official death toll around 4,500, approximately 12,500 people
are injured, and a little over 1,000 people are listed as missing. The National
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council say some 9 million people have
been affected by the typhoon, with almost 2 million displaced despite the
evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people before Typhoon Haiyan hit. Packing
winds of 147 mph, winds gusts of 170 mph, waves up to 45 feet, and rain up to
almost 16 inches devastated many towns. Evacuation centers proved incapable of
withstanding the storm and supplies were washed away.
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| Path of Typhoon Haiyan |
Many
killed by the storm still lie along streets and survivors search for their
loved ones under rubble. Mass burials of the victims have begun to take place,
acting as temporary grave sites for future identification processes.
With
the lack of supplies, lawlessness and violence have increased in the
Philippines from desperate attempts of civilians to get food and water. Eight
people were killed when a crowd of citizens ransacked a rice warehouse and made
off with thousands of sacks of grain. Other incidences involve armed robberies,
looting of homes and shops, and the digging up of water pipes in desperate
attempts to get food, water, and medicine.
Thirty-three
nations have joined in the relief efforts contributing almost $100 billion so
far. In the city of Tanauan, American doctors have set up a MASH unit in the city
hall. They lack the necessary equipment and are using wooden tables as
operation tables and flashlights as overhead lights. These doctors have removed
shrapnel and performed amputations and C-sections with continually shortening
supplies of dressings, antibiotics, and anesthesia.
The
presence of the USS George Washington will triple the number of available
helicopters that can deliver supplies. Two other U.S. destroyers are currently
in the Philippines, with other vessels expected to arrive in the next week.
Sources:
BBC News, NBC News, The Guardian, The Independent, and The Huffington Post
