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Typhoon Haiyan: desperation grows as survivors face fifth day without help Typhoon Haiyan: desperation grows as survivors face fifth day without help
(about 9 hours later)
Desperation is growing in the devastated path of typhoon Haiyan, after heavy rains lashed survivors facing a fifth day without food, water or basic medical supplies. Desperation is growing in the areas hit by typhoon Haiyan, as heavy rains lash survivors facing a fifth day without food, water or basic medical supplies.
International relief efforts have intensified with the launch of a United Nations appeal and the dispatch of US, British and Japanese troops to the affected regions of the Philippines. But minimal amounts of aid have reached the worst-hit areas. International relief efforts have intensified with the launch of a UN appeal and the dispatch of American, British and Japanese troops to the affected regions of the Philippines. But minimal amounts of aid have reached the worst‑hit areas.
More than 3,000 people surged on to the tarmac of Tacloban airport on Tuesday morning in the hope of flying out on the two Philippines Air Force planes that had just arrived. More than 3,000 people surged on to the tarmac of Tacloban airport on Tuesday morning in the hope of flying out on the two Philippine air force planes that had just arrived.
Babies, the sick and the elderly were prioritised, but only a few hundred people were able to leave, with others held back by soldiers and police officers. Many had walked for hours and camped at the base overnight. Babies and sick or elderly people were given priority, but only a few hundred were able to leave. Others were held back by soldiers and police. Many had walked for hours and camped at the base overnight.
"I was pleading with the soldiers. I was kneeling and begging because I have diabetes," said Helen Cordial, as she lay on a stretcher, shaking. "Do they want me to die in this airport? They are stone-hearted," she told the Associated Press. "I was pleading with the soldiers. I was kneeling and begging because I have diabetes," said Helen Cordial as she lay on a stretcher, shaking. "Do they want me to die in this airport? They are stone-hearted," she told the Associated Press.
The air force has just three C-130 cargo planes to deliver supplies and pick up survivors.The air force has just three C-130 cargo planes to deliver supplies and pick up survivors.
US army major Leo Liebreich said American forces were hoping to bring five more C-130s to Tacloban to help ferry out evacuees on Tuesday. Leo Liebreich, a US army major, said American forces were hoping to bring five more C-130s to Tacloban to help evacuate people on Tuesday.
While the air force said it had reached one of the worst-hit cities – Guiuan in eastern Samar province, where the typhoon first made landfall – domestic and international relief efforts have been hampered by bad weather, poor communications and damaged infrastructure. At present Tacloban can receive aircraft only during daylight. While the air force said it had reached one of the worst-hit cities – Guiuan in eastern Samar province, where the typhoon first made landfall – domestic and international relief efforts had been hampered by wet weather, poor communications and damaged infrastructure. At present aircraft can only land in Tacloban during daylight hours.
The New York Times suggested that flights may also have been held up by the government's decision not to ask the US military to help manage air control at the facility, as it has done elsewhere. The air control tower was destroyed by Haiyan. The New York Times suggested flights could also have been delayed by the government decision not to ask the US military to help manage air control there, as it has done elsewhere. The air control tower was destroyed by Haiyan.
Corizon Soliman, secretary of the Philippine department of social welfare and development, said aid had reached one third of the city's 45,000 families. Corizon Soliman, secretary of the Philippine department of social welfare and development, said aid had reached a third of the city's 45,000 families.
The UN said more than 11.3 million people had been affected by the typhoon – known in the Philippines as Yolanda – with 673,000 of those displaced. The UN said that more than 11.3 million people had been affected by the typhoon – known in the Philippines as Yolanda – and 673,000 of those had been displaced from their homes.
Officially the death toll stands at 1,744, but officials in Tacloban have suggested that the total there alone could be 10,000, and other authorities have indicated they believe that is likely to be accurate. Officially, the death toll stands at 1,744, but Tacloban officials have suggested the total in the city alone could be 10,000, and other authorities have indicated they believe that is likely to be accurate. The 10,000 figure is disputed by the Philippine president, Benigno Aquino, who has told CNN that it is "too high" and that the figure is more likely up to 2,500.
The UN has released $25m (£15.7m) in emergency funds for emergency shelter materials and household items, and for assistance with the provision of emergency health services, safe water supplies and sanitation. Its aid chief, Valerie Amos, launched an appeal for $300m as she arrived in Manila. The UN has released $25m (£15.7m) in emergency funds for shelter materials and household items, and for assistance with emergency health services, safe water supplies, and sanitation.
"We have deployed specialist teams, vital logistics support and dispatched critical supplies, but we have to do more and faster," she said. The UN aid chief, Valerie Amos, launched an appeal for $300m as she arrived in Manila. "We have deployed specialist teams, vital logistics support and dispatched critical supplies, but we have to do more and faster," she said.
The US, Britain, Japan and Australia and others have already pledged tens of millions of dollars in immediate aid. The US, Britain, Japan and Australia and other nations have pledged tens of millions of dollars in immediate aid.
In Tacloban, shops have been stripped of food and water by hungry residents. While some tents have arrived, the widespread damage has left many people sleeping in the ruins of their homes or under shredded trees. Businesses have also offered help. HSBC announced a $1m (£630,000) cash donation, making it the biggest UK business donor recorded so far to the typhoon-stricken nation.
Military doctors at a makeshift clinic at the airport said they had treated around 1,000 people for cuts, bruises, lacerations and deep wounds but did not have enough supplies. In Tacloban shops have been stripped of food and water by hungry residents. While some tents have arrived, the widespread damage has left many people sleeping in the ruins of their homes or under shredded trees.
"It's overwhelming," said air force captain Antonio Tamayo. "We need more medicine. We cannot give anti-tetanus vaccine shots because we have none." Military doctors at a makeshift clinic at the airport said they had treated about 1,000 people for cuts, bruises, lacerations and deep wounds. They did not have enough medical supplies.
The typhoon also flattened Basey, a seaside town in Samar province about 6 miles (10km) across a bay from Tacloban. About 2,000 people were missing there, its governor said. "It's overwhelming," said Antonio Tamayo, an air force captain. "We need more medicine. We can't give anti-tetanus vaccine shots because we have none."
The typhoon also flattened Basey, a seaside town in Samar province about six miles across a bay from Tacloban. About 2,000 people were missing there, its governor said.
Rescue and relief workers have yet to reach many of the more remote areas.Rescue and relief workers have yet to reach many of the more remote areas.
"There are hundreds of other towns and villages stretched over thousands of kilometres that were in the path of the typhoon and with which all communication has been cut," said Natasha Reyes, emergency co-ordinator in the Philippines at Médecins Sans Frontières. "There are hundreds of other towns and villages stretched over thousands of kilometres that were in the path of the typhoon and with which all communication has been cut," said Natasha Reyes, emergency co-ordinator in the Philippines at Médecins Sans Frontières. "No one knows what the situation is like in these more rural and remote places, and it's going to be some time before we have a full picture."
"No one knows what the situation is like in these more rural and remote places, and it's going to be some time before we have a full picture."
Damage to communications has left the armed forces struggling to reach local authorities and many officials are dead, missing or trying to protect their own families.Damage to communications has left the armed forces struggling to reach local authorities and many officials are dead, missing or trying to protect their own families.
"Basically, the only branch of government that is working here is the military," Philippine army captain Ruben Guinolbay told Reuters in Tacloban. "That is not good. We are not supposed to take over government." "Basically, the only branch of government that is working here is the military," Ruben Guinolbay, a Philippine army captain, told Reuters in Tacloban. "That is not good. We are not supposed to take over government."
The interior secretary, Manuel Roxas, said only 20 of Tacloban's 293 police had arrived for work.The interior secretary, Manuel Roxas, said only 20 of Tacloban's 293 police had arrived for work.
But he added: "Today, we have stabilised the situation. There are no longer reports of looting. The food supply is coming in. Up to 50,000 food packs are coming in every day, with each pack able to feed up to a family of five for three days." But he added: "Today, we have stabilised the situation. There are no longer reports of looting. The food supply is coming in. Up to 50,000 food packs are coming in every day, with each pack able to feed up to a family of five for three days."
A team of British medical experts and the first consignment of UK aid was due to leave for the Philippines on Tuesday, David Cameron has announced. The surgical team, led by Manchester University professor of international emergency medicine Anthony Redmond, will include three emergency physicians, two orthopaedic surgeons, one plastic surgeon, two accident and emergency nurses, one theatre nurse, two anaesthetists and one specialist physiotherapist. A team of British medical experts and the first consignment of aid from the UK was due to leave for the Philippines on Tuesday, David Cameron announced.
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier – carrying about 5,000 sailors and more than 80 aircraft – and four other US navy ships should arrive in two to three days, the Pentagon said. The UK surgical team, led by Anthony Redmond, Manchester University professor of international emergency medicine, includes three emergency physicians, two orthopaedic surgeons, a plastic surgeon, two accident and emergency nurses, a theatre nurse, two anaesthetists and one specialist physiotherapist.
"The weather is pretty bad out there, so we are limited by seas and wind," Captain Thomas Disy, commander of the USS Antietam, a missile cruiser that's part of the carrier group, told reporters in Hong Kong. The USS George Washington aircraft carrier, transporting about 5,000 sailors and more than 80 aircraft, plus four other US navy ships, should arrive in two to three days, the Pentagon said.
Britain's HMS Daring – a warship with equipment to make drinking water from seawater and a military transport aircraft – should arrive around the same time. "The weather is pretty bad out there, so we are limited by seas and wind," Captain Thomas Disy, commander of the USS Antietam, a missile cruiser that is part of the carrier group, told reporters in Hong Kong.
Japan is also sending a 40-strong team from its self-defence force to help with relief efforts. Britain's HMS Daring, a warship with equipment to make drinking water from seawater, and a military transport aircraft, should arrive around the same time.
The Philippine president, Benigno Aquino III, has declared a "state of national calamity", allowing the central government to release emergency funds more quickly and impose price controls. Japan is sending a 40-strong team from its self-defence force to help with relief efforts.
Aquino has declared a state of national calamity, allowing the central government to release emergency funds more quickly and impose price controls.
Initial estimates of the cost of the damage vary widely, with a report from German-based CEDIM Forensic Disaster Analysis putting the total at $8bn to $19bn.Initial estimates of the cost of the damage vary widely, with a report from German-based CEDIM Forensic Disaster Analysis putting the total at $8bn to $19bn.
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