Manila - The Philippines faced the gigantic task of bringing relief to the struggling survivors of deadly Typhoon Haiyan, which wrought untold destruction and suffering.
During the 60-plus hours in which it held the country and its people in its grips, the Pacific-spawned storm, one of the most powerful ever recorded, killed, according to some reports, up to 10 000 people, practically destroyed several towns and cities, mostly in central parts of the country, and left bodies strewn on the streets. Many of those who survived the storm, which in many respects resembled a tsunami, were left with practically nothing.
Authorities said they also had to battle looters in many of the storm-hit regions.
The Philippine Star reported in the hard-hit coastal city of Tacloban, with a population of over 200 000, was placed under a state of calamity by the government Monday due to incidents of looting. The city, the capital of the province of Leyte, is about 360 miles southeast of Manila.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, who visited the storm-hit areas on Sunday, said a state of emergency may also be declared in Tacloban City.
A local paper said besides looting, there had also been reports of trucks loaded with relief goods being attacked by unidentified men in other devastated parts of Eastern Visayas, one of the three main regions of the country. The other two are Luzon, where the capital Manila is located, and Mindanao in the south.
The paper quoted some observers as describing the situation in Tacloban and other affected areas as "anarchic" amid scenes of destroyed homes and businesses.
The military said despite the problems, more relief goods had started to arrive in Tacloban City. Some of the goods were being brought by naval vessels and air forces planes. Large military personnel also were involved in distributing relief goods. – SAnews.gov.za-UPI
