On November 8th, one of the deadliest natural disasters in Philippine history, typhoon Haiyan, swept through the Philippines as well as other countries like Vietnam and Taiwan. The death toll rose to 5,209 people as of November 22, with 1,611 people still missing. The pain and anguish doesn't end there. About 10 million people are without homes and around 1.5 million children and 800,000 pregnant women are at risk of malnutrition. The damage done by this typhoon is estimated to be more than 288 million U.S. Dollars. The statistics of this typhoon are staggering and its path of devastation has left the world in awe. Dozens of countries word-wide are sending monetary and personal help. The UN has appealed for $301 million in relief aid to the areas stricken by this disaster.
The situation seems to be getting more and more desperate. The crime rate in cities like Tacloban has increased as 103 inmates at the Tacloban city jail escaped when the typhoon destroyed the prison's main gate. There have already been two instances of mass groups of people breaking through gates to storm cargo planes carrying supplies. Military personnel and tanks are now patrolling the streets in Philippine cities in response to the rise in violence and unrest in the affected areas. President Benigno Aquino III has even considered declaring martial law in response to the ever-increasing rate of violence and looting.
The slow process of aiding the Philippines isn't helping the situation. Due to lack of electricity, cargo planes can only take off and land during daylight hours to be able to see the runway. This also means that the process of evacuating people is much slower. Yet progress is being made. Of the $301 million that the UN appealed for, $138 million in relief aid has been raised in only two weeks. The situation is a devastating one that seems incredibly desperate, but step-by-step we will get there. We can all help by donating to the relief attempts.
Typhoon Haiyan
Matthew Cox