Typhoon relief efforts gathering pace as UK aid workers arrive

The United Nations’ top humanitarian official yesterday called for a sustained and collective response from the international community to help those affected.

“Tens of thousands of people are living in the open or sheltering in the remains of their homes and badly damaged public buildings, exposed to rain and wind. Many have lost loved ones and are traumatised by their experience. Our focus is now on scaling up our efforts,” Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos said at a Press conference in the capital, Manila.

Thousands were killed by the storm, one of the strongest ever recorded, with 920,000 people displaced and a total of 11.8 million people affected.

Mass burials are underway in the country, six days after the typhoon struck the central Philippines.

Aid has been slow to reach those displaced with much of it is stuck in Manila and the nearby airport of Cebu because of the extensive damage the airport in the shattered city of Tacloban suffered.

Some of it, including food, water and medical supplies from the US, Malaysia and Singapore, has reached Tacloban and is sitting on pallets along the tarmac.

However the USS George Washington aircraft carrier has arrived in the Philippine Sea near the Gulf of Leyte, and will set up a position off the coast of Samar Island to assess the damage and provide medical and water supplies.

The carrier and its strike group brought 21 helicopters to the area, which can help reach the most inaccessible areas.

Portsmouth-based Royal Navy ship HMS Daring is expected to arrive in the Philippines over the next few days to assist further with the relief effort.

The Type 45 destroyer has more than 200 personnel on board, including Royal Marines Band member Colour Sergeant Andy Wainwright, 39, from Todmorden, who is likely take up a role as part of an administration team at a first aid post, and Able Seaman Aron Stoker, 25, from York.

Aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, which was taking part in exercises in the Gulf, will arrive in the region to support the humanitarian operation by November 25, replacing HMS Daring.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who announced the deployment during a visit to India, said: “What happened in the Philippines is an absolute tragedy.

“You can see the devastation, the suffering, and it’s quite clear that we are going to need long-term help for those people.

“The British Government has already pledged over £20m, which makes us one of the most generous donors anywhere in the world.

“But it’s practical action that’s needed as well. That’s why I sent HMS Daring to go and help in the Philippines and I can announce that once Daring has started its work, we are actually going to be able to replace in time HMS Daring with HMS Illustrious, which is, of course, a carrier with helicopters – seven times as many helicopters as on HMS Daring and with the key ability to process fresh water, so we will be giving further assistance in the best way we can.”

Medics from the UK are already on the ground in response to pleas for help from the Philippines government.

Emergency nurse Deborah Lau, who works at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, landed in Manila as part of a team of 12 emergency British medical staff deployed by the Department for International Development.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening approved the deployment of members of the UK International Emergency Trauma Register following a request from the Philippines Department of Health.

Ms Greening said: “Deborah is an experienced humanitarian emergency response medic who will make a significant contribution to helping out in the aftermath of this terrible disaster.”