by Shelby Powers

This past Friday, starting around 5 am local time, the Philippines were devastated by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). Winds close to 200 mph, torrential rain and the surging waves of up to 45 feet high hit the eastern seaboard, leveling cities such as Tacloban and Basey, which are 360 miles southeast of the nation’s capital Manila. The storm is estimated to be 3.5 times as strong as 2006’s Hurricane Katrina. Casualties were estimated around 10,000 by a regional police director. However, in a CNN interview, Filipino president Benigno Aquino estimated that the current figure is closer to 2,000, but is likely to climb in coming days. Dead bodies are piled up wherever the enormous waves left them, and the survivors are surrounded with health risks and the stench of rotting flesh.

The widespread death and displacement make it seem as if people did not properly evacuate, but in fact 800,000 people did evacuate their homes. The schools, churches, and other shelters could not withstand the incredible force of Haiyan.

According to the BBC, over 630,000 Filipino people have been displaced by the typhoon. The destruction of roads, infrastructure, and communication systems have made aid difficult to transport to the victims. Remote areas, such as the destroyed city of Guiuan, have not yet been reached by rescuers. The fact that the Philippines is made of hundreds of separate islands is creating difficulty for aid workers and the national government. Hunger is the biggest issue for survivors, and looting has become prevalent, mostly because people are so desperate for food. Providing access to food, clean water, and medicine is vital.

Luckily, around the world nations and organizations are pledging funds to help the Philippines. The United Nations promised $25 million in relief, and the U.S. government has sent 2,000 marines with equipment and $20 million in relief funds to the effort.