In response to the devastation inflicted on the Philippines by Typhoon Haiyan, countries around the world have been rushing aid to the region. Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the Philippines on Nov. 7 and has affected more than 1.7 million families and 8 million people.
The U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps are leading the way in responding the devastation. “In brief what we’ve done is to respond quite quickly in a very coordinated way, bringing people to the disaster zone to assess the extent of the damage so we know what’s needed and coordinating with our Philippine colleagues,” a senior administration official told reporters today, as part of a background briefing on recovery efforts arranged for the media. The USS George Washington and three other U.S. vessels arrived in the Philippines on Nov. 14 and immediately began delivering food, water, and shelter to those affected by Typhoon Haiyan. They joined 300 Marines that were already on the ground aiding the relief efforts, as well as Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys that have been flying relief missions. Another 900 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are scheduled to arrive aboard the USS Germantown and USS Ashland by next week.