Philippines

My thoughts are with those in the Philippines. 10,000+ dead and likely far more. I guess even with our occasional shakes here in NZ we should count ourselves lucky.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Yes a terrible event, the biggest storm for thirty years or in history dependant on which media outlet reports it.
Count your blessings.

 

[Robert May Eng.]

Historically the place gets a good battering by these storms. The questions that need to be raised are why the deaths? There was ample warnings and more than enough time to evacuate to higher ground, are these deaths a result of the powers that be on these islands having a scant regard for the lives or well being of the population? Confused.

Bob

 

[David Morton]

I suppose the questions can wait. It's just appalling. Could we get as many people on the ground as we have in Afghanistan at the moment, along with all the money being wasted in Afghanistan turning the guns into ploughs to plant the opium poppies? - the Philipines would recover overnight.
Here in the UK we are wasting money teaching Somalis the Private Pilots Licence, £10,000 might help Philipines a damn site more.
Fuck. Whats the point. No one really gives a rats arse.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

From what I can gather, the Philippines are mostly small islands at sea level, and since most of the people are poor, the houses are flimsy. And evidently this storm was so fierce that even if houses had been much more robust, they would have been leveled.

What is even sadder is that the islands get several typhoon (Pacific version of hurricane) a year- but even with that experience, they weren't able to prepare for this level of wind and rain.

The photos are terrible. The audio I heard on the radio last evening was much worse- according to the narrator, a little girl having her lacerations sutured, without anesthetic, because they didn't have any. That is horrifying.

 

Death toll revised significantly downward thankfully. Still looks like a complete disaster zone though, with whole towns leveled. I guess disease and hunger will be the worry now.

 

[Keith]

I am just going to say - we have a significant number of Filipinos in the UK - many of them working in the NHS - I had a lovely Filipino woman look after me in the Intensive Care Unit and I will always remember her. They are absolutely splendid workers, very caring and hard working. Inevitably, they do not have much of a personal life, as they send most of their earnings home to support their families.

Wonderful people (at least in my experience) and deserve all the help we can give them. Imagine what it's like for them stuck over here when their families are suffering - they cannot up and leave just like that.

Unusually, I have taken the step to donate to the International Red Cross. I say unusually, as I normally contribute to organisations closer to home.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Australia is sending food, and medical help, the U.S. is sending an Aircraft carrier with food and medical assistance. I wonder what Saudi Arabia and China are doing?

 

[Keith]

HMS Daring is there (wasn't she in Oz recently?) with 2 Pumas as are a couple of RAF C130's. They really get everywhere those flying truck drivers. Hats off to them.