Israeli relief organization in Philippines: ‘Disastrous situation’

A team from IsraAid, an Israeli civilian disaster relief organization, landed in the Philippine city of Tacloban, considered ground zero of the disaster site, on Wednesday to a scene of rampant disorder, where desperate survivors of Typhoon Haivan are dying in the fight for food and aid workers need military escorts for protection.

IsraAid members were the first to fly into the city on board a Philippines Army plane on Wednesday as other relief groups struggled to arrange civilian flights to the disaster hit area, the organization said in a statement.

“The situation there is disastrous,” IsraAid said. “People are rioting due to the lack of food, clean water and access to health facilities and accommodation.”

The city, that is the capital of the eastern Leyte province, has descended into violent chaos with local people raiding relief supplies to get food, putting aid workers at risk.

“A few hours ago an international aid agency’s truck packed with food and water left the airport (where our team landed) and thousands of people jumped on the truck,” the statement said. “12 people died as a result and the relief staff are still missing.”

Realizing the danger to aid workers, the Philippine government ordered that all relief teams should have military escorts for protection, the report said. The IsraAid team organized local military personnel to provide a bodyguard, the organization said, and it intends to coordinate operations with the IDF relief mission that set out for the disaster-struck country on Wednesday with over 100 tons of supplies.

IsraAid also confirmed that a US Navy floating hospital had arrived at the scene and that units were attempting to restore security to the area.

On Thursday, the Israeli relief workers intended to explore the region around Tacloban along with US military forces.