Typhoon Survivor: "Tell My Family I'm Alive"

Street scene in destroyed Tacloban. "I've never seen such a violentforce that destroyed everything in its path. It's really large scale. It'simmense," said Aaron Aspi, WV Philippines Emergency CommunicationsSpecialist.  Photo by Mai Zamora.

LEYTE, PHILIPPINES (ANS) -- Survivors ofTyphoon Haiyan are sharing their desperate need for food and medicine afterlosing everything in the storm.

According to a story by Britain's Sky News, one woman, eight months pregnant, described through tears how her 11 family members vanished in the storm—which devastated parts of the Philippines—including two daughters.

"I can't think right now. I am overwhelmed," she said.

Erika Mae Karakot, a survivor on Leyte island, said "Please tellmy family I'm alive. We need water and medicine because a lot of the people weare with are wounded. Some are suffering from diarrhoea and dehydration due toshortage of food and water."

Sky News reported another woman said, "I have no house, I have noclothes. I don't know how I will restart my life. I am so confused. I don'tknow what happened to us. We are appealing for help. Whoever has a good heart,I appeal to you." Aid agencies have warned that many of the 480,000people whose homes have been destroyed by the bludgeoning force of the cycloneface a desperate battle to survive.

"Everything is gone. Our house is like a skeleton and we arerunning out of food and wate r. We are looking for food everywhere," saidJenny Chu, a medical student in Leyte.

The birth of a baby girl amid the devastation of the typhoon hasprovided a rare moment of joy for survivors.

Sky News said Bea Joy Sagales was born at the airport in Tacloban, thecity where officials fear at least 10,000 people have perished. Her motherEmily Ortega, 21, was in a shelter when the storm flooded the city. Sheclung to a post to survive and managed to reach the relative safety of theairport, where a military doctor assisted with the birth. Cheers broke outin the terminal when it became clear the birth—described as "nearmiraculous" by officials—had been a success.

In Tacloban, survivors have been scavenging for food and looting shopsin order to stay alive, witnesses say.

"Tacloban is totally destroyed. Some people are losing theirminds from hunger or from losing their families," high school teacherAndrew Pomeda, 36, said as he warned of the increasing desperation ofsurvivors.

"People are becoming violent. They are looting businessestablishments, the malls, just to find food, rice and milk. I am afraid thatin one week, people will be killing from hunger."

Sky News said witnesses described how survivors are forming long linesat aid stations, waiting desperately for handouts of rice and water.

Some sit and stare, covering their faces with rags to keep out thesmell of the dead. Lieutenant Colonel Fermin Carangan, of the Philippine Air Force, saidhe and 41 officers were sheltering in their airport office when "suddenlythe sea water and the waves destroyed the walls and I saw my men being swept bywaters one by one."

He was swept away from the building and clung to a coconut tree with aseven-year-old boy.

Carangan added, "In the next five hours we were in the seabuffeted by wind and strong rain. I kept on talking to the boy and giving him apep talk because the boy was telling me he was tired and he wanted to sleep."

He finally saw land and swam with the boy to a beach strewn with deadbodies. Sky News reported Carangan said, "I think the boy saved my lifebecause I found strength so that he can survive."

Assistance

Reporting a story for Presbyterian News Service (PNS), Jerry L. VanMarter said Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is consulting with its ecumenicalpartners on how best to begin relief efforts.

Communications were out throughout the weekend in the Philippines andimmediate relief efforts are being hampered by the sheer extent of thedestruction.

Local sources and international news agencies report severedestruction with damaged roads and buildings, downed power lines andtelecommunications and flooded villages.

PNS said damage to airports and roads is severely limiting access tothe hardest-hit areas. A report from the United Nations Office for theCoordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) states that roundtrip travel on theonly cleared road which connects the airport to the Tacloban currently takesabout six hours.

PNS said the initialresponse will include the provision of non-food items, material resources,drinking water, emergency shelter kits and cash-for-work programs.