Amid the widespread devastation, tangled debris and human loss caused by
Typhoon Haiyan, a brief moment of joy was afforded to one family who
welcomed a newborn baby girl in the chaos of a destroyed airport in the
Philippines.
Emily Ortega, 21, went into labour in the city of Tacloban, successfully
delivering a ...healthy daughter, Bea Joy Sagales, with the help of a
military doctor.
Cheers broke out as little Bea arrived just a few days after the most
powerful and ferocious storm to have ever hit the Philippines left tens
of thousands of people dead.
The baby is nothing short of a miracle for Ms Ortega, who had to cling
to a post as Haiyan swept through Tacloban with winds of 170mph, before
she found safety in the airport.
More than 10,000 people are feared dead in Tacloban city alone – the
capital of Leyte Island which experienced the raging storm at its
height.
Thousands more are missing and homeless after their homes and businesses
were flattened and washed away, after Typhoon Haiyan smacked into six
Philippine islands on Friday.
Speaking to the BBC, Richard Gordon, head of the Philippine Red Cross
said: ‘There’s an awful lot of casualties, a lot of people dead all over
the place, a lot of destruction.
‘It’s absolute bedlam right now, but hopefully it will turn out better as more and more supplies get into the area.’
Aid workers’ progress has been hampered by blocked roads and the damage
to infrastructure, as they desperately try to provide food, medical
supplies and tents to families that have lost everything.
One medical student described survivors as ‘zombies,’ who in desperation for sustenance are reportedly looting stores amid apocalyptic scenes.
‘Everything is gone. Our house is like a skeleton and we are running out
of food and water. We are looking for food everywhere,’ said Jenny Chu.
‘People are walking like zombies looking for food. It’s like a movie.’
Philippine president Benigno Aquino III has sent in extra troops to deal
with law and order in the worst hit areas, but said he was also
considering declaring a state of emergency or even martial law in
Tacloban.
This could include curfews, price controls, food rationing and increased police patrolling.
Source: http://metro.co.uk
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