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Connect the World
Special Coverage Of Supertyphoon Haiyan
Aired November 11, 2013 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MAX FOSTER, HOST: A state of national calamity in the Philippines. Up to 10,000 people are feared dead and hundreds of thousands displaced. Tonight, we bring you special coverage of one of the most powerful storms on record from the moment it hit to the search for survivors we're covering this story from every angle.
Plus...
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout here in Manila with the very latest on the frantic effort to get relief out to the victims of the super typhoon.
FOSTER: And we'll show you the drive on social media to help locate the missing and how you can get involved.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN London, this is Connect the World.
FOSTER: No electricity, no food, no water, bodies scattered on the streets: that's the grim reality left behind by Supertyphoon Haiyan three days after it ravaged central Philippines.
So far, the official death toll stands at 942 people, but it's clear that will rise significantly with estimates suggesting that thousands of people may have lost their lives.
Those lucky enough to survive the typhoon's deadly onslaught are now struggling to survive.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino has declared a state of national calamity to speed up relief efforts, but the government and aid workers have a tough task on hand as the scale of destruction is very widespread across tiny islands far from the capital of Manila. And many roads are impassable.
We are covering this story with corespondents across the country. Paula Hancocks and Andrew Stevens are in Tacloban, the hardest hit city in the Philippines. Kristie Lu Stout and Ivan Watson are following developments from Manila where government officials are coordinating relief efforts. And Anna Coren is in Cebu where the global relief effort is being mobilized. We'll hear from all our teams throughout this hour.
Plus, this report from our correspondent Andrew Stevens. He was in Tacloban early on Friday morning with his team as winds of more than 250 kilometers per hour were slamming into the city. They weathered the brunt of the storm in their hotel. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREW STEVENS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is what the inside of a super typhoon looks like, 250 kilometer an hour plus winds slamming into a city, a white haze of screaming noise, smashing windows, tearing metal, water and flying debris.
Just minutes after we'd finished our live shots telling headquarters that we were moving to safer ground, cameraman Brad Olsen (ph) shot this of the place we'd just left.
OK, guys. I think we should wrap it up.
As the destruction there continued, a floor below, terrified residents huddled together finding protection against the flying spray and mind numbing noise. Some pray for their safety.
We're sheltering in the corridor. It's a relatively secure area I think where we are. There's a very substantial hotel, this, and we are away from windows. But all around us you hear the sounds of windows breaking, you hear the sounds of large objects falling, crashing to the floor. And under foot it is now just a deluge. And if you look behind me, I don't know if you can see it, the staircase behind me is now basically a waterfall.
And then a torrent of black water began pouring into the hotel. The storm surge had begun.
Within a few minutes, it was at ground floor window level.
A panicked family now trapped in their room smashed the window and screamed for help. We managed to get the mother across to safety using a foam mattress. And it immediately became clear that cause of her panic: their daughter was severely disabled.
Storm chaser Josh Morgaman (ph) and I went back across to get the terrified girl to safety. And CNN producer Tim Schwartz (ph) helped rescue the rest of the family.
The waters only rose a little higher. The height of the storm, in fact, had passed.
Two hours later, the winds had lost their lethal strength. Our live position was a ruined shell. And as we walked outside, it was immediately clear that so much of the city had suffered so much more than we had.
Andrew Stevens, CNN, Tecloban City, central Philippines.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Let's cross now to CNN's Kristie Lu Stout who is standing by in the capital Manila -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Max, it's 4:00 am in the morning here in the Philippines. There have been no aid flights all night, because there's no power on the ground. No power on the ground in hard hit Tacloban City and that means it can't light up the runway there so pilots can't land safely.
But U.S. Marines, they hope to change the situation here. They are now on the ground there in Tacloban City with C-130 planes with aid and also a plan to make that airport functional 24 hours a day. So even at this time of the day aid can be flown in to that airport and be able to reach the survivors there.
Now the Philippines government, they have dispatched special services to Tacloban City. They are there providing aid as well as a plan to restore law and order there.
Now the survivors, they're facing a very desperate situation there. They desperately need just the essentials: food, water, medicine, shelter. And here is our Ivan Watson, he has a picture of the overall devastation with an aerial view. Take a watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Following the destructive path of the storm, the shattered city of Tacloban could be described as ground zero. A surge of ocean water broke through the sea wall, washing away the airport as it then flooded the city leaving death in its path.
MURRAY ATWAAD, NEW ZEALAND TOURIST: We saw five dead bodies rolled in a plastic and one other child probably I don't know, just being carried in a plastic bag who had drowned, most of them are drowning.
WATSON: Next to the ruins of the departure terminal, desperate people line up for water. Some residents warn of looting after the storm.
(on camera): Is this just people trying or get food?
RICHARD YOUNG, BUSINESSMAN: No. I saw two people, three people, are carrying brand new refrigerators, brand new washing machines, motorcycles brand new, you know, all of -- I mean, appliances, they can't eat it.
WATSON (voice-over): From the catastrophe in Tacloban, we fly west, following the trail of the super typhoon. We accompany officials from the Civil Aviation Authority. They're trying to assess damage to other Filipino islands.
WILLIAM HOTCHKISS, GENERAL DIRECTOR, CAAP: I was 37 years in the Air Force. I've flown all over the country and I have experienced in storms before, but not to the extent this one put us into.
WATSON: Record winds damaged the other towns we saw, but fortunately they did not face the devastating tsunami-like effects of the storm surge. (on camera): The typhoon swept through here days ago and now the long, hard work of rebuilding has just begun. All of this damage was done in just a matter of hours and nobody here really knows how long it will take to truly recover.
(voice-over): But even in these less damaged regions, locals are steel reeling.
MELY FABIAN, SHOPKEEPER: No electricity, no water, and most badly we have no flights, no boat coming here so we have no food.
WATSON: In a country accustomed to typhoons, one local man described Super Typhoon Haiyan as a monster.
Ivan Watson, CNN, Tacloban in the Philippines.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: In that report, you get a true sense of the scale of the devastation in the aftermath of the super typhoon. The Philippines government says about 600,000 people are displaced as a result of this super typhoon. And the Red Cross here in the Philippines fears that there may be 10,000 fatalities across the region.
Back to you.
FOSTER: Kristie, I know that a lot of this is going on outside Manila, of course, but a lot of it is being coordinated where you are. I know you have been speaking to senior members of the aid agency and ministers. How are they coping with this? Because it's a race against time, right. And they are getting lots of help from abroad, but they've got to coordinate all of that.
LU STOUT: You're absolutely right. There was that international aid appeal that was filed by the Philippine government a couple of days ago, you know, after the news broke. And more than 20 countries answered that appeal. Aid has been coming in. There are a number of aid organizations based here in Manila and also working from Cebu City fanning out to try to reach those in need.
But the problem is it's this transportation bottlenecks. It's a logistical challenge, because of the storm damage the roads are not passable, because of the storm damage some of the runways have extensive damage. And then there are the power outages as well, which is the reason why these aid flights cannot land in Tacloban City airport at this time.
Hopefully that is being addressed right now. The Philippines government said that they've had these clearing out operations since Saturday. And as I mentioned, the U.S. Marines are now on the ground there in Tacloban City airport with a bid to make that airport functional 24 hours a day. And that would be a huge game changer. Back to you.
FOSTER: An enormous task. Back with you later in the program, Kristie.
Now still to come tonight, the epicenter of tragedy, we report from inside the hart hit city of Tacloban and its struggle for survival.
And how rescue efforts are hindered by the lack of information on the scale of the destruction.
Plus, we're live from the CNN weather center to look at what's next for the weather ravaged region.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: The coastal city of Tacloban was the first major population center in the Philippines to be struck by Super Typhoon Haiyan. It was flattened by the massive storm surge. As Paula Hancocks, three days after the storm, many residents in the city are struggling to survive. But we must warn you, some viewers may find the following report disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This sign refers to a very different time. Now all that greets visitors on the road to Tacloban is devastation.
(on camera): Three days on since the storm itself, there are still bodies by the side of the road. Now, we can't show you the faces of these bodies. It's just too graphic. You can still see the terror as the wave hit on the faces of these bodies.
And they're still here three days on. Some of them are crudely covered. Other are just open and have blackened skin from the sun. Now, the officials say they're looking at the living, which is what you would understand, but they have to get rid of the bodies. This is a health issue for those people living and trying to survive around here.
The stench is overpowering. And, of course, they have to start considering disease. This is the Tacloban convention center. We're told by the locals that a lot people came in here to try and protect themselves from the storm. But as you can see, the water reached the second story. And the locals say that anyone on the ground floor not expecting this storm surge simply didn't make it.
(voice-over): Many residents used this school as a shelter from the storm, but the water engulfed it. This resident says a lot of children died in here. Only a few managed to survive. No one knows how many lost their lives. Down the road, a public well is being put to use.
ROSELDA STUMAPIT, VICTIM: Right now, we don't have enough water. Even though we are not sure that it's clean and safe, we still drink from it because we need to survive.
HANCOCKS: We see just two trucks in two hours making their very slow way into the city at the heart of desperation.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Tacloban, the Philippines.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Well, Cebu Province in the central Philippines was also badly affected by Haiyan. It's now staging -- is the staging ground, really, for aid distribution. And Anna Coren is there for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Above the vast blue sea that separates the thousands of islands that make up the Philippines, a rescue mission is underway. We're traveling with the military to a remote group of islands devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan, yet to be reached by authorities. From the air, we can see the carnage. Home after home, village after village, nowhere has been spared. On the ground lie the injured with broken bones and internal bleeding. They've been waiting for days for a medical evacuation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't seen anything like this before. I thought I'd only see this on television.
COREN (on camera): There's a real sense of desperation here on the ground, while the focus is obviously on the sick and the injured and getting them to safety. The people of this hard-hit island need food and fresh water. They've been without it for days. And despite assurances from the government, it has yet to arrive. The problem facing authorities is logistics, getting these supplies to these hard- hit and remote areas, and to the people who need it.
(voice-over): All these people have lost their homes. They're now staying in tents and makeshift shelters they've erected from the debris. And while they say they received the storm warnings from the government and took what they thought was appropriate action, no one here anticipated that mother nature would unleash such fury.
UNIDENITIFE MALE: At my age of 35, I experienced a lot of typhoons, but this is the worst one.
COREN: This air field in Cebu has become the staging ground for the country's biggest relief operation. C-130 Hercules fly in survivors, all shell shocked from what they've just lived through.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I cannot say anything yet. I'm still in shock. I am so sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A lot of people are dead. Our friends are dead. Some of our family members are dead. So it's really devastating.
COREN: As the death toll grows by the day, families here desperately wait for news of their loved ones.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am the only survivor of the family and I want to know then if they are still alive.
COREN: Having had no contact since the typhoon hit, many say hope is all they can hold on to.
Anna Coren, CNN, Cebu, The Philippines.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Haiyan was one of the strongest tropical cyclones to ever hit the Philippines, possibly one of the strongest storms ever recorded. Samantha Moore is at the CNN weather center with more details on that and another impending weather front as well. But Samantha, have you ever seen anything like this?
SAMANTHA MOORE, CNN WEATHER CORRESPONDENT: Never have seen anything this strong, Max. And we'll talk about that reason why we think it was as strong in just a moment.
There's what's left of it, Haiyan moving on into southeastern China having killed over a dozen people there. It would be making news if it weren't for this catastrophe. And yet another system, as you mentioned, a disturbance, a tropical disturbance heading in their direction.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center has given it a high change that it will become stronger, possibly a tropical storm, not as it has over the Philippines, though, we think it will remain a tropical wave, a tropical disturbance. But no matter what its name, it will be bringing more rain into the Philippines, into this area that is already riddled with catastrophe.
And we're talking impressive amounts here. Tacloban already seeing Thunderstorms as a result of this approaching weather system. We could end up seeing 63 millimeters here. Surigao also could see some very heavy amounts.
It is a little further south than Haiyan was, so we think the bulk of the moisture will be going into Mendenau. But it still affect Tacloban here with some strong thunderstorms. We could see some heavy downpours of rain and frequent lightning, some gusty winds, exactly what they don't need. And they have a chance for those storms each and ever day Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
OK, why was this storm so strong? Well, it happened to develop east of the Philippines, where many tropical storms develop and become typhoons. But this water is the warmest water in the world, running at some 30 to 32 degrees Celsius, so it contains a lot of latent heat. And that heat is released by these tropical systems. And the wind shear also -- wind shear often tears storms apart, disorganizes the circulation, there was very little wind shear here. So it was able to continue to grow and grow.
And the eyewall, usually when they regenerate it weakens the storm, but in this case the storm was so strong it had very little affect. So it continued to grow and strengthen as it came on shore as a super typhoon with those max sustained winds at 315. And then went on into southeastern China. Just devastating there.
Another story making news here that's of a tropical nature, it was in Somalia where 100 people lost their lives as a result of this particular system that moved on in. It was tropical storm three and it caused some major flooding here, we're talking some 150 to 250 millimeters of rain, which is more rain than they get all year here.
So the heaviest rain remained offshore. But I'll tell you what, this would be a big weather maker, Max -- a big story line maker, headline maker if it weren't for the tragedy in the Philippines.
It's a tragedy in Somalia as well with over 100 dead. Deadliest storm they've ever had there.
FOSTER: OK, Samantha, thank you very much indeed for bringing us that.
Live from London, this is Connect the World.
Coming up, searching for the missing using the world's biggest search engine. How social media is helping to drive rescue efforts in the Philippines. More after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: Very powerful images coming out from the Philippines, of course. The homes that on the once stood along the coast now flattened by the winds and the storm surge that was brought on by Super Typhoon Haiyan. Trees have literally been ripped from their roots, not one is left standing in this photograph as you can see.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless, many sifting through what used to be their homes in search of basic necessities. The need for aid is desperate.
These men painting on a basketball court, "help, SOS. We need food."
But amid all the death and destruction, there is new life. This baby was born in a makeshift hospital at Tacloban Airport.
Many families are still missing relatives, holding out hope that they will find them.
Social media have played a huge role in helping the survivor search so far with thousands getting online to help locate loved ones with some success as well already. Let's bring in Samuel Burke who has much more on this.
Samuel, it's really proving its worth isn't it?
SAMUEL BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is. And when people originally started looking for each other online, let's say back in September 11, 2001 it was actually quite problematic, Max, because there were many different websites popping up with all different types of code so the information couldn't be synchronized.
But in the wake of Hurricane Katrina back in 2005 here in the United States Google Person Finder was born. And they started using a standardized code so that all these rescue groups could speak with each other online.
The website is quite simple, either I have information about someone or I'm looking for someone. And that's exactly what the family of Jose Selene (ph) has done. She's a 48-year-old woman missing in Lete (ph) in the Philippines.
That's also what the family of this woman, Maria Banglodioso (ph) has done. She's in her 80s, missing in Gian City (ph). As well as the family of this 3-year-old girl, Max. They've uploaded her information. Her name is Angel Caberto (ph). She's missing in the Philippines as well. And now her information is on Google Person Finder so that other rescue groups can download the information and help search for her.
FOSTER: Samuel, in terms of the other social media. Obviously Google is a big one, but the Philippines very big on Facebook, very big on Twitter. Have they managed to use those services despite all the communication problems?
BURKE: Very big on Twitter, in fact. And people are using Twitter to send out messages even when they need to be rescued. You might be saying to yourself why would someone send out a tweet if they need to be rescued, but if phone lines are jammed, you don't have power in your house and you have a little bit of battery left in your mobile phone, you might have hundreds of followers who might see that tweet, that friends and family.
What's happened is so many people are tweeting -- not just in the Philippines, but around the world about the Philippines it's become difficult for these rescue groups to figure out what is the most important tweet.
So now micromappers.com, the website created by the Qatar Foundation, has created an app so that people can sort through these tweets. You and I sitting here or people sitting at their homes can log on and help sift through these tweets and click not relevant, a request for help, infrastructure damage and that way everybody is contributing to these rescue workers know what is the most important tweet out there, who is someone who needs help in this very moment.
FOSTER: Samuel, thank you very much indeed.
And as Samuel was saying, aid organizations are tweeting appeals for help showing their experiences on the ground. The World Food Program posted this photo actually showing the devastation after Haiyan. The programs Philippines director says the damage is shocking.
After an appeal via Twitter, volunteers arrived at the Philippine Red Cross headquarters in Manila. In this picture, some of them are packing relief supplies.
And UNICEF says up to 1.7 million children could be affected by Haiyan.
We know many of you have been inspired to help, of course, after seeing the images from the Philippines. Aid groups are already there providing food and water. They include the Philippine Red Cross, Catholic Relief Services and Habitat for Humanity.
CNN has links to these groups and many more at our website. Do go to CNN.com/impact. We've vetted them so you can be sure your donations are well spent if you follow those links.
The latest world news headlines just ahead. Plus, no decision from the talks over the weekend about Iran's nuclear future, but there is one new pact, we'll have the latest on the IAEA's deal with Teharn.
And a time to pay tribute to fallen soldiers. Armistice day ceremonies are held around the world, so why were 70 people arrested in Paris?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: This is Connect the World. The top stories this hour.
More than half a million Filipinos are homeless in the wake of Super Typhoon Haiyan. Officials worry as many as 10,000 could be dead.
The Philippine government has declared a state of national calamity to speed up relief efforts, but aid workers are struggling to get supplies to survivors in hart hit areas.
Let's go back to the capital Manila and got to Kristie Lu Stout who has been monitoring the government effort around all of this -- Kristie.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: All right, Max. In the aftermath of this super typhoon, let me tell you what the Philippines government has been doing. They have sent special forces to that hard-hit area of Tacloban City. They're there to provide aid and also to restore, as they call it, peace and order.
The Philippines government, they also a couple days ago issued an international appeal for aid. That appeal was answered by more than 20 countries around the world, including the US and the UK.
And you mentioned it just then, the Philippines government on Monday, they announced a national day of calamity that allows the Philippines government to hasten the movement of relief aid to get to the much-needed disaster zones, but also to engage in the price-fixing, to fix the prices of essentials on the ground so that no one can take -- I guess exploit the situation and engage in profiteering. Back to you, Max.
FOSTER: Kristie, there's concerns about security on the ground, you've also got this terrible situation with the roads and communication. So, how easy is it for the aid organizations to coordinate from there in terms of getting to those hard-hit areas?
STOUT: You're absolutely correct. There were a number of challenges here. Security is one of them. I talked to the head of the Red Cross in the Philippines, and he's calling for a curfew to secure the safe arrival of international aid workers and international aid supplies to the disaster zone.
But I think the bigger problem and the more practical problem is the logistical challenge, because there are limited roads, there are limited runways, there are power outages.
And that's why we have to wait until about an hour from now, when there will finally be the sun in the sky, daybreak. That's when the aid flights can resume and the aid can be brought into the Tacloban City airport.
We have to wait for that bottleneck to open up and then more aid can arrive to the survivors who so desperately need it, now waiting some four days since the storm made landfall. Remember, it made landfall 4:00 AM local time on Friday. Back to you.
FOSTER: And Kristie, I know you were standing by for the impact of this storm. We knew a storm was coming and you were braced to go there. When you were arrived, were you still shocked by what you saw?
STOUT: To be honest with you, when I arrived, I've been reporting mainly from here in Manila, and I was surprised to see very little storm damage or debris here in the capital. The capital was virtually just unscathed.
But it's a very, very different story there in places like Samar province and in Leyte. Leyte is the island where you see Tacloban City. And when you look at the reporting coming in from our colleagues on the ground, and if you hear the numbers, just the statistics from the government and also from relief and aid workers, it's stunning.
I was talking to someone from UNICEF who told me just a couple hours ago he believes that 4 million children are affected directly or indirectly from the storm. And of course, there's that harrowing number from the Red Cross where the officials believe that the number of fatalities across the storm zone could be around 10,000. Max?
FOSTER: Kristie, thank you very much, indeed. Let's take a look at some other world news for you now. The UN's nuclear watchdog will get better access to Iran's nuclear sites. That's thanks to Iran signing a pact with the IAEA in Tehran. It comes on the back of talks between world powers and Iran over the weekend.
There is frustration after diplomats failed to reach an agreement on the country's controversial nuclear program. CNN's Reza Sayah has the latest, now, from Tehran.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Many here in Iran very disappointed that Iran and world powers failed to reach at least some sort of preliminary agreement in the nuclear talks in Geneva over the weekend. Remember, it's perhaps the Iranian people who have the most to gain with an agreement because it would probably ease some of these crippling sanctions they've been living with for years.
These talks happened behind closed doors with remarkable secrecy, but many here in Iran are of the view that an agreement was not reached because of divisions among the world's powers. Others are accusing France and the French foreign minister of playing the role of spoiler. For the past couple of days, many Iranians had lambasted the French foreign minister on his Facebook page.
However, Washington seems to have a different narrative. On Monday, US secretary of state John Kerry saying no, there were no divisions among the world powers, that the world powers had actually drafted an agreement and it was Iran that balked at signing it.
It's an indication of how complicated this process is going to be. Now, all eyes shift to November 20th. That's when all sides return to Geneva to try for a third time to reach an agreement.
In the meantime, on Monday, another important meeting between the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, Mr. Yukiya Amano, and Iranian nuclear officials. Positive after that meeting, both sides signing an agreement on a framework within which Iran and world powers can address some concerns about Iran's nuclear program.
Reza Sayah, CNN, Tehran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Israel's relieved that the proposed Geneva agreement didn't materialize. Earlier, Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said the deal would have been one that Western allies would have lived to regret.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK REGEV, ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: Israel is not alone in our criticism of some of these proposals. The first thing you should know is that the Arab countries, our Arab neighbors, important countries in the Gulf and beyond, agree with us.
And I say to you, when Israelis and Arabs agree, and often we don't agree, but when Israelis and our Arab neighbors agree, it's worth paying attention.
But it's not just the countries of the region. It's not just Iran's neighbors who are concerned. There are countries in Europe and beyond that are very skeptical, and we think that's what is required today. In dealing with Iran, you have to be skeptical, you have to be cautious, you can't be rushed into a deal. We have to be prudent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Meanwhile, Iran and the United Kingdom are strengthening their ties. Tehran and London have appointed new top diplomats one level below ambassador to work in the countries. Their relationship soured after the British embassy in Tehran was ransacked in 2011.
Syria's Western-backed opposition group has agreed to take part in international peace negotiations, but only if certain conditions are met before the talks. The Syrian National Coalition originally refused to attend the Geneva conference. The meeting is an attempt to end the two- and-a-half-year war in the country.
The key condition for the SNC is that President Bashar al-Assad play no part in a transitional government. Other conditions include that women, children, and political prisoners are released from Syrian jails and that military attacks on rebel strongholds be eased before the talks. A date for the meeting is yet to be decided.
A high-level militant leader has been killed in Pakistan. A senior Pakistani intelligence official tells CNN Nasiruddin Haqqani's bullet- riddled body was found outside Islamabad on Sunday night. He was the oldest son of the founder of the Haqqani network and he's believed to be the spokesman for the Afghan Taliban.
Fallen soldiers are being remembered in Armistice Day ceremonies around Europe. The day commemorates the 1918 peace agreement between Germany and World War I allies. French president Francois Hollande was booed as he paid tribute at the Tomb of the Fallen Soldier in Paris. About 70 protesters said to be linked to the far right were arrested after scuffles broke out.
Live from London, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. Still to come, helping after Haiyan. We find out what countries and US Marines are doing to help the victims of the deadly typhoon.
And waiting and praying thousands of miles from home. We'll show you how Filipino expats are coping, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: Countries around the world have stepped up to offer support to the Philippines. Let's take a closer look at how they're doing it.
The United States, through US Aid, has sent an initial $100,000 to be used for basic health care, clean water, and sanitation. The US military is deploying aircraft for search and rescue missions and for dropping aid.
The UK says it will provide $8 million in humanitarian aid to 500,000 people through various relief organizations. And the Canadian government will send up to $5 million to groups helping with relief efforts. Australia's committed more than $390,000 in emergency supplies, including sleeping mats, blankets, and water containers.
Supply lines are crucial for distributing that aid through the Philippines. Paula Hancocks has been with the US Marines working to reopen Tacloban Airport that was all but completely destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: American boots are now on the ground here in Tacloban in the Philippines. US Marines landed earlier Monday to assess both the situation and the needs. Brigadier General Paul Kennedy told his Filipino counterparts that the world has the impression there is complete chaos and looting here and what they should do is assure the world that they have the security situation under control.
PAUL KENNEDY, BRIGADIER GENERAL, US MARINE CORPS: Inside of that, you need trucks, you need things to lift pallets, so we bring in forklifts, we bring in generator sets, we'll bring in lights.
So this runway that you see, which can only be used today during daylight hours, we'll have it available by tomorrow with lights strung up along it. We'll have radars up so we can deconflict and make sure there's no problems with the airspace.
HANCOCKS: And more planes are definitely needed to get more aid into the airport and get it out to those who are desperately in need.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, at Tacloban Airport in the Philippines.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: The scale of the disaster is such that rescue and aid efforts still haven't reached some areas. The Red Cross is part of the international effort on the ground. We're joined now by Claire Durham, logistics manager for the British Red Cross. Thank you so much for joining us.
CLAIRE DURHAM, LOGISTICS MANAGER, BRITISH RED CROSS: Thank you.
FOSTER: You have the benefit of being an international organization. So presumably, you're all rallying around the Philippine branch right now.
DURHAM: That's correct, yes. British Red Cross is sending a logistics team. They arrived in Manila, and they'll be responsible for supporting the supply line in. And all the Red Crosses and Red Crescents sending in the necessary items, like tarp woolens and water containers that people need.
FOSTER: How is the organization regarding this disaster in the scale of disasters?
DURHAM: It's a large-scale disaster, like we've seen and compared with Haiti and Pakistan and the tsunami.
FOSTER: The tsunami?
DURHAM: In terms of the number of people affected.
FOSTER: In terms of this wall of water that swept through, are you finding that that actually has caused the majority of the damage, and that creates a specific level of need?
DURHAM: The assessment teams, they're still on the ground and they're still getting to the areas to look at those kind of things. But I think it has added to the problem.
FOSTER: And how do you coordinate? Because we've heard these stories. Obviously countries have been very quick to step in. all the aid organizations are very quick to recognize the scale of this. What happens, though, if you all pile in, it gets a bit chaotic, doesn't it? We've heard about this in the past. So how are you avoiding it this time?
DURHAM: I think we're much better at coordination than perhaps is seen. There's a system called a cluster system, so the logistics teams from all the different agencies, for example, will meet together. The same for water and sanitation, the same for health.
So, there's definitely a big drive to make sure that we do work together and we coordinate so that we don't -- people get assistance and we don't miss out.
FOSTER: In the situation where you don't actually know what the problem is because you haven't reached all the areas, how do you prepare for that? Do you just throw everything in or you just --?
DURHAM: It's a bit more organized than that. We do know, having responded to all the major disasters over the last few years, we have built up a lot of experience in that, so we know the kind of things that are needed.
But it's very important that we do get those assessment teams to determine exactly what is needed and what the priority is and we don't just pile in. Because otherwise, airports become very clogged up, and we need to be prioritizing what comes in and when.
So, it can look, sometimes, a bit slow, but it's about doing it properly and coordinating it and getting the right things in at the right time.
FOSTER: I was talking to a counterpart at a different aid agency today. They were planning to go into a particular city, but then they were warned that the security is a problem there, so they're delaying that. Are you finding that as well?
DURHAM: My team are still on their way to Cebu, so that hasn't affected them as yet. But obviously, we're working with the Philippine Red Cross on the ground and finding out what's the latest information.
FOSTER: Because it's a terrible situation when people are desperate and they are looting to survive. You have to balance that against your staff's safety.
DURHAM: That's true. I think it is an indication, though, of the need and the desperation of people, and hopefully once the supply chain is moving and goods are flowing in, then that's going to come to an end, we're getting stuff out to the people that need it.
FOSTER: In terms of how long this goes on for, are you able to predict in any sort of way from the information you have how long it will take to at least make sure people have water?
DURHAM: No, the assessment teams are still looking at that, but we plan to have a team available for the next four months, four rotations of teams, there's probably going to be a four to maybe six months scale response.
FOSTER: And this first period's very important, isn't it, in terms of preventing disease and making sure people survive that first day and a half?
DURHAM: Yes. So, the key things are having fresh water. There's a team from the Spanish Red Cross who are going in to provide that. We've got health teams going in to provide first aid and basic treatment like that.
And also some of the items that we're giving out, like jerrycans that are labeled "fresh water" to be stored properly and hygiene parcels, things with soap and these kind of things that allow people to keep themselves clean and stave off disease.
FOSTER: You're very quick at assessing these situations as you need to be. What sort of expertise are you pulling in? What sort of disaster do you compare this most closely to?
DURHAM: It appears to be on the size of the tsunami or Haiti in terms of the number of people. We've got a number of different specialists out there. We've got shelter specialists, logistics, water and sanitation, health. So, all the typical sectors that we would expect.
FOSTER: And in terms of fundraising, I guess you here in the UK, you're focusing on that, and your counterparts in other countries, your priority now will be getting money together, basically, to send the resources in.
DURHAM: We have an appeal on our website, which is redcross.org.uk. We think we've reached about a million, now, but obviously, there is a pressing need, so the more that people can provide, the more that we are able to spend it.
FOSTER: Are you getting a sense that this story is resonating with people at home?
DURHAM: I think so. It's on the news a lot and people are talking about it a lot, so I think there's a lot of people who, yes, who it resonates with.
FOSTER: Well, thank you very much for joining us. Good luck with the work.
DURHAM: Thank you.
FOSTER: Teams are covering this disaster from all angles, living side-by-side with the people affected by Haiyan and those helping them. CNN producer Lonzo Cook sent us this report from inside Tacloban Airport where they've been working since Saturday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LONZO COOK, CNN PRODUCER: It just started raining here, as it does almost every night. And as you can see, the roof isn't giving us much protection against the rain in several parts of this terminal.
Let me talk you through and show you where -- how people who've sought shelter are passing the night. Frequently, the floor here becomes extremely muddy, very uncomfortable. If we go over here, this is where the CNN have our workspace set up. It's actually quite dry right now because this rain only just started.
Over here, we've got Paula Hancocks is catching a bit of sleep. Happily, we've got a couple of cots set up, which is improving things, we hope, for tonight.
Because up to this point, the inside team who's been staying at the airport has had this as their bed, a rather beaten-up, dirty floor, which gets muddy at night, dries out a bit during the day, but it doesn't really lead to a very restful night's sleep. But compared to what the majority of Filipinos in this coastal area are going through, it's very little hardship, indeed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: That's Lonzo at the airport, there, with the other teams. Coming up after this short break on CONNECT THE WORLD --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAICY YU BONO, PHILIPPINE EXPAT: I will go home just to find my two kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Tears from abroad as Filipinos around the world desperately seek information about their loved ones. We'll speak to a mother who's hoping for some good news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: We've been showing you images of the destruction on the ground from Super Typhoon Haiyan. Here's what Haiyan looked like from space as it slammed into the Philippines. NASA satellites show just how huge it was. At one point, storm clouds from the super typhoon covered the entire Philippines. It's believed to be one of the strongest storms ever recorded in history.
Dozens of people were huddled together in a hotel in Tacloban as the typhoon came ashore. They included our correspondent Andrew Stevens and his CNN crew, as well as storm chaser James Reynolds. Reynolds filed this firsthand report of their experience.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(WIND AND RAIN)
JAMES REYNOLDS, EARTH UNCUT PRODUCTIONS: Literally within minutes the water was rising and swamping the lower level of the hotel. The storm surge came in and basically totally inundated the ground floor. People were freaking out, trapped in their ground-floor rooms, waiting to be rescued. People smashing windows to try and get out of their hotel rooms.
And that's when the cameras had to be dropped. The CNN crew I was with had to get into the water and the team members I was with as well. It was time to stop documenting the storm and get into rescue mode.
As soon as the winds had died down and I felt it was safe enough to venture into the street, I went straight down to the waterfront, and I just felt like I was in a tsunami zone. The damage was absolutely devastating.
There were people just sifting through the rubble, looking for any belongings which remained in their destroyed houses. Unfortunately, there were bodies being removed from the debris. It was really just this apocalyptic scene.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: CNN iReporters continue to send us amazing images of the devastation in the Philippines. These come to us from iReporter Rizza Bandejas. The pictures were taken in Roxas City. She says her family is OK but are desperate for help in their province.
Rizza tells us they don't have power or water and that they're using her aunt's generator from time to time to charge their cell phones and for light.
Desperately poor communication, we were able, though, to speak with CNN iReporter Leo Udtohan a short time ago. He traveled to southern Leyte to document some of the devastation. He said the situation is grim.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEO UDTOHAN, CNN IREPORTER: There was massive destruction in southern Leyte. The towns, especially Tacloban City, are totally destroyed. So, I saw there are cars thrown like ambulances and the debris.
There is no clean water, no electricity, and very little food.
I saw bodies covered in plastic were lying on the streets and other dead bodies were washed ashore near the Tacloban fish ports. So, in some areas, the dead are being buried in mass graves, and I saw people bury the dead near the highway.
The communication is still very limited in many areas in southern Leyte. So there is really difficulty, if you're asking for some updates and what's happened to the families or relatives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Millions of Filipinos who live around the world aren't able to get information about what's happened to their relatives. Half a million are in the UAE alone, and the expat community there are impatient for answers. Leone Lakhani reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(WOMAN CRYING)
LEONE LAKHANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Naicy Yu Bono is gripped with pain and grief.
BONO: We're most -- it's been four days, three days. I do not know. I cannot sleep well.
LAKHANI: Typhoon Haiyan ravaged her home in Tacloban, where ten of her family members live. Only one is accounted for. Among the missing are her mother and two daughters, 8-year-old Renzi (ph) and 22-year-old Rihan (ph).
BONO: My last communication with my elder -- eldest was Friday 1:00. She said, "Mommy, I'm so scared because the wind is so strong."
LAKHANI: Naicy has only been in the UAE for six months, but she's now at her embassy preparing to leave the country and head back.
BONO: I will go home just to find my two kids.
LAKHANI: Like Naicy, many others are coming to the embassy in search of answers.
LAKHANI (on camera): The embassy says it's been overwhelmed by queries, people searching for their loved ones, and they've stuck a list of survivors right on the main gates, but it's only about two pages long, by no means complete, and many others unaccounted for.
LAKHANI (voice-over): The embassy says it's in crisis mode, setting up call centers and donation lines for those trying to help the recovery efforts.
GRACE PRINCESA, PHILIPPINE AMBASSADOR TO UAE: We are facilitating the documents as they're needed, but our capabilities for patrons who need help, and everyone is just aware. Phone calls, e-mail, everyone is connecting to help back home. We've been through this before, but this is just catastrophic.
LAKHANI: A catastrophe shared by many of the Filipinos here. The UAE is home to more than half a million Filipinos, one of the largest Filipino expat communities outside the country. More than 10 million Filipinos live overseas. They go in search of work, sending money home to their loved ones.
PRINCESA: We know that we are sending back home workers $21 billion to $24 billion.
LAKHANI: The embassy says donations from the international Filipino community are starting to filter in, but for people like Naicy, all that matters is her family back home.
Leone Lakhani, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Well, if you're in the Philippines searching for a family member or know someone who's been affected by the typhoon, do get in touch with CNN. Our iReporters continue to send us compelling and unique content that helps us tell the story better.
Everything you need can be found at ireport.cnn.com. There, you'll find assignments as well as the chance to upload your videos, photos, and stories. That's ireport.cnn.com.
I'm Max Foster, that was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thank you for watching.
END
