Surviving Typhoon Haiyan: Challenges in the Aftermath
In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, titled “Surviving Typhoon Haiyan: Challenges in the Aftermath,” many airlines were compelled to suspend flights to the Visayas group of islands. They took this precaution to prevent aviation mishaps. This decision was justified. Satellite images preceding the storm’s impact depicted its immense destructive potential. The images showed that the storm was aimed squarely at the Philippines. And indeed, the typhoon unleashed its full fury upon landfall.
Air Travel in the Philippines: Carriers and Recovery Efforts
Typhoon Haiyan Survivors
The Philippines serves as a top destination for many international carriers and operates as a hub for local airlines like Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air. Major international airlines such as Japan Airlines, Continental Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Air France conduct flights to and from the country. Airline-Topdeals.com offers the best Air France coupon codes for optimal airfare deals. Following the typhoon, Tacloban Airport and other facilities suffered damage, temporarily halting operations. Now, life is slowly returning to normal, with Tacloban Airport resuming some flights, crucial as many from the Visayas region seek safer locations across the Philippines.
Health Risks in the Aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan
A Rainbow Appears Above Typhoon Haiyan Survivors
One reason for this exodus is that the storm reportedly left around 4,000 people dead overnight. Many of these victims’ bodies are still lying around in many places in the Visayas because the government has few resources available to remove the bodies right away. As the bodies rot in the sun, this paves the way for disease to spread and fester among the survivors, who now have weakened bodies and immune systems caused by malnutrition. Malnutrition, in turn, is caused by a prolonged lack of good, clean food and clean drinking water. This is the biggest risk that the Visayan population faces after the storm.
Challenges Faced by Tourists and Survivors After Typhoon Haiyan
The storm left many tourists stranded and possibly killed them during the few short hours it was over the Visayas region. Some of these tourists chose to help in the distribution of relief goods and assist other victims. However, for some strange reason, officials did not distribute the relief goods sent from other parts of the Philippines and from foreign donors to the survivors. These survivors had no other way of getting the food, water, clothing, bedding, and shelter they needed. Not surprisingly, survivors resorted to looting stores. They broke into these stores to find enough food and water for themselves and their families. It was unfortunate to see the dark side of human nature exposed. Profiteers chose to loot stores and other establishments, not because they were dying of hunger and thirst, but to rob for valuables. These valuables were sold in the black market for money.
Breakdown of Peace and Order After Typhoon Haiyan
Surviving Typhoon Haiyan
Based on the camera footage aired on local news channels on TV, there was a breakdown of peace and order. Crowds of survivors were trying to fight for their survival through looting. Some establishment owners, who had guns ready, tried to defend their turf. They pulled out their firearms to warn the looters. They were ready to kill anyone who tried to loot their business. Facebook users saw a photo of one such armed business owner pointing his pistol at some looters. People shared this photo among Facebook users. The situation was shocking and surprising. It had never been seen before in the aftermath of previous incidents. Get the latest deals, discounts, or offers on air tickets from Emirates Airline with Emirates coupon codes.
What baffled everyone the most was why the situation reached this point, despite the local and national governments receiving thorough warnings about the storm’s power beforehand. They had time to prepare their people on the ground in the established disaster preparation systems. Until now, the Philippines, particularly in the typhoon-affected areas, has been grappling with the causes of these problems and what to do if stronger storms strike the country again.