Reports out of Manilla and the rest of the Phillipines are pretty bleak. Haiyan came with a vengence and left death and destruction without pity. The death toll is approximated in the tens of thousands. One of my closest friends and his family are Phillipino. They are worried sick about their country men and women.
If nothing else, take a moment and wish well upon these people. Every little bit will do them some good.
I wish they would have had some Hurricane Hunters measuring the actual intensity, it would have been interesting to see how low the pressure got to and exactly how strong the winds were. The 195 mph & 880 MB pressure were both estimated by satellite information.
Thoughts and Prayers are with the Filipino people today. Remember, at one point the Philippines was considered American Territory.
My nephew serves on a anti-sub destroyer that is part of the USS George Washington CSG (carrier strike group).
I just read that they have been sent to the Philippines, where they will help deliver relief supplies (food, water, blankets, tents, medical supplies, etc) as well as provide security assistance. Most of the damage is in areas outside of major cities, where the weak central government is vulnerable to both communist and Islamist rebels, who will surely attempt to exploit the situation. Of course, in situations like this, looting is always a problem.
The U.S. has a unique relationship with the Philippines and Jacksonville, being a Navy town, has a large, wonderful Filipino community. I have several friends and former co-workers who have a lot of family back in their native homeland. I am sure many are beside themselves with worry. It is a horrible situation.
The numbers coming out of this disaster are truly staggering. I don't think anything is official yet, but the number of deaths estimated is horrific.
Quote:The numbers coming out of this disaster are truly staggering. I don't think anything is official yet, but the number of deaths estimated is horrific.
While the death numbers will be high and that is tragic no matter how many...the numbers will pale in comparison to some of the hurricanes that have hit Bangladesh over the years....I think 300, 000 people or more have been killed there in the past in a single storm.
The death toll is up to 3,621, and only looks to get worse. Aid having difficulty getting to where it needs to be.
One sad fact is that a significant amount of the aid will never make it to the victims. It won't be long before boxes of food, clothing, and toiletries start appearing in the stalls of local markets far away from the disaster area. Funds will be diverted as well. Corruption and thievery are rampant. Donating to the Red Cross is about the most efficient, and sure, way of getting aid on site. I donated to them for years through CFC. They do very good work.
Quote:<a class="bbc_url" href='http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=77655#.UoZWyZtzbNA.facebook'>Maintenance technicians on the USS George Washington devised a system for filling 8 bottles with distilled water at once</a>, specifically to aid in their Philippines humanitarian mission.
Just one more bit of evidence that our best and brightest protect us.
Leave it to Hull Techs to come through when you least expect it.
Quote:Leave it to Hull Techs to come through when you least expect it.
I once watched an HT stick his arm nearly up to his shoulder into a CHT line to pull out a blockage. I don't know how they get those guys to reenlist.
As more reports come in, the news keeps getting worse. The good news is that help is on the way to these people. The bad news is that as more and more help arrives, the extent of the devastation and the death toll in particular, will come to light. The confirmed damage and loss of life are both low because authorities haven't fully evaluated the devastation. They have a very long way to go before that happens, sadly.
Quote:I once watched an HT stick his arm nearly up to his shoulder into a CHT line to pull out a blockage. I don't know how they get those guys to reenlist.
Please tell me that CHT doesn't stand for Captain of HTs.
Quote:Please tell me that CHT doesn't stand for Captain of HTs.
Yep, and he wears makeup and a tutu in anticipation.
Actually, it means Collection, Holding, and Transfer for the all the black and grey water produced on board - sewage lines.
Quote:The C-17 is a gorgeous aircraft inside and out, and it's flown with a joystick. You should see its take-off profile when empty. It's astounding that such a large aircraft can climb so steeply and quickly.
Is that what makes it so useful in this situation, dealing with short runways and such?
Quote:Is that what makes it so useful in this situation, dealing with short runways and such?
I'm not sure if they're dealing with limited runways, but that is one of its capabilities. It doesn't take much distance to get its nose rotated, especially with the relative light weight of just passengers. Once airborne I'm sure they did a nice gradual climb. I doubt they attempted a radical profile with passengers sitting on deck. It's a fantastic aircraft.