Humanitarian crisis after Typhoon devastates central Philippines

2013-11-09 245

An airport resembles a war zone in the Philippines after one of the strongest typhoons ever to make landfall strikes the country.

In its wake -- damage, debris and death.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) PHILIPPINES INTERIOR SECRETARY, MAR ROXAS, SAYING:

"The devastation is.......I don't have the words for it. It's really horrific, it's a great human tragedy. There's no power, there's no light. By the time the sun sets, it's dark, and you're just going to have to make your way to where you can find some shelter."

That's interior minister Mar Roxas who says it's too early for any official death toll, with at least 1,200 already presumed dead.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) PHILIPPINES INTERIOR SECRETARY, MAR ROXAS, SAYING:

"There's no.....we have not begun to count, we have not begun to count because there's no information. Even between here and Tacloban, there's no radio, there's no cell site."

The wounded stand in line awaiting help. Authorities expect the death