About 90 U.S. marines and sailors head to the central Philippines in the aftermath of a powerful typhoon.
It's the first wave of military assistance that's been promised by the United States.
President Barack Obama says more is to come.
Japan has also pledged assistance.
(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPANESE CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY, YOSHIHIDE SUGA, SAYING:
"Within today we hope to send an international aid and medical team, and are working with the Philippine government to do so. Going forward, we hope to see what is needed on the ground and what is asked from the Philippine government and do whatever we can to help."
But the devastation in the Philippines is so great that rescue workers will struggle to get this aid through.
Roads, airports and bridges have been destroyed or covered in wreckage since typhoon Haiyan swept through the Philippines on Friday.
The typhoon had weakened subtantially, when it hit Vietnam.
Still the effects coul
