Originally published on November 13, 2013
The U.S. Navy has sent a Japan-based aircraft carrier and several other ships to the Philippines to help relief efforts after typhoon Haiyan left thousands dead.
The USS George Washington is being used as a platform for aircraft and helicopters, which can provide logistical support and deliver emergency food and water supplies to hard-to-reach areas
According to the Guardian, the aircraft carrier can carry some 5,000 sailors and more than 80 aircraft, adding enormous capacity to relief efforts. It is also used as a storage for medical facilities and supplies.
The carrier's water distilling plant can convert seawater into drinking water at a rate of 400,000 gallons a day, the Guardian reported. According to Voice of America, that's enough water to supply 2,000 homes.
The carrier was joined by four escort ships, two destroyers and two cruisers. They are expected to arrive in the Philippines on Wednesday night at the earliest.
According to the Guardian, an initial contingent of U.S. forces is already on the ground, with majority operating out of Villamor Air Base in Manila and a smaller group in Tacloban.
Typhoon Haiyan, known locally as Yolanda, hit the Philippines on Friday, with winds exceeding 230 kph that caused extensive damage. The typhoon flooded large parts of the country and left hundreds of thousands of people in need of food, water, shelter, and medical care.
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