Typhoon's Death Toll Likely Near 2,500, President Aquino Says

By Mark Memmott

Published November 12, 2013 at 6:00 AM CST

1 of 7 — Filipino policemen secure a truck load of relief goods in the typhoon devastated city of Tacloban, on the eastern Filipino island of Leyte on Tuesday. Aid workers and relief supplies were being poured into eastern provinces hit by Typhoon Haiyan, which aid agencies and officials estimated has left thousands dead and staggering destruction in its wake.

Filipino policemen secure a truck load of relief goods in the typhoon devastated city of Tacloban, on the eastern Filipino island of Leyte on Tuesday. Aid workers and relief supplies were being poured into eastern provinces hit by Typhoon Haiyan, which aid agencies and officials estimated has left thousands dead and staggering destruction in its wake.

2 of 7 — A child, one of the survivors who was evacuated from the disaster zone, is carried into a military truck with her family after they arrive via at Villamor Air Base in Manila. Rescue workers tried to reach towns and villages in the central Philippines on Tuesday that were cut off by the typhoon.

A child, one of the survivors who was evacuated from the disaster zone, is carried into a military truck with her family after they arrive via at Villamor Air Base in Manila. Rescue workers tried to reach towns and villages in the central Philippines on Tuesday that were cut off by the typhoon.

3 of 7 — U.S. and Filipino military personnel prepare relief goods for transporting at the military base in Manila, before sending the packages to Tacloban which bore the brunt of the typhoon.

U.S. and Filipino military personnel prepare relief goods for transporting at the military base in Manila, before sending the packages to Tacloban which bore the brunt of the typhoon.

4 of 7 — Hundreds of victims of the typhoon form a line as they prepare to board a C130 aircraft during an evacuation from Tacloban. Four days after the typhoon devastated the region many have nothing left, they are without food or power and most lost their homes.

Hundreds of victims of the typhoon form a line as they prepare to board a C130 aircraft during an evacuation from Tacloban. Four days after the typhoon devastated the region many have nothing left, they are without food or power and most lost their homes.

5 of 7 — A resident walks past a wall with a graffiti calling for help in Tacloban. Rescue workers tried to reach towns and villages in the central Philippines on Tuesday that were cut off by the powerful typhoon.

A resident walks past a wall with a graffiti calling for help in Tacloban. Rescue workers tried to reach towns and villages in the central Philippines on Tuesday that were cut off by the powerful typhoon.

6 of 7 — The sun sets behind a house damaged by Typhoon Haiyan outside the airport in Tacloban. "It looks like a 50-mile wide tornado" flattened everything in and around the city of Tacloban, according to Marine Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy.

The sun sets behind a house damaged by Typhoon Haiyan outside the airport in Tacloban. "It looks like a 50-mile wide tornado" flattened everything in and around the city of Tacloban, according to Marine Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy.

7 of 7 — Bodies of the victims of Typhoon Haiyan are placed on an empty piece of land in Tacloban. The latest estimate from the government is that about 7 million people were affected by Friday's massive storm. United Nations officials put the figure at more than 9 million.

Bodies of the victims of Typhoon Haiyan are placed on an empty piece of land in Tacloban. The latest estimate from the government is that about 7 million people were affected by Friday's massive storm. United Nations officials put the figure at more than 9 million.

On 'Morning Edition': Marine Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy talks about Typhoon Haiyan and the destruction in the Philippines

Update at 12:30 p.m. ET:

Grim estimates that the death toll in the Philippines from Typhoon Haiyan might be around 10,000 appear to have been "too much," President Benigno Aquino III told CNN Tuesday.

Aquino said that as more information has come in about the devastation, the figure is looking more likely to be between 2,000 to 2,500.

As the news network adds, "while welcome, the revised projection is of little consolation to survivors of the storm, which flattened portions of the country and left tens of thousands homeless."

Our original post — 'It Looks Like A 50-Mile-Wide Tornado' Hit The Philippines:

The enormous task continues of getting aid to the millions of people who were in the path of Typhoon Haiyan when it roared into parts of the Philippines.

And the enormous challenge of dealing with the destruction and desperation can be summed up with these words from the top U.S. military commander on the scene:

"It looks like a 50-mile-wide tornado" flattened everything in and around the city of Tacloban.

That's how Marine Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy put it Tuesday on Morning Edition. Kennedy, who has flown over the areas where Haiyan hit, spoke with NPR's Linda Wertheimer.

The area, "as you would expect with 200 mph winds and a 25-foot tidal surge, looks like a bomb went off," he said. "Virtually all of the structures, if they were not made out of concrete or steel, are gone."

The first priority, Kennedy said, is getting shelter to the survivors. Food, water and medical supplies are also on the way. The U.S., U.K., Australia and Japan are among the nations who are rushing help to the scene. Dozens of international relief groups and U.N. agencies are also there.

On Monday, the U.S. State Dept. announced it is "cooperating with the Philippines Typhoon Disaster Relief Fund established by The mGive Foundation, a U.S. nonprofit organization, to coordinate donations via mobile phones to benefit victims of the typhoon."

Officially, the Filipino government reports, the death toll as of Tuesday morning (in the U.S.) stood at 1,774. Authorities are still warning, however, that it's likely more people were killed (note: we wrote about the 10,000 figure at 7 a.m. ET; as you can see at the top of this post, since then the president of the Philippines has said the death toll is likely to be less).

The latest estimate from the government is that about 7 million people were affected by Friday's massive storm. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has a larger figure: 9.8 million. The U.N. also estimates that at least 660,000 of the affected people were forced to evacuate their homes. As of Tuesday morning, the Filipino government said, there were about 320,000 people being sheltered in evacuation centers.

Related headlines:

-- "Concern Grows Over Pace Of Aid To Philippines." (The New York Times)

-- "WHO Rates Typhoon's Medical Challenges 'Monumental.' " (Shots blog)

-- "Why Typhoon Haiyan Caused So Much Damage." (All Things Considered)

-- "Philippine Ex-Pats In Calif. Contribute To Typhoon Relief." (Morning Edition)

-- "Typhoon Haiyan: Before And After The Storm." (A BBC News photo gallery)

-- "6 Hours At Sea In Yolanda's Fury." (The Philippine Star, which refers to the typhoon by the name used in the Philippines.)