The Philippine government is defending its efforts to deliver assistance to victims of Typhoon Haiyan, many of whom have received little or no assistance since the deadly storm struck a week ago.
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said Friday that in a situation like this, nothing is fast enough. Speaking in the city of devasted city of Tacloban, he said that the need is massive, immediate and not everyone can be reached.
Disaster relief chief, Eduardo del Rosario, told reporters Friday that the official death toll from the storm has risen to 3,621.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy launched a huge relief operation Thursday.
The aircraft carrier USS George Washington and a contingent of seven supply ships began delivering water and emergency rations to Tacloban. The giant hospital ship USS Mercy also is making emergency preparations to depart the United States, and is expected to join the emergency flotilla within weeks, along with the British carrier HMS Illustrious.