	Typhoon Haiyan and Its Aftermath

In the early morning of Friday, November 8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (known in the Philippines as Yolanda ), one of the strongest typhoons to strike land on record, slammed into the central Visayas region. Over a 16 hour period, the super typhoon or cyclone, with a force equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane and clouds that covered two-thirds of the country, directly swept through six Philippine provinces and affected over 10% of the nation's population of 105 million people. However, in some of the hardest hit areas, particularly in coastal communities in eastern and western Leyte province and the southern tip of Eastern Samar, there appears to have been little defense against Haiyan's wrath. Two and a half months after the typhoon struck, based on figures provided by the Philippine government, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 14.1 million people had been affected, with more than 4.1 million displaced (as of mid-January 2014, 26,000 were staying in evacuation centers). Estimates of the number killed had risen to 6,201 with more than 1,785 missing. The number of injured was unknown. In addition, assessments revealed that nearly 5.6 million people required food assistance and an estimated 1.1 million houses had been damaged or destroyed. Some Philippine leaders and political commentators argue that the U.S. military response to the disaster has strengthened the case for an enhanced U.S. military presence in the country, an issue that the two sides have been discussing intensively during the past few months (see " U.S.-Philippines Relations " below). The humanitarian relief operation, led by the Philippine government, was initially hampered by a number of significant challenges, not unusual in a disaster of this magnitude, including a general lack of transportation, extremely limited communications systems, and damaged infrastructure. Despite the physical and logistical challenges facing the relief effort, regular relief activities reportedly reached most of the worst-stricken areas within two weeks of the storm. Other agencies involved in relief efforts include the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Office of Civil Defense, and the Department of Health. The Philippine government launched a four-year Reconstruction Assistance in Yolanda (RAY) plan, on December 18, 2013. Requesting nearly $8.2 billion, RAY focuses on rebuilding areas affected by the typhoon and developing resilience to natural disasters. U.S. Humanitarian Efforts13

On November 9, 2013, U.S. As of January 31, 2014, the United States has provided over $87 million in humanitarian assistance through USAID, the Department of State, and the Department of Defense (DOD), and $59 million in private sector contributions. The USS George Washington naval task force as well as elements of the 31 st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) from Okinawa formed the majority of Joint Task Force (JTF) 505, which was formed to conduct initial relief operations, dubbed Operation Damayan . Nearly 1,000 U.S. military personnel were deployed directly to the disaster area while the rest served on ships or provided support from bases around the world. The U.S. military delivered more than 2,495 tons of relief supplies and evacuated over 21,000 people, including over 500 American citizens. The United Nations, along with other partners, including the United States, has a strong relationship with the Philippines, and remains at the forefront of the current on-the-ground response for humanitarian assistance and early recovery. In the current crisis, apart from U.N. agencies, those responding to humanitarian crises include international organizations, NGOs, Private Voluntary Agencies (PVOs), and bilateral and multilateral donors. Strategic Response Plan

More than two months after the storm, humanitarian assistance is still required in some affected areas, particularly food, clean water, shelter, and basic health care. The HCT, in partnership with 14 U.N. organizations and 39 non-governmental and international organizations, designed a Strategic Response Plan (SRP) to support the government's activities in meeting immediate humanitarian needs, complement its reconstruction plan, and fill gaps identified by the government or through interagency assessments. U.S.-Philippines Relations25

The United States and the Republic of the Philippines maintain close ties stemming from the U.S. colonial period (1898-1946), a security alliance, extensive military cooperation, and common strategic and economic interests. Other pillars of the bilateral bond include shared democratic values and people-to-people contacts. The involvement of U.S. military forces in relief efforts following Typhoon Haiyan comes at a time of growing U.S.-Philippine security cooperation. Strategic questions: Congress may consider how the U.S. disaster response may impact the U.S.-Philippines relationship as well as regional geopolitical dynamics, and how existing and ongoing U.S. military activities in the Philippines may be affected by DOD's role in disaster relief. Selected U.N.
This report examines the impact of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), which struck the central Philippines on November 8, 2013, and the U.S. and international response. Haiyan was one of the strongest typhoons to strike land on record. Over a 16 hour period, the "super typhoon," with a force equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane and sustained winds of up to 195 mph, directly swept through six provinces in the central Philippines. The disaster quickly created a humanitarian crisis. In some of the hardest hit areas, particularly in coastal communities in Leyte province and the southern tip of Eastern Samar, the storm knocked out power, telecommunications, and water supplies. The humanitarian relief operation was initially hampered by a number of significant obstacles, including a general lack of transportation, extremely limited communications systems, damaged infrastructure, and seriously disrupted government services. Despite the physical and logistical challenges, regular relief activities reportedly reached most of the worst-stricken areas within two weeks of the storm.
Two and a half months after the typhoon struck, United Nations (U.N.) agencies reported that 14.1 million people had been affected, with more than 4.1 million displaced. Estimates of the number killed had risen to 6,201 with more than 1,785 missing. The number of injured was unknown. In addition, assessments revealed that an estimated 1.1 million houses had been damaged or destroyed and nearly 5.6 million people required food assistance.
Ongoing humanitarian relief operations and recovery efforts are being led by the Philippine government. The United Nations, along with other partners, including the United States, remains at the forefront of the on-the-ground response. Apart from U.N. agencies, those responding to the crisis include international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Private Voluntary Agencies (PVOs), and bilateral and multilateral donors. As of January 31, 2014, international donors have contributed a total of $662.9 million to the relief efforts. U.S. assistance has included approximately $87 million in disaster aid and $59 million in private sector contributions, a massive U.S. military humanitarian effort, as well as diplomatic and legislative activity.
At their peak, 66 U.S. military aircraft and 12 naval vessels were involved in relief efforts and nearly 1,000 U.S. military personnel were deployed directly to the disaster areas. The USS George Washington naval task force as well as elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit from Okinawa formed the majority of Joint Task Force (JTF) 505, which coordinated and carried out U.S. military relief efforts (Operation Damayan) in cooperation with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine government. U.S. military assistance included clearing roads, transporting aid workers, distributing 2,495 tons of relief supplies, and evacuating over 21,000 people.
More than two months after the storm, humanitarian assistance is still required in some affected areas, particularly food, clean water, shelter, and basic health care. The Philippine government launched an $8.2 billion, four-year plan, Reconstruction Assistance in Yolanda (RAY), which focuses on rebuilding areas affected by the typhoon and developing resilience to natural disasters. The U.N. Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), in partnership with U.N. organizations and non-governmental and international organizations, designed a Strategic Response Plan (SRP) to support the Philippines government's activities in meeting immediate humanitarian needs and reconstruction goals.
The United States and the Philippines maintain close ties stemming from the U.S. colonial period (1898-1946), a security alliance, and common strategic and economic interests. Other pillars of the bilateral relationship include shared democratic values and extensive people-to-people contacts. The involvement of U.S. military forces in Haiyan relief efforts bolstered support for enhanced U.S.-Philippine military cooperation, an issue that the two sides have been discussing intensively during the past several months. Congressional concerns related to the storm and its aftermath include the short-term U.S. and international humanitarian response, the long-term U.S. foreign aid strategy for the Philippines, and how the U.S. response to the disaster may impact the U.S.-Philippines relationship as well as regional geopolitical dynamics.
This report will be updated as events warrant. For background and information on the Philippines, see CRS Report RL33233, The Republic of the Philippines and U.S. Interests. For background on how the U.S. responds to international disasters, see CRS Report RL33769, International Crises and Disasters: U.S. Humanitarian Assistance Response Mechanisms.