Philippine rescue workers struggled Sunday to help desperate survivors of one of the world's strongest typhoons, with thousands feared killed by sea surges that flattened towns, dpa reported. Typhoon Haiyan cut off power, knocked out communications, damaged airports and blocked roads with debris when it ripped through the eastern and central Philippines, making passage difficult for relief teams. Chaos and looting has broken out in Tacloban City in the worst-hit province of Leyte, where survivors broke into stores to look for food, medicines and other supplies, said Roger Mercado, governor of the adjacent province of Southern Leyte. Mercado said he has received radio messages from local officials that at least 500 dead bodies have been recovered and taken to the damaged airport terminal in Tacloban. "Many, many people are dead," he said. "There are at least 500 dead in Tacloban and counting." President Benigno Aquino flew to Tacloban on a military plane and distributed relief goods to victims. Aquino demanded explanations from state and local officials on why the damage was so extensive despite warnings given days before Haiyan hit, a radio report said. The confirmed death toll from Haiyan was 151, mostly from Leyte's capital city of Tacloban where bodies lined streets. Nearly 800,000 people were displaced, according to national disaster relief agency spokesman Reynaldo Balido.
