[LINK] Send HMAS Choules for Typhoon Relief

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Tom writes,

> I suggest the Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, order landing ship 
> HMAS Choules to deploy for relief operations .. Reports on the effect of
> Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) have been slow to arrive due to the severity ..
> Many government staff and emergency workers are themselves causalities. 
> Debris block roads, electricity supply is limited, as is fuel, vehicle 
> tires, food, clean drinking water ..

Good idea, Tom.  Yesterday another Tom writes ..

Hi guys this is Tom / Roxas City, Philippines, we finally have net today

My family is all okay but have not been able to contact any one. Could not 
get to Roxas City for 5 days due to the road being underwater and trees and 
power lines down every 10 feet

Both our houses are up, the rice mill is 80% okay, working on getting the 
damaged roof repaired using tin from our shop building as none are 
available anywhere in our area 

The milling machines are okay but need some minor repairs, hope to start 
the mill on Monday as everyone is running out of milled rice. Have been 
supplying most of the area stores the last 3 days with what stock I had 
milled 

Around $150,000 USD damage to warehouse etc but have insurance coverage on 
it but may take months to get any money. We were able to salvage much of 
the finished rice that was waiting for pickup during the EYE Passage by 
loading on our 10 wheeler trucks, the back side of storm was not as strong  

We were very lucky still to have rice left, they say there will be no power 
for 6-8 months in most areas, maybe 3 weeks before power to Roxas City with 
main transmission lines down across the mountains 

90 % of all houses are destroyed in our area in the province, just one 
large mess. 

No aid from any government agency to anyone, 3 helicopters landed 2 days 
ago and handed out 2 cans of sardines, a kilo of rice and some noodles but 
only to the hardest hit areas along the coast 

We have been giving rice to our neighbours and about 30 people are living 
in my canteen that was a converted container and is intact 

The NFA was here yesterday wanting us to mill their paddy stock as the 
government rice mill was destroyed 

PNP is also posting 8 officers at our place as their headquarters near us 
blew down, they are thinking there may be problems in a week or so as 
people will be desperate for food, hoping it does not come to that

Road just opened to Iloilo today but takes 6 hours to drive 120KM but not 
much damage in Iloilo

We do not have one tree left standing anywhere, the mountains are all bare, 
one of the strongest storms I ever experienced 

Hope I can send this msg to you as the signal is not very good, have to 
climb up on top of a hill to get signal from Roxas City 

I hope everyone else is okay take care 

Tom / Roxas City, Philippines
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