菲律宾政府为其救灾工作辩护

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.

菲律宾内政部长罗哈斯星期五说，面对如此局面，无论行动怎样迅速都是不够的。罗哈斯在灾情惨重的塔克洛班市说，灾民马上需要大量救助，但救援物资还不能进入所有灾区。

菲律宾救灾事务主管罗萨里奥星期五对记者说，官方统计的风灾死亡人数已经上升到3621人。

与此同时，美国海军星期四展开大规模救援行动。美国航空母舰“乔治•华盛顿号”以及七艘补给舰开始向塔克洛班运送水和紧急救灾物资。此外，大吨位医疗舰“仁慈号”也在紧急准备驶离美国，预计将在数星期内与英国航母“光辉号”一道加入救援舰群。