US deactivates ‘Yolanda’ task force

From the Daily Tribune (Dec 4): US deactivates ‘Yolanda’ task force

The United States government has shut down its Joint Task Force 505, activated at the height of the massive disaster relief operations in the Visayas region following the havoc wreaked by super typhoon “Yolanda,” resulting in the pullout of thousands US troops and equipment involved in the mission. 

The JTF 505, created by the US Pacific Command, officially shut down operation at Camp Aguinaldo on Sunday.

The “deactivation” of JTF 505 also resulted in the pull out of most US troops involved in the actual relief and retrieval operations in typhoon-ravaged areas in Visayas region.

In spite of the shutdown, a small contingent of US troops would still be in the country to oversee the pullout.

At the height of the massive relief operations, the number of US troops in the country peaked at 13,400, along with 66 aircraft and 12 naval ships, including aircraft carrier USS George Washington.

Last week, the number went down to 3,000 US servicemen, with 1,900 of them aboard ships deployed to assist in the ongoing “Oplan Damayan.”

During its operation, elements of the JTF 505 logged in at least 2,000 flight hours during more than 1,000 flights and moved 2,000 relief workers. US aircraft also transported 21,000 evacuees.

Also last week, military medical contingent from Israel, composed of 148 personnel, also pulled out from the humanitarian mission in the typhoon-ravaged areas.

Presently, there are still more than a dozen foreign military contingents are still in the areas affected by “Yolanda” assisting in the ongoing relief, retrieval and rehabilitation efforts.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) yesterday reported an increased in the number of fatalities brought about by “Yolanda” which smashed into central Philippines last Nov. 8.

The NDRRMC death toll stood at 5,680 persons while 1,779 are still missing and 26,233 others were injured.

Eastern Visayas accounted for most of the fatalities with 5,338; Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon provinces) with three; Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), 19; six in Bicol; 238 in Western Visayas; Central Visayas, 74; one in Zamboanga Peninsula; and one in Caraga.

The NDRRMC said that at least 2,376,210 families or 11,236,014 individuals were affected in 12,075 villages in 44 provinces. Of these, 28,371 families or 125,225 people are still staying in 426 evacuation centers.

Damage caused by Yolanda was still estimated at P34.366 billion, including P17.333 billion in infrastructure and P17.033 billion in agriculture.

The NDRRMC said the number of destroyed houses has reached 1,180,837 including 587,035 destroyed and 593,802 damaged.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/us-deactivates-yolanda-task-force