Samar Province News

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's hospital ship, the 'Peace Ark', has set sail for a typhoon relief mission to the Philippines, reports Xinhua. The 300-bed ship with eight operating rooms sounded its horn as it set off from a navy port on Zhoushan island in east China's Zhejiang Province, and is expected to take three days to reach the devastated Samar Province in the Philippines. The medical team will conduct first aid and outpatient treatment and perform surgery and epidemic prevention.

In the small village of Guiuan, located in Eastern Samar province, villagers lined up outside the gate of a runway awaiting food, water and medical supplies to be delivered by helicopters from the 'George Washington Strike Group' (GWSG) in support of Operation Damayan. Guiuan was heavily affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan, which clocked winds up to 195 miles per hour (mph) with gusts up to 235 mph. Houses that were once big and colorful, are now gray and battered. Uprooted palm trees are now makeshift shelters, and water faucets are now showers.