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US officials condole with typhoon victims in RP


Ranking United States officials on Wednesday (Manila time) sent sympathies to the Philippines for the loss of lives caused by Typhoon Juan (international name: Megi). US State Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton relayed to the Philippines the American people's condolences for the damage and loss of life from "Juan." "On behalf of the people of the United States, I offer our condolences for the damage and loss of life caused on the island of Luzon by Typhoon Megi. Our embassy in Manila has offered immediate disaster relief assistance, and we are working closely with Philippine authorities to offer additional assistance as needed," said US State Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Luzon and all Filipinos affected by this tragedy," she added.


For his part, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman John Kerry said he was saddened to hear of the loss of life and damage from "Juan." "As the storm -- one of the most powerful in decades -- moves across the South China Sea, our thoughts and prayers are also with the people of southern China who are bracing for Megi's impact," Kerry said. He added that the US is readying humanitarian assistance at the Philippine government's request. US troops and equipment in the Philippines are being diverted to assist with the recovery, work, Kerry said. "Our ability to respond rapidly reaffirms the value of the close cooperation our two militaries share. The Filipino people are responding to this setback with their characteristic resilience, aided by the effective measures their government took to help prepare them for the storm," he said. Based on data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) as of 6 a.m. Tuesday, the death toll from Typhoon Juan stood at 11. On Tuesday, US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. said the US has approved some $100,000 in aid to the victims of Juan, which devastated Northern Luzon. The US Embassy said that US troops here for joint exercises - under the controversial Visiting Forces Agreement - are helping assess areas affected by Juan. "At the request of the Government of the Philippines, some US troops and equipment currently in the Philippines for the annual CARAT and PHIBLEX exercises, along with aircraft and personnel from the Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines, both here under the Visiting Forces Agreement, have been diverted for use by Philippine counterparts to conduct assessments of the areas impacted by Typhoon Juan. Additional assistance will be determined based on the results of these initial assessments," the Embassy said in a press release on its website. The statement also said that "USAID plans to make available $100,000 to help those affected by the typhoon." — RSJ, GMANews.TV
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