Eight people have been killed in central Philippines after thousands of survivors stormed government-owned rice warehouse seeking food supplies, according to The Guardian.
The Philippines National Food Authority said police and soldiers stood helpless as people stormed into the warehouse in Alangalang, Leyte province, an area where hunger is running high. Security forces delivered more than 100,000 sacks of rice. The eight were crushed to death when a wall in the warehouse collapsed, spokesman Rex Estoperez told the Associated Press.
The Guardian reported the nation's government has come under fire for failing to deliver aid quickly enough, which has resulted in residents looking to find food.
A military official told the Guardian on Wednesday that the government was aiming to double its relief efforts within the next two days. Three relief distribution points were being set up in the Leyte island towns of Tacloban, Guiuan and Ormoc, the official said.
More than 10,000 people are feared to have been killed in the Philippines. President Benigno Aquino III said on Tuesday that he believed the number killed to be far lower. The UN said more than 670,000 people have been displaced and a total of 11.3 million people directly affected by the super storm.
Armed forces spokesman Ramon Zagala told the BBC that relief workers were struggling to deliver aid for a number of reasons. According to the New York Times, road blocks and damages airports are among the few reasons for supplies taking three times as long to be delivered.
"The area is very vast and the number of helicopters, although we have a lot of helicopters at the moment," Zagala said. "It's really a challenge for us to bring [aid] to all the places and [bring] the number of goods that are needed."
The UN has given emergency funds for shelter materials and household items, and for assistance with emergency health services, safe water supplies and sanitation.
