11/20/2013: This video provides a good sense of what the terrain looks like several days AFTER the rescue effort has been mounted.
Marines with 3D Marine Expeditionary Brigade in support of Joint Task Force – 505, conduct airfield operations and humanitarian assistance, in Tacloban, Republic of the Philippines, 18 November 2013.
U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific maintains significant capability forward deployed throughout the Asia-Pacific region ready to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Forward deployed forces are fully capable to rapidly deploy to such disasters like Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda.
Credit:III MEF:11/18/13