Disaster in the Philippines

The flooding in the Philippines has affected at least 450,000 people and has displaced about 150,000 people.

Officials said the economic damage from the worst rains on record in the Manila area was about 1.4 billion pesos ($30 million), including 500 million pesos in lost crops. Damaged roads and bridges accounted for most of the remaining costs.

Officials expected the toll to rise with people looking for missing relatives and residents trapped in flooded houses two days after Typhoon Ketsana dumped about 410 mm of rain in 24 hours, about the average amount of rainfall for an entire month.

Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines has deployed small boats and medical personnel to help in the recovery efforts. So far, no ships have been reported to have responded, but the Reagan CSG may be tasked that direction by the end of the week.

As of September 17, U.S. Navy Sailors delivered medical supplies, food, and rescued more than 52 people in Manila, including one woman in labor.

It also looks like more bad weather may be on the way.