Russia sends medical supplies to typhoon-hit Phl

MOSCOW (Xinhua) - Russia had sent two plane loads of humanitarian aid to typhoon-hit Philippines, the Emergency Situations Ministry said today.

Two Il-76 cargo planes had delivered medical supplies and medical personnel to the Philippines, deputy head of the ministry's crisis center Oleg Voronov told reporters.

The ministry also set up a hotline for relatives of Russian citizens trapped in the Philippines due to the super typhoon Haiyan, which hit the country Friday.

According to the Russian Embassy in Manila, there could be about 50 Russian tourists now in the Philippines, a visa-free country for the Russians.

The official death toll from Haiyan stood at 1,774 Monday night and there are fears it could rise much higher.