Number of nations sending aid for 'Yolanda' victims growing

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED Nov. 12, 10:39 a.m.) - More than a few countries have immediately pledged assistance upon news of the catastrophe from typhoon "Yolanda" in the Philippines.

While some nations are sending monetary donations, most are deploying medical teams and volunteers as well as significant amounts of relief goods and equipment for basic services.

• AUSTRALIA - US$10 million package
• BELGIUM - medical and search and rescue personnel
• CANADA - C$5 million
• CHILE - humanitarian aid
• DENMARK - KR 10 million
• EUROPEAN UNION - EUR 3 million
• GERMANY - 23 tons of relief goods
• HUNGARY - search and rescue personnel and rapid response team
• INDONESIA - in-kind donations
• ISRAEL- team of medical, trauma and relief professionals
• JAPAN - emergency relief medical team
• MALAYSIA - medical and search and rescue teams
• THE NETHERLANDS - undisclosed financial aid
• NEW ZEALAND - NZ $2.15 million
• NORWAY - KR 20 million
• RUSSIA - rapid response team, rescue workers and an airmobile hospital
• SAUDI ARABIA through Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - US$100,000
• SINGAPORE - $50,000
• SPAIN - in-kind donations
• SWEDEN- emergency communications equipment
• TAIWAN - $200,000
• TURKEY - medics, rapid response team, search and rescue personnel
• UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Dhs 36 million
• UNITED KINGDOM - £6 million and $9.6 million worth of emergency support package
• UNITED NATIONS Children's Fund - $1.3 million worth of supplies
• UNITED STATES - initial $100,000 for water and sanitation; Troops, emergency respondents, transportation and equipment
• VATICAN - $150,000

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations similarly offered support to the Philippine government on Monday, contacting Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.

Asean Secretary-General Le Luong Minh said he ready to facilitate ASEAN cooperation and coordination through the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management.

"The ASEAN stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the Philippines in these difficult times and we are ready to show the ASEAN spirit of a caring community to affected populations in the country,” Minh said in a statement.

The US and other governments and agencies are also mounting a major relief effort to help victims of the Philippine typhoon.

Brian Goldbeck, acting ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, issued a disaster declaration to provide an immediate $100,000 for relief efforts. Officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development are deployed around the country to monitor the damage.

Related story: Heartbroken Pinoys 'touched' by aid from nations

Authorities said at least 2 million people in 41 provinces had been affected by Friday's disaster and at least 23,000 houses had been damaged or destroyed. Large areas along the coast had been transformed into twisted piles of debris, blocking roads and trapping decomposing bodies underneath. Ships were tossed inland, cars and trucks swept out to sea and bridges and ports washed away. - with Associated Press