Australia to offer more disaster support to Philippines

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has expressed his sympathies on Monday to the Philippines in the wake of the terrible loss of life and damage caused by Typhoon Haiyan and committed to offering more disaster support. According to him, the Australian government has already offered almost 400,000 Australian dollars (almost 375,356 U.S. dollars) to Philippines for emergency relief supplies, including sleeping mats, mosquito nets, water containers as well as health and hygiene kits to assist those affected by this natural disaster. And three Australian disaster experts are on the ground providing assistance to the Philippine government and the United Nations to conduct a rapid needs assessment in the worst affected areas of the country. "I join my fellow Australians in expressing our deepest sympathies to the people of the Philippines in the wake of the terrible loss of life and damage caused by Typhoon Haiyan," he said. "I have written to the President of the Philippines, Benigno Aquino III, to pass on our thoughts and prayers to the Philippine people and to offer further disaster support if and when it is needed," Abbott added. In addition, Abbott confirmed in the statement that a 49-year- old Australian man, who had been living in the Philippines, has perished in this tragedy. And Australian Department of Foreign Affairs is continuing to investigate whether more Australians in the Philippines have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan.