US forces deliver aid to flood victims in the Philippines

"The USS Tortuga and the USS Harpers Ferry are in Subic Bay right now and are providing support,"

(AFP) The United States said Monday its military forces were carrying out rescue missions, delivering aid and providing medical care for victims of the flooding in the Philippines.

"US forces are helping support rescue operations for victims of the flooding, as well as distributing essential relief supplies," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters.

"They're providing medical treatment to flood victims," he added.

He said the US Agency for International Development set aside 1.8 million to help relief organizations deliver relief to the needy.

"The USS Tortuga and the USS Harpers Ferry are in Subic Bay right now and are providing support," Kelly said.

Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman quoted by Pacific Command, said nearly 450 US Marines and sailors posted in the Manila area delivered relief supplies, cleared roads, and provided basic medical care to residents over the weekend.

"More than 8,000 food packages have been delivered, and more than 1,400 Philippine residents have received medical care," according to the Pacific Command website.