Marines rescue 50 in the Phillipines

Great news this morning:
U.S. marines recovered about 50 people from under the rubble at the school in Guinsaugon village. The US marines and Taiwanese teams are using life-detecting sonar equipment in the search.

The search for survivors from the landslide that swamped the farming village of Guinsaugon - killing up to 1,350 people - had focused on the school because of unconfirmed reports that some of the 250 to 300 children and teachers may have sent cell phone text messages to relatives soon after the disaster Friday.
. . .
"We know there's something down there," U.S. marine Lt. Richard Neikirk said as he pointed to a spot under a big boulder, where seismic sensors detected sounds.

"The farther down we went, the signals grew stronger."
. . .
There was no visible sign of the school. Rescue workers were digging at two places - one that was believed to be the original site of the school, close to the mountain that collapsed Friday, the other 200 metres down the hill, where the landslide could have carried it.

Last week the US had sent the USS Essex and the USS Harper's Ferry to assist in rescue and relief efforts after the mudslides in the Philippines.

As Phil said,

If this story doesn't illustrate the U.S. military's dedication to humanitarian efforts wherever they are needed in the world, I don't know what does.

(technorati tags Philippines, Marines)