The president of the Philippines criticizes local officials and blames them for unnecessary deaths

As everyone knows, a typhoon recently caused the deaths of thousands of Filipinos. The world is now responding by providing food and medicine as well as funds to help rebuild some towns which were destroyed. About 500,000 Filipinos remain homeless due to the typhoon.

The president of the Philippines, however, seems to be criticizing some local officials for not evacuating (moving people out) coastal towns effectively enough.  He seems to be claiming that the government officials in the coastal towns should have been better prepared.

The article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24978926

Vocabulary to help you understand the article:

to scramble for aid - in this case scramble means to fight for or struggle for 'aid' (supplies meant to help); scramble could mean 'compete for' in this case too

devastation - in this case devastation means complete destruction

in contrast to other towns - the officials in the town he visited acted properly or as they should have, this was in contrast to (different from) how other officials in other towns where more people died acted

a mass - a church service

an impact - an effect

relief - in this case to provide relief means to provide supplies and help

to urge - to encourage

to double our efforts - to work twice as hard and twice as quickly

blissful - happy

relief efforts continued to build - continued to increase

to be mobbed - to be overwhelmed by people; to have too many people fighting for the supplies

remote - far away, hard to reach

to despatch aid - to dispatch aid, send aid (this article is written by someone who learned English from England.  We spell this word: dispatch, just as we use: criticize, not criticise.

unleashing massive waves - causing huge waves

a peak danger period - the worst danger period