Two Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers departed for the Philippines on Wednesday afternoon and will relieve the current team of two officers who have been deployed there since Nov 7.

They will assist in relief efforts in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan, while the first team is expected to return to Singapore later this week.

While in the Philippines, the SCDF officers will reinforce the United Nations Disaster Assessment Center Team, particularly helping to manage the reception and departure centre used to coordinate arrivals and departures of relief agencies.

In addition, the officers will also help to maintain communication links and IT coverage to facilitate the coordination of the humanitarian relief efforts.

The typhoon, which hit on Nov 8, packed 300kmh winds and destroyed Tacloban, the provincial capital of Leyte where nearly 4,000 are said to have been killed.