Local Ties To Typhoon Haiyan

Another day, a higher death toll. There's still no word on exactly how many people died from Thursday's typhoon in the Philippines. But the estimate is in the thousands. Red Cross officials estimate more than twelve hundred people have been killed in Tacloban and the Samar Provice alone from Typhoon Haiyan. Rex Bolis moved his family from the Philippines to East Ridge in 2003 to begin his ministry of preaching, leaving close friends behind. Now they say the news is the only communication they have to make sure their friends are okay. For Rex Bolis, the images he sees on his television are far from the city he remembers visiting as a child. It's a beautiful place. But looking at the news, it's so sad to see that those beautiful places and beaches are being damaged by the storm, says Bolis. Bolis moved his family from the Philippines to East Ridge in 2003 to start a ministry at International Community Baptist Church. The worst part is two of his church members were visiting the Philippines when the storm hit. It's been two days and neither him, nor his son, Ric have been able to get in touch with their friends. If we have storms like this in the Philippines, electricity is gone. The power is out and we don't have any way of communicating with them. We're just relying on the news from the Philippines, says Bolis. %0