Desperate survivors have resorted to looting in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan, a massive Category 5 storm that has caused havoc in central Philippines since making landfall over the weekend.

A number of people stranded in communities flattened by the typhoon are now struggling to find food, clean water and medicine. Plus, desperation has triggered anarchy and reports of armed gangs roaming the streets. 

"We don't have homes. We miss our homes, and we have nothing to eat," one storm victim told CNN, adding "We really need help now."

While relief organizations say they have been able to deliver limited aid to some victims, CNN reports seeing witnessing not a lot of any organized relief effort in the hardest-hit areas. The U.S. military has, however, started running 24-hour relief operations as the Philippine army tries to establish security so help can reach the areas most affected by the devastating storm, reported NBC News.

Eight people were crushed to death as thousands of people stormed a rice warehouse in Alangalang and carted away up to 100,000 sacks of rice, a National Food Authority spokesman told The Associated Press.

In another incident, soldiers sent to restore order fired into the air to scatter crowds scavenging through the ruins in Tacloban, reported NBC News.

Residents are now ransacking houses because warehouses are empty, Tacloban city administrator Tecson John Lim told Reuters. "The looting is not criminality. It is self-preservation," he said. Lim said 90 percent of Tacloban had been destroyed but only 20 percent of the city's 220,000 residents had received help.

Standing amid the rubble, Jennica Ekaya said that survivors were only looking for food. "We can survive without these houses ... we'll sleep anywhere. But we need food. Only food," she said. "No money, no places, no televisions, no cellphones, no technology. Food, we need food."

There were signs of hope for relief in Tacloban on Wednesday as a stream of American military helicopters and planes arrived at the airport.

Meanwhile, the government downplayed initial reports that 10,000 had died in the storm. President Benigno Aquino announced Tuesday that the loss of life is closer to 2,000 or 2,500.  Officially confirmed deaths stood at 2,275 on Wednesday, but around 7 million had been affected by the storm, said government officials.