Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Philippine super typhoon kills at least 10,000, official says
Reuters ^ | Nov 9, 2013 | Reuters

Posted on 11/09/2013 7:05:37 PM PST by Innovative

One of the most powerful storms ever recorded killed at least 10,000 people in the central Philippines province of Leyte, a senior police official said on Sunday, with coastal towns and the regional capital devastated by huge waves.

Super typhoon Haiyan destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of the area in its path as it tore through the province on Friday, said chief superintendent Elmer Soria, a regional police director.

Haiyan, a category 5 typhoon that churned through the Philippine archipelago in a straight line from east to west, packing wind gusts of around 275 kph (170 mph), weakened significantly before hitting northern Vietnam on Sunday.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: disaster; haiyan; leyte; philippines; phillippines; typhoon
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-42 next last
To: Jane Long; All

I might add, to see how we get our Typhoon info, go to:
www.typhoon2000,ph
I check it every morning, just to see what to expect for the day’s weather. They have numerous links and sat loops.


21 posted on 11/09/2013 10:28:06 PM PST by AlexW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: AlexW

According to Wiki, over 100,000 deaths would bring it close to one of the top 10 deadliest natural disasters since 1900. And the 3rd deadliest of this century behind the 2004 tsunami and 2010 Haiti earthquake.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_disasters_by_death_toll#Ten_deadliest_natural_disasters_since_1900

And it’s apparently at least the 8th deadliest “cyclone” in recorded history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_disasters_by_death_toll#Ten_deadliest_tropical_cyclones


22 posted on 11/09/2013 10:40:45 PM PST by JediJones (The #1 Must-see Filibuster of the Year: TEXAS TED AND THE CONSERVATIVE CRUZ-ADE)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: AlexW

Of course I misread the 10,000 in the article as 100,000. Sorry for the error.


23 posted on 11/09/2013 10:43:41 PM PST by JediJones (The #1 Must-see Filibuster of the Year: TEXAS TED AND THE CONSERVATIVE CRUZ-ADE)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: AlexW

With 10,000 deaths, the storm would be the deadliest natural disaster in the Philippines in recorded history. The previous biggest was a 1976 tsunami with up to 8,000 deaths. The next biggest was flooding from a tropical storm which sounds like it was in a region near to the areas affected today, in 1991, killing 5,100.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/72810/the-philippines-ten-deadliest-natural-disasters


24 posted on 11/09/2013 10:57:02 PM PST by JediJones (The #1 Must-see Filibuster of the Year: TEXAS TED AND THE CONSERVATIVE CRUZ-ADE)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: soycd
Was there just not enough high ground and shelter? Because there was plenty of notice it was coming. Could people just not find somewhere safe?

I believe that is part of it. There just aren't that many buildings in the area that could withstand those winds. I recall one picture beforehand of a church used as an evacuation center, with many families & children inside. The side walls were mostly large windows. It was enough to make one weep, hours before the storm hit...

Also, IIRC, PAGASA issued warnings late, in the opinion of many meteorologists who were monitoring the storm, and the upgrades to "Signal Level 4" (the highest level of warning), and the storm surge warnings were even later. PAGASA didn't even mention the storm until it was in their "area of responsibility", and then, with it being a relatively fast moving storm, time was short.

I was monitoring the storm and my wife and I were frantically trying to get word out to relatives and friends in the area, via her Facebook account, e-mails, etc.

Another problem is that there is no word in Tagalog, Visayan, or the local dialects, that I or my (Filipina - Visayan) wife know of, for "storm surge". Usually typhoons in the Philippines do not create large storm surges, so people don't really understand what might happen. On a meteorological forum I was monitoring (I post there occasionally), one US (I think) member was discussing the approaching storm with a Filipino member, and the Filipino said he was reasonably sure he'd be ok, as his house was fairly solid, and not in a (rain-caused) flood prone area. But he didn't understand the threat from the storm surge until the US member said "like a tsunami". Then the Filipino freaked out, but that was only a few hours before the Typhoon hit, and the Filipino and his family had nowhere better to flee to. We have not heard from him since, but hopefully that is just a downed communications issue.

25 posted on 11/10/2013 1:12:43 AM PST by Paul R. (We are in a break in an Ice Age. A brief break at that...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.
Hopefully this is ok to post:


26 posted on 11/10/2013 1:22:48 AM PST by Paul R. (We are in a break in an Ice Age. A brief break at that...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Innovative

My neighbor is from there. We have been praying for her family.


27 posted on 11/10/2013 4:38:21 AM PST by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AlexW

I am glad to hear you came out all right. It must be a difficult situation all around.


28 posted on 11/10/2013 5:50:21 AM PST by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: combat_boots

“I am glad to hear you came out all right. It must be a difficult situation all around.”
_________________________________________________
It was little, or nothing, for us, but my God, one can not help from crying for the people on Leyte, the next island to the northeast of us....so much death and destruction.


29 posted on 11/10/2013 5:59:31 AM PST by AlexW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: AlexW

“People are walking like zombies looking for food,” said Jenny Chu, a medical student in Leyte. “It’s like a movie.”

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Philippine-typhoon-kills-at-least-10000-survivors-walk-like-zombies/articleshow/25552291.cms

I hope never to be in one of these things.


30 posted on 11/10/2013 6:30:33 AM PST by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: AlexW

QQ


31 posted on 11/10/2013 7:38:47 AM PST by cunning_fish
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: soycd

A couple of years ago there was a storm where a coworker described what he did over the couple of days his department was closed...swimming his cousins out of the second floor of their house. Lots of places don’t have accessible high ground...especially once the storm hits.


32 posted on 11/10/2013 9:22:03 AM PST by lepton ("It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into"--Jonathan Swift)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Innovative

See more devastating pictures here. Prayers for all Filipinos affected by this typhoon.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2496954/Philippines-super-typhoon-Haiyan-powerful-storm-history.html


33 posted on 11/10/2013 11:53:59 AM PST by Justaham
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lepton

This is very true. I experienced this growing up in Manila. A simple downpour would cause so much flooding that schools and businesses close. It has become a sport for kids to wade in the water whenever there was a flood. It becomes a way of life there.


34 posted on 11/10/2013 11:58:13 AM PST by Justaham
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Justaham

Thank you


35 posted on 11/10/2013 7:47:33 PM PST by mbj
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Innovative
One more pic I found on Fox News' website that helps show the power of the storm:


36 posted on 11/10/2013 11:23:36 PM PST by Paul R. (We are in a break in an Ice Age. A brief break at that...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Justaham

that’s horrible! Unreal the devastation.


37 posted on 11/11/2013 3:48:53 PM PST by jurroppi1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Innovative
CBS devoted over 10 minutes to this story this evening. At least it's getting the attention it deserves, tho' I'd surely wish there was no need for the attention at all. (I know, disasters will regularly happen, my wish is only that, a fantasy.)

Reports indicate the U.S. has sent the USS George Washington aircraft carrier (probably the entire task force, I would think) to support relief efforts in the Philippines.

I saw a comment somewhere that the carrier could produce substantial amounts of drinking water (above the crew's needs) -- anyone have a figure on that?

38 posted on 11/11/2013 11:21:55 PM PST by Paul R. (We are in a break in an Ice Age. A brief break at that...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.

I hope I’m wrong, but there seems to be a lackluster response.


39 posted on 11/11/2013 11:23:43 PM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.

Here’s the Philippine Red Cross’ website. So far as I know, they are pretty reputable / if anyone cares to donate, the money will go to helping those in need.

http://www.redcross.org.ph/


40 posted on 11/11/2013 11:24:22 PM PST by Paul R. (We are in a break in an Ice Age. A brief break at that...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-42 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson