On November 9th, one of the most powerful typhoons in history has destructed in the Philippines resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals. Typhoon Haiyan, a category 5 typhoon, struck central Philippines specifically in Tacloban city destroying many homes, buildings, rural areas, and islands. With strong winds reaching up to 235mph and a surge of water rising to about 50ft, individuals experienced a storm like no other.
In comparison to Hurricane Katrina that swept the U.S. in 2005, Typhoon Haiyan was 3.5 times more forceful, resulting in 25 areas of the Philippines being hit. Strong winds and rain caused debris to fly through the air and giant waves attacked the city. The storm forced millions of people to evacuate and flee to safer areas.
About 125,000 people are taking refuge in evacuation centers. Volunteers are packing relief goods to distribute to provinces hit hardest by the typhoon. The Department of Social Welfare and Development continues to do anything they can to help victims of this devastating storm.
Our thoughts and prayers are there for those most impacted by this tragedy. Many organizations such as The World Food Programme, UNICEF, The Salvation Army, and World Vision are mobilizing and aiding communities struck hardest by the storm as much as they can. Visit these websites and also the Philippine Red Cross to find out ways you can help today. We support the people of the Philippines during this tragedy and will keep them in our prayers.
Images from Yahoo News