TYPHOON HAIYAN RIPS THROUGH CENTRAL PHILIPPINES

Typhoon Haiyan is a Category 5 storm, the strongest typhoon of 2013 and said to be the “most powerful ever” to make landfall (with winds near 195-200 mph). Perspective: Superstorm Sandy was at 95mph when it hit New Jersey; Hurricane Katrina at 129mph when it hit land.

• Pre-emptive evacuations affect more than 161,000 families or more than 790,000 people in 37 provinces
• Typhoon Haiyan as seen from space
• Haiyan makes 6 landfalls - it affected an island chain in the central Philippines, making landfall in six islands. It gained wind power as it traversed through waters in between.
• Haiyan traverses areas affected by magnitude 7.1 earthquake - The earthquake left more than 200 dead dead on October 16; 1000 injured; 350,000 displaced. The survivors have been living in tents and evacuation areas. It passed through Leyte, Samar, Cebu (2.5 million residents), among others. All with densely populated cities, some of which are the poorest provinces in the country.
• 100 people killed in Tacloban — first estimate of casualties in the city reported today, November 9. Because the communication lines are down, the news centers have yet to take stock of the full extent of the damage. But the numbers are still expected to rise. The devastation was described as if a tsunami had wracked through it.
• 2:03PM  11/9: An estimated 4 million people have been affected by the typhoon
• 4:20PM  11/9: 90% of Baco Town in Oriental Mindoro flooded
• 4:55 PM 11/9: Bodies still scattered in Leyte as Visayas in shock
• 5:19PM  11/9: Negros Occidental under a state of calamity
• 7:34PM  11/9: Local officials expect the number of bodies found in Tacloban to reach 500
• eta: 7:45PM 11/9: Iloilo and Palawan declare state of calamity
• eta: 8:04PM 11/9: Update: 134 reported dead
• eta: 8:30PM 11/9: Thousands homeless in Ormoc, Leyte

The victims need all the help they can get. Cities have been leveled, buildings made of concrete were destroyed by strong winds and storm surges. Communications have yet to be reestablished in most of the areas affected by the typhoon. The full picture left behind by Haiyan has yet to be established yet the devastation reported on television is already extensive. The government is bracing for large-scale relief operations. Virtually 1/3 of the country has been ravaged by this natural disaster. And we need help.  

HOW THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CAN HELP

• donations via the Philippine Red Cross (including PayPal)
• donations via Habitat for Humanity
• donations via ANCOP Foundation USA
• eta: donations via UNICEF Philippines
• eta2: donations via CARE Australia
• eta2: donations via Caritas Internationalis 
• eta2: donations via GMA Network (credit card, cash, check)
• eta2: donations via World Vision
• eta2: donations via AmeriCares
• eta2: donations via Samaritan’s Purse (Canada)
• eta2: donations via Canadian Red Cross (or you can text REDCROSS or ROUGE to 30333 to donate $5)

FOR THOSE IN THE PHILIPPINES

• text donations via Globe
• Red Cross and DSWD relief operations (infographic)
• list of ongoing relief operations via Rappler
• donations via ABS-CBN News
• eta: relief operations via University of the Philippines
• eta: relief operations via the Department of Education
• eta: pick-up locations for donations via Air 21

HOW TO FILE FOR MISSING PERSONS

• via GMA Network
• eta: via Philippine Red Cross
• eta: via Google Person Finder

Please reblog and add other details I might’ve missed!