At least four people are dead and more than 1 million have been displaced after one of the strongest storms ever recorded made landfall in the Philippines.
Super Typhoon Haiyan (which is also being called Yolanda by Filipino meteorologists) brought waves up to 30 feet and winds of 147 mph and gusts of 220 mph when it hit land. It caused mudslides and flash floods, but the country appears to have avoided major casualties.
Much of the communication throughout the country has been cut off due to the storm, so it’s impossible to gauge the full extent of the damage at this time.
While news stations have been reporting on the storm, citizens have kept the world updated with a close-up look at Haiyan’s destruction.
THIS IMAGE of Super Typhoon #HAIYAN from NASA’s Aqua Satellite. covering the Philippines. wow, just wow. pic.twitter.com/34ErV2VJzI
— Papa Dan (@papadan971LS) November 8, 2013
3 dead, 12 million at risk as super typhoon #Haiyan hits Philippines. Updates LIVE https://t.co/zp9gccqT9M #Yolanda pic.twitter.com/0DewOVF1iF
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) November 8, 2013
Along with the now-standard practice—started during Hurricane Sandy—of keeping an exhaustive news post on Reddit, people caught in the storm have shared their experiences on social media.
“I am currently in Manila, but my mom and brother are in Eastern Samar, the first place Yolanda hits,” ratiomix wrote. “I’m just thankful our neighborhood doesn’t get flash floods and that they live in a solid concrete house. I can only imagine how it is for people in the coastal community.”
From the vast winds outside to the damage just outside their front doors, people are sharing YouTube videos and Twitter updates of the devastation from the storm.
#UGC via @theidsze: Century old tree uprooted due to #YolandaPH here in Catarman N. Samar pic.twitter.com/Z4Q0iHktJy
— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 8, 2013
PHOTO: Effects of #YolandaPH in Tacloban pic.twitter.com/iweMxhvZaA https://t.co/gjmjMM8kwo l via @ANCALERTS
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) November 7, 2013
Time to flee from #YolandaPH #Haiyan. These are all the worldy possessions of one family in MARABUT, Eastern Samar pic.twitter.com/du5B9gNT7d
— Atom Araullo (@atomaraullo) November 7, 2013
PHOTO via @jeffcanoy: Massive waves during the rescue operation in Guindulman, Bohol #YolandaPH pic.twitter.com/NP0NoMUSlT
— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 8, 2013
Volunteers from @RedCrossCebu distributing food to affected families. #Haiyan pic.twitter.com/kDAGLOIO3g
— British Red Cross (@BritishRedCross) November 8, 2013
More than 5000 families displaced from #YolandaPH / #Haiyan. Help provide food,water & shelter https://t.co/VLgC2T443c pic.twitter.com/ITNCPL07De
— World Vision Phils. (@WorldVisionPH) November 8, 2013
Google is hosting a crowdsourced map to mark evacuation centers and hospitals on many of the islands for anyone affected.
11pm, Nov 8: #YolandaPH has slightly weakened as it moves towards the West Philippine Sea. https://t.co/vwv8PzFZDE pic.twitter.com/76u1XkYnzl
— Official Gazette PH (@govph) November 8, 2013
Haiyan is the 24th storm to hit the Philippines this year. According to forecasters, the storm is expected to move out of the country by Saturday morning, when it is projected to hit Vietnam and Laos.
Photo via @barrabest/Twitter