Over 125,000 evacuated as powerful typhoon slams into Philippines

PanARMENIAN.Net - One of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded slammed into the Philippines Friday, November 8 cutting communications and blocking roads in the center of the country amid worries of serious damage and casualties.

As The Weather Channel said, citing The Associated Press, telephone lines appeared down as it was difficult to get through to the landfall site 405 miles southeast of Manila where Typhoon Haiyan slammed into a rural area of the country.

The first fatality in the powerful storm was reported in Lingig town, Surigao del Sur, according to philstar.com. A 56-year-old man was killed after an electric post fell on him and was accidentally electrocuted while authorities were conducting a preemptive evacuation.

Weather officials said that Haiyan had sustained winds at 147 miles per hour, with gusts of 170 mph when it made landfall at Eastern Samar province's Guiuan township.

"This is a catastrophe," said weather.com senior meteorologist Jon Erdman.

The U.S. Navy's center said Typhoon Haiyan was the strongest tropical cyclone in the world this year. Cyclone Phailin, which hit eastern India on Oct. 12, packed sustained winds of up to 138 mph and stronger gusts.

"This is the third super typhoon (maximum sustained winds of at least 150 mph) in less than three weeks," said Michael Lowry, hurricane specialist at The Weather Channel. "Already, three typhoons have struck the Philippines this year.

Local authorities reported having troubles reaching colleagues in the landfall area.

The local weather bureau had a lower reading on the storm's power, saying its speed at landfall in Eastern Samar province's Guiuan township had sustained winds at 147 miles per hour, with gusts of 170 mph. The bureau takes measures based on longer periods of time.

The storm was not expected to directly hit the flood-prone capital, Manila, further north.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said more than 125,000 people had been evacuated from towns and villages in the typhoon's path.