Typhoon Haiyan kills over 100 in Philippines, heads to Vietnam

PanARMENIAN.Net - One of the strongest storms on record has killed more than 100 people and injured another 100 in the central Philippines before sweeping west toward Vietnam on Saturday, Nov 9, still packing destructive winds capable of blowing away houses and uprooting trees, the Associated Press reports.

Capt. John Andrews, deputy director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, said he had received “reliable information” from his staff describing the death and destruction Typhoon Haiyan wrecked in Tacloban city on Leyte Island, about 580 kilometers (360 miles) southwest of Manila, where the storm made landfall Friday.

Nearly 800,000 people were forced to flee their homes and damage was believed to be extensive.

Weather officials said Haiyan had sustained winds of 235 kph (147 mph) with gusts of 275 kph (170 mph) when it made landfall. By those measurements, Haiyan would be comparable to a strong Category 4 hurricane in the U.S., nearly in the top category, a 5.

The typhoon’s sustained winds weakened Saturday to 175 kph (109 mph) with gusts of up to 210 kph (131 mph) as it blew farther away from the Philippines toward Vietnam, where, according to the state media reports, several central provinces began evacuating some 300,000 people from high risk areas. The typhoon was expected to make landfall in the central region early Sunday morning.