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          Year's Strongest Storm Makes Landfall in Central Philippines

   by Simone Orendain

   The most powerful storm to hit the Pacific this year, Super Typhoon
   Haiyan, is muscling its way across the central Philippines, blowing off
   roofs, uprooting trees, downing power lines and causing other
   destruction along its path. Three people have been reported killed so
   far. Casualty numbers are expected to increase as more information
   becomes available; in Manila, national disaster risk managers are still
   hard pressed to communicate with some central province governments.

   Haiyan's winds topped 275 kilometers per hour when it made landfall on
   the Philippines eastern-most provinces, the Samar and Leyte islands.
   Reports from one provincial coastline said the storm surge measured
   more than four meters high.

   National roads in the earliest hit provinces are currently blocked by
   fallen trees. Meanwhile, power has been knocked out, leaving at least
   12 provinces partially or completely in the dark.

   Philippines Science and Technology Assistant Secretary Raymund Liboro
   told a civil defense council meeting the destruction is expected to
   continue until Haiyan leaves.

   Liboro said the typhoon is going to be just as strong as when it first
   made landfall when it gets to other provinces, so people should think
   twice before evacuating.

   Officials said that so far about 720,000 people have been affected in
   29 provinces.

   The National Telecommunications Commission reported two of the three
   major cellular providers are having "degraded services", meaning
   reception and transmission is poor. NTC Director Edgardo Cobarios said
   the other cell provider's towers are not able to transmit information
   back and forth. He also said that regional government offices are using
   shortwave radio to report to national offices in Manila on the effects
   of the typhoon. About 90 percent of the Philippines entire population
   communicates by cell phone.

   The Department of Transportation suspended all air, land and water
   transportation operations in the affected regions. Hundreds of flights
   have been canceled.

   Presidential Spokesman Sonny Coloma said at a regular news briefing
   relief that goods have been put in place and more are being brought to
   areas where they are most needed.

   Coloma said that relief workers are taking care of immediate needs, and
   reminded the public that in past calamities, including ones similar to
   this, what the president always wants is a timely supply of enough
   food.

   The Philippines is hit with an average 20 storms each rainy season.
   Haiyan is storm number 24.

   In 2012, Typhoon Bopha devastated the southeast, killing more than
   1,100 people as its powerful winds ripped roofs off of homes and
   buildings and tore through hundreds of hectares of banana trees.

   In 2011, Tropical Storm Washi killed more than 1,200 people in the
   south as it inundated the islands with torrential rains.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/years-strongest-storm-landfall-centra
   l-philippines/1786206.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/years-strongest-storm-landfall-central-philippines/1786206.html