****WEATHER NEWS TODAY**** FRIDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2013 Super Typhoon Haiyan is among the strongest tropical cyclones in history...... At least four people have died when Super Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest typhoon this year and estimated to be one of the strongest in history, slammed into the central Philippines on Friday. The powerful cyclone set off landslides and knocked out power and communication lines in several provinces. But the nation appeared to avoid a major disaster because the rapidly moving typhoon blew away before wreaking more damage, officials said. The huge typhoon raced across a string of islands from east to west -- Samar, Leyte, Cebu and Panay -- and lashed beach communities with higher than 124-mile-per-hour winds. The humanitarian impact of Haiyan threatens to be colossal, Patrick Fuller, spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, told NBC. Here are some of the latest information from the areas slammed by Haiyan: Officials are reporting that communications are down in Guiuan in Eastern Samar and theyve been unable to get an update on the area--one that was harder hit with sustained winds of 146 mph and gusts of up to 170 mph. Although Mindanao, the Philippines southernmost island group, was spared from direct impact, some areas suffered damage. Surigao City was hit with strong winds and rain, which toppled trees and electric posts, although there have been no casualties reported to this point, ABS-CBN News said. Kalibo and Caticlan airports, gateways to Boracay Island and its resorts, sustained damage, according to Civil Aviation Authority Deputy Director Capt. John Andrews. We still dont know extent of damage in Caticlan Airport since we lost contact with them, he told ABS-CBN News. At least 14 crew members of two cargo vessels in Guindulman, Bohol were rescued, according to ABS-CBN News. Power is also down in areas of Bohol, a province still recovering from the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck the area in October. Tourists in Boracay were asked to stay in their hotels, Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores told the Balitanghali TV program on GMA Network. Miraflores said the local government had asked hotel managers in Boracay to allow tourists to stay in the hotels at least until Saturday.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 21:35:30 +0000
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