Typhoon Hiayan Disaster

On the 8th Novemeber 2013 the deadliest recorded natural disaster to strike the Philippines came in the form of Super Typhoon Haiyan. The terms "hurricane" and "typhoon" are regionally specific names for a strong "tropical cyclone".

A tropical cyclone is the generic term for a non- frontal synoptic scale low-pressure system over tropical or sub-tropical waters with organized convection (i.e. thunderstorm activity) and definite cyclonic surface wind circulation "Super-typhoon" is a term utilized by the U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center for typhoons that reach maximum sustained 1-minute surface winds of at least 65 m/s. This is the equivalent of a strong Saffir-Simpson category 4 or category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic basin or a category 5 severe tropical cyclone in the Australian basin.

The weather experts reported the typhoon coming. It had a 600km front and was heading for areas with not a lot of mountains that could act as buffers. The authorities ordered evacuations of the towns that were in its path. This is an evacuation centre set up in a gym in Sorsogon City as they prepare for the typhoon

This is a satellite picture of the typhoon With 25 million people in its path, Super Typhoon Haiyan smashed into the Philippines.

As the storm plowed across the cluster of islands in the heart of the country, casualties were reported, more than 100,000 people took shelter in evacuation centers and hundreds of flights were canceled.The storm brought tremendously powerful winds roaring ashore as it made landfall in the province of Eastern Visayas, disrupting communications with a major city in its path.

Tacloban Airport was covered by debris.

Tropical cyclones and typhoons can confusingly have more than one name. This is because there are two separate weather agencies covering the Pacific - one based in Japan and one based in the Philippines. Western agencies tend to adopt the Japanese naming conventions. In this instance, Japan named the super typhoon Haiyan while the Philippines called it Yolanda.

Over million people were affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan. Over 5,000 people are dead. The exact number will probably never be known. Over 18,000 people were injured and there are thousands of people missing. Whole towns have been totally destroyed. Between 70 per cent and 80 per cent of homes in the path of typhoon had been destroyed. Witnesses told of destruction on an epic scale, with concrete slabs the only part of many homes remaining, cars flipped over and power lines destroyed. The people in the affected areas have no food or water. There is no power or communications.

Help was immediately sent to the Philippines from all over the world in many forms. The United Nations stepped in immediately. Many other countries have sent in their army and navy with aircraft and ships to send food and medical supplies and to help with shelter. Many doctors and nurses have gone to help with the injured and many volunteers have gone to help with the cleaning up and to help with the aid. The death toll from Super Typhoon Haiyan has risen above 5,200, making it one of the Philippines' deadliest ever natural disasters, the government says, two weeks after the devastating storm struck.

The typhoon has triggered a huge international relief effort but the UN warned 1.5 million children are at risk of malnutrition, calling for greater efforts to provide food and water. A UN appeal to cope with the aftermath of Haiyan has been increased from $301 million to $348 million as the extent of the storm disaster becomes clear. Many organizations such as World Vision and UNICEF have set up appeals to raise funds to help. The locals are helping each other. Many families have chosen to stay in the ruins of what was once their homes. Large numbers of people are still exposed to bad weather in the nine provinces ravaged by the storm. An estimated four million people have been left homeless.

Sniffer dogs have now been brought in to the Philippines to help with the grim task of recovering bodies. The recovery effort will take many months

Authorities set up a mass grave site and dumped cadavers into the pit inside a cemetery in Tacloban city, Leyte Island, Philippines on Nov. 16.

Survivors carrying supplies

Bibliography BIBLIOGRAPHY NBCnews.com The Wall St Journal National Geographic