Typhoon Haiyan

[daffodil]

Wow, this is huge, causing major damage to areas already badly hit by last month's earthquake

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/n ... hilippines

[daffodil]

The estimated death toll has risen to 10,000 in Leyte province alone. Around 4 million have been affected in some of the poorest areas in the Philippines.

This country just can't get a break.

[Lili Von Shtupp]

Daff! I just saw this on the front page of the newspaper and came right to the 'Porum to see if you're posting. It went through Cebu, right, has it been bad in Manila?

[daffodil]

Fortunately, the typhoon pretty much passed by Manila with little impact. As for the rest of the country, the sheer devastation is hard to comprehend - with more to come given some towns are little more than open graveyards right now.

Quite a few of our staff have not heard from their relatives since Thursday, an awful situation.

[Pinklepurr]

It really is quite horrific.

Stay safe anyway Daff, I know that the worst damage is not near you but the infections and things that are around are very scary. Friend of mine died recently from infections thought to have been picked up during the floods in Manila a month or so back.

[sundaymorningstaple]

This looks very much like the Tsunami of several years ago. The damage is horrendous.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/specials/typ ... ore-after/

[skank-la]

Does look like Aceh seems Leyete got hit by a 15 foot storm surge

I've been trying to find out about Bantayan Island my favourite not too famous island

Doesnt look good place seems to have been totally destroyed

Good News is they are the egg capital of the Philippines w/boats full of eggs going out all over the peens daily

Reports have the population living off of cooking the laying hens while waiting to get food supplies

Nearby even smaller & more remote Malapascua Island is said to have been leveled by the typhoon

2 of my favourite not so well known islands totalled

Sux

[Fat Bob]

I'm in Facebook contact with Malapascua: it's not as bad as you think. The majority of the concrete structures are still standing, and there's plenty of dive shops and hotels which have a reason to get things back up and running quickly. All are working hard to help first the local community, and second their businesses, as they understand that without a functioning local community then the business won't get off the ground.

There doesn't seem to be a huge amount of deaths on the island, but they will be down for a few weeks whilst they get the rebuilding done.

The first bar (at Thresher Shark Divers, the Beach Bar if I remember correctly) is opening tonight and has power to cool the beer!

OK, it's not very pretty at the moment, but let's keep those glasses half full!

[daffodil]

Whilst the situation is still grim in Leyte province, reports indicate that aid is finally getting through to some areas though the more remote areas are still without fresh water, food and medical supplies. Sadly, the official death toll has reached 4,000 and guess that may rise in the coming weeks.

Lots of local initiatives happening and in typical Philippines spirit people who have little themselves are joining in the relief effort in whatever way they can. Many companies here are also cancelling or drastically pulling back on Christmas parties and donating those funds to the relief effort as well.

Our office resembled a market this week! Packing of donated goods took place today before handing over to the Red Cross for distribution.