Typhoon Haiyan

Yesterday (8/11/13) the Philippines was struck by Typhoon Haiyan which is expected to make its way across the South China Sea making landfall in Vietnam in the early hours of Sunday (10/11/13). If this had occurred in the northern hemisphere it would have been classified as a category 7 Hurricane. The classification system for hurricanes only goes up to 5.

To put that in terms Americans would understand this has been a Hurricane Katrina plus a Hurricane Sandy striking at the same time. This has occurred in a nation where an average income of around USD1000 per year means that the majority of the population live in wood framed houses and a national electricity grid is a mere fantasy for most. This has also occurred in a nation that less then a month ago was struck by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that killed 183 people, damaged vital infrastructure, destroyed some 35,000 homes and internally displaced around 370,000 people,

So the sad fact is I am now going to bed because it will be a good six hours before even the Filipino government has an vague idea of how bad this has been.


(Originally Posted) 03:50 on 9/11/13 (UK date).