Devastation in Tacloban City, Philippines

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It has become clear that Super Typhoon Haiyan ('Yolanda' in the Philippines) has caused enormous destruction and, very possibly, many deaths. Tacloban City, on the island of Leyte in the eastern Visayas, the group of large islands in the centre of the country, looks as if a bomb had been dropped on it. I have visited it a number of times.

Much of the damage was caused by a storm surge, which is similar to a tsunami. I heard an official of PAGASA, the national weather bureau, explain on television today that where the seas is shallow, as it is in Tacloban City,  such surges tend to be much higher than where the sea is deep and therefore much more destructive.

Part of downtown Tacloban City

There are now reports that more than 10,000 may have died as a result of the storm. Reuters quotes a senior police official on this.

Continue here.

Comments

  1. Shirelands Goldadors8:52 am, November 10, 2013

    Prayers assured Fr Sean...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Melanie Jean Juneau11:14 am, November 10, 2013

    I too, am praying

    ReplyDelete
  3. Manny10:35 pm, November 11, 2013

    My gosh. The heart ache that must be felt. May God have mercy on the dead and give strength to the living. I will certainly donate where I can.

    ReplyDelete

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