Pure Devastation from Super Typhoon Haiyan a.k.a. Yolanda, about 10,000 reported dead

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Category 5 Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda local name) has come and gone with a trail of devastation to the residents of Philippines, especially in Tacloban, Leyte where the typhoon hit the hardest. With gusts of around 275 kph (170 mph), Haiyan was to be the strongest typhoon to be recorded this year and 30th typhoon to hit China this year, around 10,000 people were reported dead by a senior police official on Sunday and many more missing. About 70 to 80 percent of the area in the super typhoon's path was completely destroyed as it ripped through the province of Leyte on Friday, stated by chief superintendent Elmer Soria, regional police director. The city of Tacloban and nearby villages spanning from as far as one kilometer from shore were flooded by these surges carrying tangled trees and wires, debris from homes, and floating bodies.

What people least expected was that most deaths were caused by water surges full of debris that were created by the powerful typhoon. To have vanquished houses and to have drowned hundreds, the residents described the sea water surges to be similar to a tsunami.

From the original estimates of 1,000 deaths from Saturday, to 10,000 just recently has been a sharp turn of information as the national government and disaster agency have estimated as so, "We had a meeting last night with the governor and the other officials. The governor said, based on their estimate, 10,000 died," Soria told Reuters. "The devastation is so big." 

Being the forward line to be impacted by the Category 5 and  275 kph (170 mph) winds with heavy rainfall, Tacloban City, Leyte with a population of around 220,000 was hit by possibly the strongest storm to ever make landfall. Good news for Vietnam of Sunday, the storm increasingly weakened by then. 

"From a helicopter, you can see the extent of devastation. From the shore and moving a kilometer inland, there are no structures standing. It was like a tsunami," Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas stated,who was in Tacloban even before the storm hit, about 580 km (360 miles) southeast of Manila. "I don't know how to describe what I saw. It's horrific."

City officials have also reported that they are having struggles in retrieving dead bodies and sending relief goods to the survivors, and also mentioned widespread looting as they struggled to keep order and communications.

"There is looting in the malls and large supermarkets. They are taking everything even appliances like TV sets, these will be traded later on for food," said Tecson John Lim, the Tacloban city administrator. "We don't have enough manpower. We have 2,000 employees but only about 100 are reporting for work. Everyone is attending to their families."

Lim has also reported that city officials have only collected 300-400 bodies, but as previously stated, the death toll to be 10,000. "The dead are on the streets, they are in their houses, they are under the debris, they are everywhere," he said.

Efren Nagrama, airport manager, said water levels rose up to four meters (13 feet). "It was like a tsunami. We escaped through the windows and I held on to a pole for about an hour as rain, seawater and wind swept through the airport," he said. "Some of my staff survived by clinging to trees. I prayed hard all throughout until the water subsided."

Unfortunately, International aid agencies declared that their relief efforts in the Philippines have been already stretched thin after they assisted the Philippines after the 7.2 magnitude quake hit central Bohol last month and the displacement from a conflict with Muslim rebels in Zamboanga. The World Food Programme stated that they are airlifting emergency supplies and telecommunications equipment along with 40 tons of high energy biscuits, enough to feed 120,000 people for a day.

Below are pictures of the destruction from all around Philippines, and the helplessness of the residents within.

A little girl cradles her baby brother in her arms while waiting to board a military plane in Tacloban. Credits to Jay Santiago

November 10, 2013 - Washed up ships on the shore in the destroyed city of Tacloban, Leyte province, Philippines after the super typhoon hit.

November 9, 2013 - After finding shelter in an evacuation site, the residents return to their home after absorbing the aftermath of the super typhoon. Tacloban, Leyte

November 10, 2013 - Resident absorbs the pile of debris which was washed up inland near a road in Taclobn, Leyte.

November 9, 2013 - With nowhere to go, a victim is left on the side of a road in the devastated city of Tacloban, Leyte.

Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) leaves with a death and missing rate of 10,000.

November 10, 2013 - residents line up to be able to receive relief goods at Tacloban airport.

November 10, 2013 - A man looks at the destroyed wreckage from after the super typhoon.

November 10, 2013 - A washed up ship which lies on top of wrecked houses is observed by survivors that walk past. Photo by: Aaron Favila/AP

With nothing to do, citizens watch helplessly as their Barangay Hall in Iloilo province is washed away by the flood waters.

Blocked by a tree that was toppled over after super typhoon Haiyan(Yolanda)'s strong winds, residents from the island province of Cebu try to clear the road.

Residents of the popular tourist city of Cebu who are terrified by the strong gusts of wind by the typhoon run for their lives as trees and roofs were torn and toppled by the storm.

Along with devastating winds, the super typhoon also gathered up strong downpour which caused landslides in the rural parts of the country.

The residents from Legaspi, Albay province, from south of Manila, were forced to retreat to higher ground as Haiyan(Yolanda) pounded the sea wall and coast.

Washed in from the storm, debris is scattered along the road near the coastal village in Legazpi city where residents are to await a huge clean up operation.

A destroyed aiport in Tacloban City, Leyte with a car toppled upsidedown. Hundred of roofs on houses were ripped off.

Made by using images that were captured by geostationary satellites of the Japan Meteorological Agency, a digital composite from space was created of Super Typhoon Haiyan(Yolanda) as it approached the Philippines.

Despite the destruction dealt to their homes, some residents can't help but attempt to live back to their normal daily living.

A pregnant woman walks along as she looks at the remains of her old home.

With 235mph winds, homes were flattened in the devastated city of Tacloban, Leyte.

Being one of the worst areas hit by category five Super Typhoon Haiyan(Yolanda), a Filipino boys stands in shock among the scattered debris.

Survival kicks in as children haul sacks of good they have retrieved at abandoned stores, passing the rubble of houses in Tacloban, Leyte.

A tree that fell on a car during the super typhoon is moved by workers.

An area of Tacloban City that was flattened by the storm andcovered in flood water and debris.

Sheltered from the storm, the Catholic church in Tacloban welcomed victims as many buildings themselves have been broken into and looted by desperate citizens.

Churches in Tacloban have offered to become temporary aid centers which provides the victims with emergency food supplies and washing facilities.

Philippines President, Benigno Aquino is considering the introduction of martial law in Tacloban City in which 10,000 people are feared to be dead.

Philippine Red Cross trucks were attacked by the hungry residents. President Benigno Aquino has already deployed troops to aid in restoring calmness to the area.

Super Typhoon survivors state to reporters that they have been overly desperate for food, even leading them to loot shops and steal from the dead from the trail of destruction.

Desperate for food, a father and his children wait outside their makeshift home as they long for food relief. Some already foraging through the destruction and dead.

In the remains of a building in Tacloban, Leyte, residents gather around to forge for food in houses that belong to the dead. A local counselor even admitted to stepping on corpses in his desperate attempt to find food saying, "If you have not eaten in three days, you do shameful things to survive."

corpses are uncovered as survivors forage through the wreckage of houses in orer to find any kind of food to feed their starving families.

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