UPDATE: Time to Reflect on Typhoon Haiyan

11 days have now passed since the typhoon hit the Philippines on November 8th. Aid is beginning to come in from many countries around the world, most notably the United States, Britain, and Australia, and attempts to estimate the damage of the storm is underway. It is estimated that the storm has killed or has left missing more than 5,000 people and displaced an estimated 4 MILLION PEOPLE! This was not your average typhoon.

Even now, due to the enormous amount of clean-up yet to be done, it is difficult to get aid to people inland who are in dire need of assistance. Transportation systems in some areas are essentially shut down and people are without food and clean water in areas that are the hardest to reach. This typhoon, although it was properly forecast and the Philippine Government made attempts to evacuate some of its citizens, the storm was massive in power and scope. The storm itself was historic. Experts including those at NASA have concluded that it may have been the most powerful tropical cyclone to ever make landfall. EVER!

The storm's width was 370 miles wide and contained sustained winds of 195 mph and gusts were reaching 235 mph. There was a 17 foot high storm surge in the heavily populated city of Tacloban and 27 inches of rain fell as a result of the storm. Some of these numbers are unfathomable. Relief efforts are underway and the time for reflection has started, even as some are waiting with little to no aid reaching them. Did the government do everything it could to protect its people from this storm? Why were thousands still living in unsafe, temporary housing structures as the storm approached? Why were so few people evacuated from the area? I do not know if we should start placing blame on the Philippine Government at this time when millions of people are still in need of help but one thing is for sure, we will be talking about extensively about this storm and the impact that it has had for a long, long time.

Take a few minutes and listen to an National Public Radio (NPR) story that shows hazard mitigation at work as NPR's Christopher Joyce reports on if displaced Filipino's should rebuild their homes in their previous locations due to the regions vulnerability by clicking here.

Sources: 

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/17/21496134-typhoon-haiyan-a-crisis-by-the-numbers?lite
http://www.wunderground.com/news/americans-killed-philippines-typhoon-haiyan-20131119
http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=245949244&m=246015345

Typhoon Haiyan UPDATE

Recent news reports out of Tacloban, Philippines have been mixed. On one hand, death and destruction are everywhere and thousands are still waiting for help as Philippine and international aid are still on their way in some areas. There is good news though. Philippine President Benigno Aquino was interviewed today and lowered the estimated death count to 2,000 to 2,500. These numbers are far more encouraging than the 10,000 people that were estimated to have died in Tacloban alone after last weeks typhoon.

The path of the storm ripped through the Philippines and traveled all the way into Vietnam late last week. It was one of the most powerful storms ever recorded. Military aircraft and ships from the United States and the United Kingdom are on their way as we speak. Hundreds of thousands are without food, water, or shelter. In fact, there is little information about about the more rural communities that were affected by the storm because it is so difficult to get into those areas and the government has been working to aid those heavily populated areas that were hit hardest. These people need help now. Hopefully more international aid will continue to come into the area over these next few days, or weeks, or months. Some areas have been completely demolished and will take years to build up these areas once again. We just have to be glad that forecasting predicted this storm so accurately and the death toll is not as high as previously estimated because of that.

Sources:

http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/western-pacific/2013/Tropical-Storm-Haiyan?MR=1

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-typhoon-haiyan-philippines-20131112,0,4089787.story

"Super-storm" Typhoon Haiyan Hits The Philippines

The first "super-storm" (definition of super-storm is up to interpretation) hit the Philippines yesterday. Officials knew the storm was coming and it appeared as though steps were taken to protect the lives of the Filipino people by evacuating thousands away from the coast. Still, the impressive power of the storm threatened millions of people. Reports coming in today have estimated that the death toll in the central Philippine city of Tacloban could reach 10,000 people! The video below shows that the storm was accurately tracked and forecast before it reached land.

It appears drowning and collapsed buildings are the likely factors contributing to the most deaths in the area. The city of 200,000 people has been completely devastated. Hundreds of bodies have already been recovered. The typhoon came through with winds that reached 147 miles per hour and saw wind gusts of 170 miles per hour. The storm could be considered comparable to a Category 4 hurricane and even close to reaching a Category 5. Thankfully, the storm has slowed some and as the it reaches Vietnam today, winds have died down some. It is important that precautions are still taken in these other areas to protect the citizens of mainland Asia that will be affected by the storm.

Currently, the Philippine Government is attempting to restore communications, power, and water in order to aid the victims and rescuers in the area. The United States and other countries from around the world are stepping up to provide disaster relief aid because of the devastation from this unbelievable storm. News reports have called this typhoon "one of the most powerful storms in the history of mankind." However you want to look at it, there are going to be thousands of people dead, hundreds of thousands affected, and communities simply reduced to rubble. Continued updates on the continuation of the storm and the relief efforts in the Philippines will be forthcoming...

Sources:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/11/09/typhoon-haiyan-philippines-vietnam/3483099/

http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-officials-typhoon-haiyan-death-toll-could-soar-to-10000-in-philippines-20131109,0,6461436.story

Sonia Upgraded To Tropical Storm As It Approaches Mexico

The United States National Hurricane Center has upgraded Sonia from a tropical depression to a tropical storm as it has gained strength in the pacific. This is yet another powerful storm that is threatening the western coast of Mexico and the Baja California peninsula. There is expected to be very heavy rain, leading to life-threatening flash floods and mudslides that could threaten the people of Mexico when the storm makes landfall.

Winds from the storm have grown to only 40 mile per hour winds but those numbers could grow before Sonia makes landfall. This is an area that has seen an increasing number of tropical storms as of late. Most recently, Tropical Storm Karen moved through relatively the same area. Although North America has been spared of any major hurricanes this year, the western coast of Mexico has been hit with many smaller storms that have dropped heavy rains and caused landslides because of it. Each added storm that reaches areas that already have the ground saturated with water increase the risks of these hazards. Sonia is only a couple hundred miles away from coast now. I will continue to update the storm if its strength picks up.

Sources:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_ep3+shtml/203222.shtml?5-daynl

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/03/tropical-storm-sonia_n_4208321.html?ir=World