One of the strongest storms in history has swept across the Philippines, killing scores of people.
A UN relief official said on November 9 that Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the islands of Leyte and Samar on November 8, caused destruction similar to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
Winds were measured at around 315 kilometers an hour and the storm surge was more than 3 meters high.
"This is destruction on a massive scale," said Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, head of the UN's disaster-assessment team.
Officials have confirmed 138 dead so far, but that figure seems certain to rise.
The Red Cross has said that more than 1,200 people were killed.
More than 800,000 people were evacuated to emergency shelters.
Haiyan is now headed toward Vietnam, where it is expected to make landfall on November 10, although with less force than when it stuck the Philippines.
A UN relief official said on November 9 that Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the islands of Leyte and Samar on November 8, caused destruction similar to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
Winds were measured at around 315 kilometers an hour and the storm surge was more than 3 meters high.
"This is destruction on a massive scale," said Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, head of the UN's disaster-assessment team.
Officials have confirmed 138 dead so far, but that figure seems certain to rise.
The Red Cross has said that more than 1,200 people were killed.
More than 800,000 people were evacuated to emergency shelters.
Haiyan is now headed toward Vietnam, where it is expected to make landfall on November 10, although with less force than when it stuck the Philippines.
