Haiyan came ashore in the central Philippines on Friday with wind speeds of up to 195 mph and destroyed 70 to 80 percent of all structures in its path. The Department of Social Welfare and Development is reporting that approximately 9.5 million people were affected over nine regions across the Visayas region, with the provinces of Leyte and Cebu particularly hard hit. Three million people lived within 30 miles of the direct path of the storm, which is why the estimated 10,000 deaths is considered likely to rise in the days and weeks ahead.
Scenes of the vast devastation shocked the world and sent hundreds of relief agencies scrambling to help.
Pope Francis offered prayers for the victims during the Angelus address on Sunday.
"I wish to reassure my closeness to the people of the Philippines and those of the region hit by a terrible typhoon," the pope said. "Unfortunately, there are so many victims and such massive damage. Let us silently pray to Our Lady for our brothers and sisters, and let us also send them actual help." After a brief period of silence, he sang the Ave Maria.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also promised help to the area.
"Having so recently had my own visit to the Philippines prevented by another powerful storm, I know that these horrific acts of nature are a burden that you have wrestled with and courageously surmounted before. Your spirit is strong," Kerry said in a statement.
Meanwhile relief services are pouring into the country from around the world and struggling to get much needed aid to the people.
Catholic Relief Services reports that telecommunications and logistics are the major challenges they are facing in the hardest hit areas due to the extensive damage to phone lines and other communication equipment.
Debris and thousands of felled trees are also making it very difficult to reach areas by road.
UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) conducted aerial assessments and found that the islands of Leyte and Samar have severe damage on the scale of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami which devastated parts of Indonesia.
In Tacloban City, a tidal surge of nearly 10 feet wiped out all electricity, water, and food. The airport terminal and refuelling stations were completely destroyed, but a military aircraft was able to land on Sunday bringing desperately needed supplies to the area. The plane was unable to leave because of debris and bodies on the runway, but this has since been cleared away.
"From meteorological data on the wind speeds and storm surge, as well as poverty statistics, we must assume that in other parts of the Visayas the scale of the destruction will be vast. Water, hygiene and sanitation, food, medicine, shelter, debris clearance, logistics and communications are immediate priorities according to the Government," CRS reports.
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