Largest and Most Intense Tropical Cyclone On Record Hits the Philippines

mrspoonsi writes "A monstrous storm has arisen in the Western Pacific. The storm, called 'Supter-Typhoon Haiyan', has become the year's most intense. It bore down on the central Philippines this morning, packing winds up to 195 mph (314 km/h), with gusts up to 235 mph (378 km/h), threatening massive damage and sending over 100,000 people into evacuation centers. (Animation of landfall.) Flood waters went as high as 10 feet. The secretary general of the Philippine National Red Cross said, 'About 90% of the infrastructure and establishments were heavily damaged.'"

Re:oh noes

[captainpanic]

I would say that a huge storm that can possibly make millions of people homeless, and kill thousands would definitely fit the description "stuff that matters".

Mobilize the Help Now

[b4upoo]

I imagine the suffering from this storm will be severe and can only hope that the help was mobilized before the storm struck. These storm victims are going to need everything to survive. Food, housing and medical care as well as tools and livestock to start over could save countless lives. Imagine a storm that severe striking Miami or New York.

Re:oh noes

[GameboyRMH]

Yeah how dare they live where natural disasters could hit! They should be in one of the few regions in North America or Europe which have an unusually low number of natural disasters. Anywhere else and you might as well be sitting on god's shooting range like those crazy Japanese who nobody ever offers aid to due to their recklessness.

Re:oh noes

[Sique]

Someone with a brain mod the grandparent flamebait. Poor planning doesn't kill. Planks falling down from houses do. Poor planning, overpopulation and lack of education just decrease the life expectation by increasing the chance of an early death.

Re:oh noes

[westlake]

Yeah how dare they live where natural disasters could hit! They should be in one of the few regions in North America or Europe which have an unusually low number of natural disasters.

People tend to live in places which have some unique economic advantage: fertile ground, a navigable river or deep water port. The miner will be looking for mountain-building, the rancher, grasslands on which to raise cattle. To get what you want you can't always play it safe.