Haiyan leaves path of destruction in Philippines

Haiyan, one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded, hit the eastern seaboard of the Philippines on Friday and made its way across its central islands, packing winds of up to 275 kilometers per hour (170 mph). The winds blew away rooftops, felled trees and knocked out power. They also triggered giant six-meter (20-foot) waves, washing away many makeshift homes.

There were reports of damage across much of the Visayas, a region of eight major islands, including Leyte, Cebu and Samar. Most of the deaths appear to have been caused by surging sea water strewn with debris. Officials described chaotic scenes in Leyte's capital, Tacloban, a coastal city of 220,000 inhabitants - 580 kilometers southeast of Manila - which bore the brunt of the storm.

Authorities believe there may be as many as 10,000 people dead in Tacloban alone, where hundreds of bodies have been found piled along roads and pinned under wrecked houses. There are also reports from elsewhere in Leyte and neighboring islands, indicating hundreds, if not thousands more deaths.

Men, women and children can be seen searching for missing loved ones and belongings. Others forage for food or queue in lines, waiting for handouts of rice and water. More than 700,000 people had been evacuated from towns and villages in the typhoon's path, according to the Philippine government.

According to officials, the typhoon destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of structures in its path as it tore through Leyte province. Trees were pulled from the ground by their roots and ships washed ashore. It might take days before the full extent of the storm's impact can be assessed, as rescue workers struggle to reach ravaged villages along the coast due to the widespread destruction.

Chaos and looting broke out in Tacloban where survivors broke into stores to look for food, medicines and other supplies. Filipino President Benigno Aquino said the government had deployed 300 soldiers and police to restore order and that he was considering introducing martial law or a state of emergency in Tacloban to ensure security.

The European Commission said it would provide three million euros ($4 million) to help with relief efforts. Germany has pledged 500,000 euros in emergency aid. The World Food Programme said it was airlifting 40 tons of high-energy biscuits, enough to feed 120,000 people for a day, as well as emergency supplies and communications equipment. Other international aid agencies have also joined in.

Haiyan has weakened and hit Vietnam early Monday morning. The storm weakened significantly and made landfall about 100 miles southeast of the capital Hanoi, with winds of 75 miles (120 kilometers) an hour. More than 600,000 people have reportedly been evacuated. Fishing boats like this one were taken to higher ground in expectation of heavy rains and flooding.

Storms, like Haiyan, earn super typhoon status when winds exceed 240 kph. An average of 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year. In 2012, Typhoon Bopha swept across three coastal towns on the island province of Mindanao, killing some 1,100 people and causing more than $1 billion worth of damage. Haiyan is the 24th typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.