‘Yolanda’ passes Palawan, goes to West PH Sea

MANILA, Philippines—Super Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name Haiyan) has passed over the last major landmass in the Philippines as it makes its way to the open waters of the West Philippine Sea, the state-run weather bureau said Friday night.

“At 9:00 p.m. 08 November 2013, the eye of Typhoon “Yolanda” was located, based on all available data, at the vicinity of Busuanga, Palawan (11.8°N, 120.6°E ),” the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said in its hourly update on the status of the typhoon.

After passing through Palawan, Yolanda will no longer hit any land as it makes its way across the West Philippine Sea towards Vietnam.

Pagasa recorded Yolanda’s speed at 40 kilometers per hour in a west northwest direction. It said that the typhoon, regarded as the strongest in the Philippines for 2013, will be out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday morning.

Earlier in the day, the 600 kilometer wide Yolanda barrelled across the Visayas region making landfall in Samar, Leyte, Cebu, and Iloilo.

Up to 235 kilometer per hour winds lashed across cities and provinces prompting Pagasa to raise signal number 4, the highest, in at least 12 areas.

Signals number 3, 2, and 1 was raised in more than 40 other areas. Many provinces experienced blackouts and loss of communications due to toppled power lines and cell sites.

At least three lives were claimed by Yolanda while seven others were injured. Relief operations have been ordered in areas where the strong rains and winds have subsided.

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