MANILA: One of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded battered central Philippines with winds of up to 235 km/h (146mph) early Friday.
The national weather service said that the maximum category-five super typhoon Haiyan was centered 62 km southeast of Guiuan, in the country’s eastern Samar province.
The US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center said shortly before Haiyan’s landfall that its maximum sustained winds were 314 km/h (195 mph), with gusts up to 379 km/h (235 mph).
Haiyan will move over the many islands of the central Philippines over the next 18 hours before exiting into the South China Sea overnight Friday into Saturday.
There aren’t too many buildings constructed that can withstand that kind of wind, a weather expert said, adding that there will be catastrophic damage.
The authorities warned more than 12 million people were at risk from the typhoon.
