On Friday morning, local time, Super Typhoon Haiyan came shore in the central Philippines.  With an estimated maximum sustained winds of 195 mph and gusts to 235 mph, Haiyan is one of the most powerful storms ever recorded anywhere in the world.  Over 100,000 took shelter in evacuation centers. In addition to high winds, the archipelago has been hit by torrential rain and major storm surges, inundating low lying areas.

Super Typhoon Haiyan, one of strongest storms ever, plows across Philippines

The typhoon was forecast to move away from the Philippines late Friday or early Saturday and head out into the South China Sea in the direction of Vietnam

Forecasters predicted that it would maintain super typhoon intensity throughout its passage over the Philippines. A super typhoon has surface winds that sustain speeds of more than 240 kph (150 mph) for at least a minute, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Haiyan was so large in diameter that at one point, its clouds were affecting two-thirds of the country, which stretches more than 1,850 kilometers (1,150 miles). Tropical-storm-force winds extended 240 kilometers from the typhoon’s center.

Thanks to Phil Leon for contributing to the post.