BIGGEST STORM OF THE YEAR SLAMS PHILIPPINES

UPDATED

The world's strongest typhoon of the year has slammed into the Philippines and was poised to be the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded at landfall, a weather expert said.

"There will be catastrophic damage,'' said Jeff Masters, a former hurricane meteorologist who is meteorology director at the private firm Weather Underground.

• The US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii shortly before landfall said Typhoon Haiyan's maximum sustained winds were 314 kilometers per hour, with gusts up to 379kph.
• "There aren't too many buildings constructed that can withstand that kind of wind,'' Masters said.
• The local weather bureau had a lower reading, saying the storm's speed at landfall had sustained winds at 234kph, with gusts of 275kph. The bureau takes measures based on longer periods of time.
• The effect of the  typhoon is strangely felt in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.

Thousands of people have been evacuated villages in the country's central regions, including a province devastated by an earthquake last month.

The typhoon intensified and accelerated on Thursday as it moved closer to the country, with sustained winds of 225kph, and is expected to hit the eastern province of Samar early Friday, government forecaster Buddy Javier said.
Authorities shut down 12 airports Friday as Supertyphoon "Yolanda" (international name: Haiyan), one of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded, made landfall in five areas in the Visayas.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Operations and Rescue Coordination Center (CAAP-ORCC) announced on Twitter that several provincial airports have cancelled operations due to inclement weather.

As of posting time, the following airports were closed:

1. -Busuanga (Coron), Palawan Airport
2. -Masbate Airport
3. -Romblon Flight Service
4. -Iloilo Airport
5. -Legazpi Airport Tower
6. -Caticlan (Boracay) Airport
7. -Surigao Airport
8. -Tacloban Airport
9. -Roxas Airport
10. -Kalibo Airport
11. -Dumaguete Airport
12. -Bohol Airport

Over 3,000 stranded in various ports

Source: Agencies, Al Jazeera ...More... ,