PHILIPPINES IN A MESS, 10,000 OR MORE DEAD

UPDATED

MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms ever to hit land, has devastated the central Philippine city of Tacloban, killing at least 100 people and destroying most houses in a surge of flood water and high winds, officials said. 

The death toll and material damage estimates are expected to rise sharply as rescue workers and soldiers on Saturday reach areas cut off by the massive storm, now leaving the Philippines and heading towards Vietnam. 

The category 5 storm weakened after hitting six spots in the Philippines and has been downgraded to category 4, though forecasters said it could strengthen again over the South China Sea on its course to hit Vietnam on Sunday.

The Philippines has yet to resume communications with officials in Tacloban, a city of about 220,000 that suffered the worst of the typhoon.

• Local police officials in the Philippines say the death toll in a central province that took the brunt of Typhoon Haiyan could reach as high as 10,000. Provincial officials provided the estimate on Sunday after assessing damage in Leyte province, where they say the destruction was overwhelming. 
• The regional police chief said most of the deaths resulted from drowning and collapsed buildings.
• Philippine Interior Secretary Mar Roxas says it is difficult to describe the extent of damage in Leyte's capital, Tacloban.

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