MONSTER STORM

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Officials fear that more than 10,000 are dead in typhoon onslaught in Philippines, with Vietnam and China next. Millions of people are being slammed by Typhoon Haiyan.

Typhoon Haiyan blasted the Philippines much harder than Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Making landfall with sustained winds of 195 miles per hour, it's stronger than Katrina at landfall in 2005.

It's sustained winds of 315 kph (195 mph) and gusts as strong as 380 kph (235 mph), Haiyan is blasting it way across the Western Pacific into the Philippines. Its wind strength makes it equivalent to an exceptionally strong Category 5 hurricane.

Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines with winds of 195mph, with experts saying "catastrophic damage" will result from what is predicted to be the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in recorded history.

Thousands of people have been evacuated and thousands more have fled their homes as the category five storm sent waves as high as 5m (15ft) ashore on the islands of Leyte and Samar in the central Philippines. The storm is overturning power-lines and flooding streets.

Haiyan becomes the Philippines' 25th typhoon this season. It will barrel through the nation's second-largest city and affect over 2 million people.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov