
Typhoon survivors in Ormoc, Leyte paint the street with a HELP sign. Photo from Facebook of Katreena Bisnar
Super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) hit the Visayas islands of the Philippines which left thousands dead and homeless. The casualties could rise to more than 10,000 since the situation in many towns is still unknown at the moment.
Yolanda damaged the provinces of Samar and Leyte including Tacloban City where a storm surge instantly killed many people. Power and communication lines are down in the region. Yolanda, the world’s strongest storm this year, also struck north Cebu, Panay, Negros, and Palawan.
The main Twitter hashtag used to monitor the situation in the storm-battered provinces of the country is #yolandaph. Below are some photos which show the extent of destruction left by Yolanda:
PHOTO via Ryan Lim/Palace: Aerial view of damage in Leyte #YolandaPH pic.twitter.com/faTlfQRdZW
— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 10, 2013
PAF Nomad flew over Guiuan, East Samar this morning to survey the damage wreaked by #TyphoonYolanda help on the way pic.twitter.com/JoVAnUujUR
— Team AFP (@TeamAFP) November 10, 2013
PHOTO: After #YolandaPH storm surge engulfed Tacloban airport; residents line up for relief goods @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/f3uW9DUfGI
— Julliane de Jesus (@jullianedejesus) November 10, 2013
The runway of the Tacloban Airport is clear but the airport structure has been extensively damaged. pic.twitter.com/6BrcBuATt7
— Plan Philippines (@PlanPhilippines) November 10, 2013
Current resource mobilization is rescue & emergency relief goods distribution. Ground zero in Tacloban. Let us HELP! pic.twitter.com/eAPC8x0iPE
— Caritas Manila, Inc. (@CaritasManila) November 10, 2013
Praying for everyone in Tacloban City. :( Don't lose hope. GOD is with us :) pic.twitter.com/b6taBTJ5Nz
— Kimpoy Feliciano (@kimpoyfeliciano) November 10, 2013
A church 10 miles south of Tacloban in Tanauan used as an evacuation center 0.14 miles from the ocean. pic.twitter.com/PMbesYcvT8
— Jim Edds (@ExtremeStorms) November 10, 2013
[PHOTO] A man rests inside a damaged home next to a ship washed ashore by #YolandaPH in Tacloban, Leyte. EPA pic.twitter.com/ZetWDN7JX4
— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) November 10, 2013
Photo of our street in Dulag, Leyte. Our house is at the right far end. Barely seen.#YolandaPH pic.twitter.com/v3POHoDX8U
— Anarina Layusa (@AnarinaNikola) November 10, 2013

Typhoon survivors walk the streets of Ormoc, Leyte. Notice the fallen electric posts and trees. Photo from Facebook of Katreena Bisnar
No rescue ops, no media, no signal, no relief. Almost 95% down. #HelpCapiz #YolandaPH pic.twitter.com/DLMIJKR3f1
— diana directo (@dianaholicht) November 10, 2013
In order to inform friends and relatives about their situation, survivors sent handwritten notes to TV reporters who quickly uploaded these messages online. Meanwhile, a list of survivors has been compiled too by the office of a Leyte representative.

The note reads: Brother, mommy and daddy are dead. Please inform everyone. No signal here and electricity. Aaron Almadro. Image from GMA News
Below are other reactions on Twitter:
The death toll continues to rise and the images of #YolandaPH‘s aftermath is truly heartbreaking. Sad that this could've been prevented…
— Janelle Mojica (@janellemojica) November 10, 2013
We also have to demand transparency & accountability to ensure that donations & relief goods will reach the intended recipients. #YolandaPH
— Samueeeeeel (@samm1bamm) November 10, 2013
Been ravaging my closet for some unused clothes we can donate to the Typhoon victims. #YolandaPH
— Angelooooo (@vilIaRANTe) November 10, 2013
i hope people in tacloban will realize that they are not helping themselves if they keep on doing delinquent acts
— mark johnuel duavis (@markjohnuel) November 10, 2013
The last Twitter quote refers to the looting in a Tacloban mall where survivors are desperately looking for food and water. Pinoy Bro also criticized the act:
…not acceptable and it dismayed me so much that I haven't heard or read in the news a single critic or news personality criticizing that incident, at least for now. Forgive me because maybe I am not pitiful or considerate about the situation or emotion of the looters who are of course victims of the typhoon but I just have this feeling that something here is not right.
What if you owned a mini grocery or even a sari-sari store and the next time you'll know is that people break in and loot everything? Come on Filipino people, this is not us.
But Arnold Alamon appeals for understanding:
There's a momentary breakdown of the social fabric in Tacloban right now. We should all be kinder in our assessment of our brethren who have just been through the most terrible of experiences. As things stands right now, it is probably the case that every resident of that devastated city has lost a family member or two and are now in survival mode for themselves who are left behind. The so-called looting is more a reflection of how little trust people have of official power responding to their immediate needs and less about the mettle of the people of Tacloban.
30 comments
Im still trying to get a contact with my Sister shes living in dulag leyte with her now 2 children and my kuya sana po ok lang sila … pwede po mang hingi ng tulong dito mahanap lang po sila pangalan nila ay Marjorie/Norman Barbasa, paki send po ng email m-gargoles@t-online.de salamat po or sa no. ito 09155694043, god bless us all ingat po kayo lagi.
Marites Gargoles
My wife there also in brgy catmonan marietta estancia humphrey
Did u get any contact with your wife??
My ate live in 625 barangay catmonan dulag…
Yes I talk with her at 1:30 Philippine time there is cell service in Bay Bay Leyte . Dulag not as bad as Tacloban so far no death that see know of there.
Ok thank you for the Information. .. my problem is how to get contact with her there is no phone connection yet, i dont know how is her Situation now :'(
Hi Sir, im looking for a relative residing in Dulag, Leyte. Her name is Alma Roxas. I was relieved when you said that there is no casualty so far in Dulag. Thank you so much sir. GOD bless your tribe.
that’s kinda relief, any news on julita? we are also looking for information on julita, leyte. still no news from media on dulag and julita. looking for sister and mother-in-law. sister-in-law is 6 months pregnant and was just recently released from the hospital from a motorcycle accident
HI sir, i am here in Cebu my relatives are from Brgy Rizal Dulag leyte , kindly ask your wife if ther are casualties there. My uncle Florencio Pesado , romy asis and family.
My wife told me as of now no deaths in dulag my friend end Lopez is from brgy Rizal and he not hear of any deaths
Anyone knows MA. THERESA SATOSTA and Family from Sn Miguel, Dulag.
Please, any information and contact is much appreciated. Thank you po.
My wife told me no deaths in dulag
Your ate last name I will talk to my wife at 1:30 pm Thursday Philippine time and I will ask
Thank you very much Mr. Humphrey shes living in 625 barangay catmonan dulag leyte marjorie Barbasa and my brother in law Norman Barbasa. .
I just talk to my wife everyone OK in catmonan and dulag proper
Also dulag getting short on food and water no relief there yet everyone in dulag alive
Thank you very much Mr. Humphrey and to your wife, my brother in law went to bay bay to contact my mom in negros oriental they are ok thanks God but yes there is no food and water to drink, my brother is now on his way to dulag to take my sister and the 2 kids to negros… once again thank you so much mr. Humphrey god bless you always and your family …
asking for my aunties too :( they’re from cambula st. dulag leyte.. corazon “nelly” garcia, linda cloma, and zoila villafuerte sanita and family.. anyone could give us info bout the situation in dulag? thanks! (my contact number: 09052207219)
There has been no word on Julita Leyte does anyone know how bad they were hit?
we are also looking for information on julita, leyte. still no news from media on dulag and julita. looking for sister and mother-in-law. sister-in-law is 6 months pregnant and was just recently released from the hospital from a motorcycle accident
im looking for my tita and her family .. her name is roselyn labaca from .. salcedu, samar .. d po namin sila makontact baka ano napong nangyari sakanila .. hindi po namin alam kung nakasurvive or missing sila .. contact niyo nalang po kami sa # 09128693381/ 09497569142 .. thank you ..
Loking for elena peque,ellazar peque & emalyyn peque parado lives in cabacungan dulag leyte.. any info pls send it at 09064067550/09093368621 e-mail Lea.Calimag@yahoo.com. thank you
Until now, I don’t have any news about my daughter, 1 yr old granddaughter, nephews, and relatives who are in Botongon Estancia. My daughter, Aptil Joy Lucio. Anybody who has knowledge about their whereabouts, pls?
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im looking for my relatives in barangay opong tolosa their names are aessen allen amoguis,aldrian alvy amoguis,aerian aldrenevy amoguis ,anita ybanez, precila moneque ybanez ..here’s my contact no. 09433363184 or mail me at brianmedina3883@yahoo.com .thank you and godspeed
looking for Julio Donaire,Sr. Leticia Donaire, Edgardo Donaire, & Julio “Junjun” Donaire, Jr. of SOLANO, TANAUAN LEYTE pls contact me at 09081515235