Last November 8, one of the most powerful typhoons to hit the Philippine islands wrecked havoc on the Visayas island group.
Days prior to the arrival of Super Typhoon Haiyan, the local governments of the provinces expected to be hit by the typhoon evacuated 125,000 people. Contingency plans and emergency protocols were formulated to deal with the aftermath of the typhoon.
But after typhoon Haiyan left, all the preparations and contingency plans were rendered useless. The local government officials and their families, who thought they were safe in their houses were swept away by the storm surge and had to fight for their lives as did thousands of others. Many evacuation centers crumbled and others were inundated with seawater, and many evacuees drowned. The death toll has not yet been determined, but is expected to reach several thousand and corpses are everywhere, waiting to buried in a mass grave. Relief efforts are challenged by the amount of debris on the roads, and the sheer number of survivors who are in need of basic necessities.
The following images were taken in what was once the city of Tacloban. Many remote areas and islands hit by the super typhoon have not yet been reached.
Overwhelmed by the destruction, the Philippine government declared a national state of emergency and appealed for help. The world responded quickly and generously. Help continues to arrive, but relief efforts are hampered by another storm that has made landfall in the Mindanao group of islands.
Photos of Tacloban courtesy of MailOnline