Updated: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 10:21:22 GMT | By Agence France-Presse
Here is an updated snapshot of the desperate situation on the worst-hit islands of the Philippines after Super Typhoon Haiyan -- one of the strongest storms ever recorded -- left thousands dead, with many more missing or homeless.
LEYTE ISLAND
Five days after Haiyan ripped apart entire coastal communities, the situation in provincial capital Tacloban is dire with essential supplies running low and thousands scrambling to flee on rare flights out of the city's airport.
Some 1.7 million people live on the central island where anger at the slow pace of aid turned deadly when eight people were crushed as a huge crowd ransacked a rice warehouse in Alangalang town, 17 kilometres (10 miles) from Tacloban.
Punishing winds and waves up to five metres (16 feet) high demolished homes in Friday's category five storm and bodies were still lying on the streets Wednesday, the stench of rotting bodies hanging thick in the air.
The United Nations estimates that about 10,000 of the city's 220,000 people may have been killed. A regional police chief earlier speculated that 10,000 might have perished in the whole province.
SAMAR ISLAND
Officials insist aid is starting to get through to the fishing town of Guiuan, the first place to experience the full brunt of Haiyan, where no word from its 47,000-populated community was heard for two days.
The government said it has been able to reopen an airstrip and is using it as a staging area to the rest of the island.
Aerial photos of Samar, where Haiyan made landfall packing winds of 315 kilometres (195 miles) an hour, show whole stretches of coast flattened.
The death toll so far is 362, according to the civil defence office, although that number was almost certain to rise.
CEBU ISLAND
At least 58 people died when the typhoon struck the northern edge of popular tourist hotspot Cebu.
Cebu City -- considered the country's second most important trading centre -- was not badly affected but there are fears for other parts of the island, which has a population of around 866,000.
MALAPASCUA ISLAND
The typhoon smashed houses, resorts and restaurants on the small island of about 3,000 people which is popular among divers. One woman recalled "the winds were so strong. The roofs went flying, the boats were thrown into the trees".
Authorities say they still do not know if there were any casualties.
PANAY ISLAND
At least 235 people -- mainly in coastal communities -- are known to have died on Panay, home to more than 3.9 million people, many of whom work in the fishing industry.
BORACAY ISLAND
The popular resort island of Boracay, near Panay, suffered extensive damage with debris from shattered beachfront stalls scattered all over its powdery-white sands. No deaths have been confirmed as yet.
PALAWAN ISLAND
Much of Palawan, a largely unspoilt wilderness, escaped the worst of Haiyan but the island's northern edge was hit, including Coron town, a high-end tourist spot. The town's mayor Clara Reyes said nine people had been killed and that the town would soon run out of food.
The storm destroyed 90 percent of Coron, knocking out power, contaminating the water supply and damaging the airport, leaving about 400 tourists stranded for several days.
NEGROS ISLAND
The sugar-growing centre of the Philippines prepared extensively for the storm, evacuating at least 89,000 people from their homes in case of flooding. The island, home to four million people, escaped relatively unscathed and only one death is so far reported.
REMOTE ISLANDS
Aid agencies fear the true extent of the devastation will only be discovered when word is heard from dozens of smaller islands in the Visayas group.
"There are a lot of them and I think it will be days, if not weeks, before we have a clear picture," a Red Cross spokesman said.
Here is an updated snapshot of the desperate situation on the worst-hit islands of the Philippines after Super Typhoon Haiyan -- one of the strongest storms ever recorded -- left thousands dead, with many more missing or homeless.
LEYTE ISLAND
Five days after Haiyan ripped apart entire coastal communities, the situation in provincial capital Tacloban is dire with essential supplies running low and thousands scrambling to flee on rare flights out of the city's airport.
Some 1.7 million people live on the central island where anger at the slow pace of aid turned deadly when eight people were crushed as a huge crowd ransacked a rice warehouse in Alangalang town, 17 kilometres (10 miles) from Tacloban.
Punishing winds and waves up to five metres (16 feet) high demolished homes in Friday's category five storm and bodies were still lying on the streets Wednesday, the stench of rotting bodies hanging thick in the air.
The United Nations estimates that about 10,000 of the city's 220,000 people may have been killed. A regional police chief earlier speculated that 10,000 might have perished in the whole province.
SAMAR ISLAND
Officials insist aid is starting to get through to the fishing town of Guiuan, the first place to experience the full brunt of Haiyan, where no word from its 47,000-populated community was heard for two days.
The government said it has been able to reopen an airstrip and is using it as a staging area to the rest of the island.
Aerial photos of Samar, where Haiyan made landfall packing winds of 315 kilometres (195 miles) an hour, show whole stretches of coast flattened.
The death toll so far is 362, according to the civil defence office, although that number was almost certain to rise.
CEBU ISLAND
At least 58 people died when the typhoon struck the northern edge of popular tourist hotspot Cebu.
Cebu City -- considered the country's second most important trading centre -- was not badly affected but there are fears for other parts of the island, which has a population of around 866,000.
MALAPASCUA ISLAND
The typhoon smashed houses, resorts and restaurants on the small island of about 3,000 people which is popular among divers. One woman recalled "the winds were so strong. The roofs went flying, the boats were thrown into the trees".
Authorities say they still do not know if there were any casualties.
PANAY ISLAND
At least 235 people -- mainly in coastal communities -- are known to have died on Panay, home to more than 3.9 million people, many of whom work in the fishing industry.
BORACAY ISLAND
The popular resort island of Boracay, near Panay, suffered extensive damage with debris from shattered beachfront stalls scattered all over its powdery-white sands. No deaths have been confirmed as yet.
PALAWAN ISLAND
Much of Palawan, a largely unspoilt wilderness, escaped the worst of Haiyan but the island's northern edge was hit, including Coron town, a high-end tourist spot. The town's mayor Clara Reyes said nine people had been killed and that the town would soon run out of food.
The storm destroyed 90 percent of Coron, knocking out power, contaminating the water supply and damaging the airport, leaving about 400 tourists stranded for several days.
NEGROS ISLAND
The sugar-growing centre of the Philippines prepared extensively for the storm, evacuating at least 89,000 people from their homes in case of flooding. The island, home to four million people, escaped relatively unscathed and only one death is so far reported.
REMOTE ISLANDS
Aid agencies fear the true extent of the devastation will only be discovered when word is heard from dozens of smaller islands in the Visayas group.
"There are a lot of them and I think it will be days, if not weeks, before we have a clear picture," a Red Cross spokesman said.
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