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Typhoon Haiyan creates huge destruction on Leyte Island, Philippines

Typhoon Haiyan creates huge destruction on Leyte Island, Philippines Destroyed transmission tower, Biliran Island (source: video Biliran Island Blog)
Alexander Richter 10 Nov 2013

Typhoon Haiyan creates huge destruction on islands in Central Philippines, mostly on Leyte Island. It is so far unclear how it has effected the geothermal operations on Leyte Island and the geothermal project on Biliran Island.

With now expected more than 10,000 deaths, super typhoon Haiyan slammed into six central Philippine islands this Friday. It was the strongest typhone on record with wind speeds of 195 miles per hour (87 meters per second).

The region hit the most is Leyte Island with its city of Tacloban completely devastated. The city with 200,000 inhabitants also features the regions largest airport.

In the spring of this year I visited a project on Biliran Island and we flew via the Tacloban airport. To now see pictures of the completely destroyed airport is horrible. But even more devastating is to see the complete destruction of the livelihood of the people in the area.

On Leyte island there are several geothermal plants, and geothermal contracts have just been tendered in an auction this week. It is so far not clear how the typhoon has effected the geothermal plants on the island.

There are nine crew members of Iceland Drilling working on the geothermal project on Biliran Island which is an island north of Leyte Island. It is so far unclear how the situation is there. But local news report about 300 houses having been destroyed and many government buildings, the hospital and educational institutions have been completely destroyed. There currently is no power on the island.

We will report more when we learn more on the situation and our thoughts are with the people in the region facing such tragedy.

Source: Biliran Island, CBS News,