Just before dawn on Friday, November 8th, 2013, a Super Typhoon named Haiyan made landfall on the Philippines. Wind gusts reached over 200 mph, and waves reached 45 foot heights. Mass devastation was levied on the island nation, and continues in the wake of the storm. The losses have been enormous, caused by one of the strongest natural disasters in history. Medical supplies and basic necessities are running short.
Once again, Meridian is rallying to help those in need. We are asking our “Workplace Community” to donate to help those affected by the storm in the Philippines. The employees of Meridian have a proud history of helping those in need through organizations like Table to Table, Shelter Our Sisters, Giant Steps, and United Way. Last year, several Meridian employees organized the ‘Brown Cross’ in Staten Island to help victims whose homes were destroyed after Superstorm Sandy devastated the region.
Donations will be sent to www.abscbnfoundation.org, and the company will match all employee donations dollar for dollar. Please stop by Human Resources to donate. We will be accepting donations through Friday, November 22nd.
Facts about the Typhoon:
Super Typhoon Haiyan’s estimated maximum sustained winds were up to 195 mph on Nov. 7, 2013. This places Haiyan in elite company among tropical cyclones.
According to Dr. Jeff Masters from Weather Underground, since 1969, there have been only three other tropical cyclones worldwide with maximum sustained winds of 190 mph or more:
• Super Typhoon Tip (1979) in the western Pacific
• Hurricane Camille (1969) at landfall along the northern Gulf Coast
• Hurricane Allen (1980) near the Yucatan Channel
Furthermore, Masters now says Haiyan was the most intense tropical cyclone to make landfall in recorded history. Not only was Haiyan’s peak intensity stunning, but also its longevity with top-tier intensity. Haiyan was estimated to have Category 5 equivalent winds for 48 consecutive hours from Nov. 6 at 7 a.m. EST until Nov. 8 at 7 a.m. EST.
There were only three Atlantic Basin hurricanes since 1944 that spent more time as a Category 5 storm than Haiyan, according to NOAA’s Hurricane Research Division:
• Allen (1980): 3 days
• Ivan (2004): 2.5 days
• Dog (1950): 2.5 days
Since Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance missions are no longer flown in the western Pacific, we’ll likely never know Haiyan’s actual strongest sustained wind.