Typhoon Haiyan Death Toll Spikes to 5,235; Deadliest Storm Ever-Recorded in Philippines

By Joshua Cheng 23 Nov, 2013 02:06 EST

The death toll from Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines has jumped to 5,235, authorities reported early Saturday.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council's website posted the updated death toll at 6 a.m. (5 p.m. ET Friday). Just earlier this week, the figure stood at a little more than 4,000. The agency counts only those corpses that have been logged by authorized officials.

Moreover, the government agency also reported that 23,501 were injured as a result of the storm and 1,613 were reported missing.

Most of the deaths were recorded on the island of Leyte, including 1,725 in its badly damaged capital city of Tacloban.

With the spike in the numbers of dead Friday, the storm reached the levels of Tropical Storm Thelma, which killed at least 5,000 people in 1991, according to New York Times.

The strongest recorded storm made landfall on Nov. 8, devastating communities and displaced about 4 million people. Many are without immediate access to food and medical care.

Despite signs of improvement, many are now living in emergency shelters like schools, government offices and the Tacloban City Convention Center. Some live in badly damaged buildings with mud from the storm still covering floors, the New York Times reports.

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

In order an effort to promote traditional Chinese culture, the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, in collaboration with Macao YMCA, Guangzhou Suigang'ao Teenagers Institute, and the Teacher Chang Foundation of Taiwan, has conducted a survey on teens measuring their cultural awareness. They found that Hong Kong youths generally identify with and support the values of traditional Chinese culture.
Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.
Yesterday, October 31, was Reformation Day, and Lutherans around the world held various events in commemoration. In Singapore, the Lutheran Church advocated for Christian communion, while the German Lutheran Church encouraged believers to face the challenge of “trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time.”
Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.
2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation
In the afternoon of Reformation Sunday, Oct. 27, some 2.1 million Christians gathered for a joint worship service from 2pm to 5pm in Seoul, Korea to “unite for repentance, revival, and restoration of holiness in our society.” According to organizers, an estimated 1.1 million joined onsite despite the bad weather with another 1 million joining online. The unprecedented joint worship service brought together Korean churches across denominations as they affirmed traditional marriage and family and
Willow Creek Community Church invites believers to write prayer cards for the next president
This past Sunday, Willow Creek Community Church based in Illinois invited believers to “pray for the next president” during the service. The church not only expressed its concern for the upcoming election but also emphasized the role believers should play in the process and the importance of offering prayers for the nation's leaders.

Typhoon Haiyan Death Toll Spikes to 5,235; Deadliest Storm Ever-Recorded in Philippines

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues

2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.