Filipinos estimate 10,000 people may have died

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Pope Francis made an appeal after the Angelus prayer to the faithful present in St Peter's Square, calling for "our prayer" and "actual help" for the people of the Philippines.

Typhoon Haiyan hit the Filipino archipelago - in particular the provinces of Leyte and Cebu (central Philippines) - with winds of up to 300 km per hour. Filipino authorities estimate that up to 10,000 people may have died.

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"I wish to reassure my closeness to the people of the Philippines and those of the region hit by a terrible typhoon," the pope said. "Unfortunately, there are so many victims and such massive damage. Let us silently pray to Our Lady for our brothers and sisters, and let us also send them actual help." After a brief period of silence, the Pope sang the Ave Maria.

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