国际英语新闻:At least 3 died as Typhoon Haiyan hits Philippines

MANILA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least three people died, while seven others got injured as super typhoon Haiyan, local codenamed Yolanda, hit vast areas of the central Philippines on Friday, authorities said.

Rey Balido, spokesman for the Philippines' National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), reported they have so far accounted three deaths, two from electrocution and one hit by lightning, and seven injured associated with the typhoon, which packed a sustained wind of up to 235 kph.

Balido said 145,649 families or 718,208 persons from Mimapora, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Northern Mindana and Caraga region have gone to 581 evacuation centers ahead of the landfall of Yolanda. Many parts of the affected areas are without electricity, he added.

NDRRMC executive director Eduardo del Rosario said based on the initial information they have gathered, the effects of Yolanda was "very, very low" compared to Typhoon Ruping, which hit the same areas in 1990, leaving 508 people dead, 1,278 injured and 246 others missing.

Nevertheless, del Rosario said they are having difficulty contacting field units due to downed communication lines.

The agency is hoping to get "very encouraging reports" by Saturday when the communication lines are expected to be restored, he added.