90% of the structures in Tacloban City are either destroyed or damaged while other Visayan cities such as Ormoc reported similar damage.

As the result of the heavy damages, ten of thousands of Filipinos across the eastern islands of Visayan islands moved to the regional capital of Cebu or other cities like Manila.  Catbalogan of Samar Island reported that their population grew more than doubled from the influx of refugees into their city after the typhoon.

Because of the extreme damage to infrastructure as well the loss of power and radio communication, it proved to be logistical problem and hampered relief efforts.

Only 100 of Tacloban City's 1,300 police personnel reported for duty.  Chicago Tribune reported that some areas were on the edge of becoming anarchy although Interior Secretary Mar Roxas denied the claims.

Violence and looting become rampant across Tacloban weeks after the typhoon and lack of government response to deliver aids.  One resident described his home, "Tacloban is a dead city."

BBC reporter initially described Tacloban as a "war zone" until the government finally increases their law enforcement and brought order to the city.

According to Tacloban resident, a young woman climbed the church's bell tower and jumped off to her death.  Nobody knows what prompt her to commit suicide but there was a rumor about that she is a nurse who could not handle the misery of life after losing her entire family to typhoon.

Many cargo ships like this one was carried by the gigantic storm surge and crashed inland into waterfront slum neighborhood, killing some residents.  Few years later, the bow of M/V Eva Jocelyn was converted into memorial marker in the honor of the residents of Barangays (English equivalent of district): 67, 68, and 69.