Photos

Super-Typhoon Haiyan slammed into the eastern Philippines on 7 November 2013 as the strongest tropical cyclone of the year. Just before making landfall its maximum sustained winds were 314 kph/195 mph, with gusts up to 379 kph/235 mph. PAGASA, the Philippines weather organization noted that Hiayan's maximum sustained winds at landfall were near 234 kph/145 mph. As Super-Typhoon Haiyan moved over the central Philippines on 8 November, NASA's Aqua satellite captured this visible image showing that Haiyan maintained its structure as it moved over the east central Philippines but that large, thick bands of thunderstorms spiraled into the center from the northeast. Image courtesy of NASA.

Trilobed Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines, is visible near the upper center of this east-looking, photograph of central Luzon, Philippines. The lake is more than 51 km (32 mi) long and covers 891 sq km (344 sq mi). Its outlet, the Pasig River, exits at the northwest corner of the lake, flows westward through Manila, and empties into Manila Bay. South of Laguna de Bay are the dark blue waters of Taal Lake, a filled caldera that surrounds Volcano Island. The island is home to Taal Volcano (300 m; 984 ft high) with a crater more than 2 km (1 mi) wide. The island of Corregidor, which served as the focal point in the defense of the city of Manila during World War II, is the tiny tadpole-shaped island at the entrance to Manila Bay in the center left. Photo courtesy of NASA.

The entrance to the Pacific War Memorial building on the island of Corregidor in Manila Bay.

Inside the Pacific War Memorial building, Corregidor.

Memorial altar in the Pacific War Memorial building, Corregidor. At noon on the 6th of May of every year, sunlight shining through the oculus (round ceiling opening) falls directly on the center of the altar, marking the time of the surrender of Corregidor and the Philippines to the Japanese in 1942.

On the grounds of the Pacific War Memorial, Corregidor. The sculpture is entitled the "Eternal Flame of Freedom."

The 3 m (10 ft) bronze sculpture entitled "Brothers in Arms" highlights the Filipino-American Friendship Park on the island of Corregidor. The park lies directly behind the Pacific War Memorial.

The Pacific War Memorial Museum on Corregidor.

Displays inside the Pacific War Memorial Museum on Corregidor.

A scale relief map of the tadpole-shaped island of Corregidor. The island is 6 km (4 mi) long and 2.4 km (1.5 mi) at its widest point, with an area of 5 sq km (2 sq mi) and a highest elevation of 121 m (397 ft). The island, part of an ancient volcanic caldera, divides the entrance to Manila Bay into two main passages, North Channel and South Channel. Construction of fortifications on Corregidor began as early as 1904 as part of the Manila harbor defenses and were primarily designed to meet a seaborne attack.

East entrance to the Malinta Tunnel complex on the island of Corregidor. Constructed by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1922 and 1932, it was used for bomb-proof storage, as a command center, and a 1,000-bed hospital. The main east-west tunnel is 253 m (830 ft) long and 7.3 m (24 ft) wide, with 24 lateral tunnels, each about 49 m (160 ft) long and 4.6 m (15 ft) wide. A double track electric railway ran down the main tunnel. General Douglas MACARTHUR's headquarters and the offices of President Manuel L. QUEZON of the Philippines Commonwealth were located in laterals just inside this entrance.

Map of the Malinta Tunnel complex on the island of Corregidor.