Pic: Breathtaking image of Typhoon Haiyan from the International Space Station

This mass of cloud has caused such huge destruction in the Philippines, and from space you can clearly see its sheer size

Our thoughts have been with the people of the Philippines in recent days as they have been hit by one of the worst tropical storms in living memory, with the death toll possibly rising into the thousands and causing widespread devastation. The size and span of the storm is the most frightening thing about it, as well as its intensity on the ground, and this shot taken from the International Space Station shows that very well.

Taken aboard the International Space Station after landfall ----> RT @AstroKarenN: Typhoon Haiyan. November 9. pic.twitter.com/0SBrmUAVnG

— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) November 10, 2013

As it moves on and heads towards Vietnam, we hope that residents there have made it to somewhere safe and that there is as little damage and injury as possible.