European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti—who is currently orbiting the Earth on the International Space Station—posted some harrowing photos of Super Typhoon Maysak to social media on March 31. The first big storm in the erratic typhoon season, Maysak has already killed at least five people in Micronesia and is set to hit the Philippines this weekend.
While meteorologists expect it to weaken before making landfall, it could still cause widespread damage. The Philippines are on high alert, especially after Typhoon Haiyan killed more than 7,000 people there in 2013. Maysak currently has sustained winds of up to 160 miles per hour, which are expected to drop to around 100 mph upon reaching the Philippines.
Behold the beauty and terror of Mother Nature:
