Each year, an average of 20 tropical cyclones visit the country. Though all of them pose a threat, a few stand out because of the lives they have claimed.
As the year comes to a close, let’s look back at some of the most fatal tropical cyclones in our recorded history.
TYPHOON TITANG (KATE)
Pope Paul VI in Tondo/Photo from PIME Philippines Missionaries
Typhoon Titang’s strong winds and heavy rains left 631 people dead and 284 missing when it hit Western Visayas and Maguindanao in November 1970. In the same year, Pope Paul VI arrived in the Philippines. At that time, the country had just survived the then so-called “triplet typhoons”— Sening, Titang and Yoling.
TYPHOON REMING (DURIAN)
A man takes stock of his remaining belongings after Typhoon Reming triggered a landslide on the slopes of Mayon volcano in Albay/Photo from greenpeace.org
2006 was a challenging year for Bicolanos when Mayon Volcano erupted, followed by the ferocity of Typhoong Reming in November. Lahar from the volcano aggravated the floods, leaving 734 people dead and 762 others unaccounted for. Because of the disaster, the province of Albay learned the importance of adaptation.
TROPICAL DEPRESSION WINNIE
Debris flow along Subsob River, Dingalan, Aurora/Photo from naoh.edu.ph
The storm struck Luzon and Visayas in November 2004. Although Winnie was under the weakest tropical cyclone classification, it brought continuous rains especially in Central Luzon. Massive flash floods and landslides were recorded in Quezon and Aurora. 893 people died while 443 others went missing.
TYPHOON NITANG (IKE)
Map of Central Visayas
In September 1984, Typhoon Nitang tore Central Visayas. Rains induced by the typhoon caused rivers to overflow. At least 1,029 people perished and 464 others went missing.
TYPHOON SENDONG (WASHI)
A village near Iligan City was demaged by rampaging flood waters after Typhoon Sendong/dailymail.co.uk
A week before Christmas 2011, Typhoon Sendong hit the northern part of Mindanao. Days prior, a report from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of America said that Sendong was carrying almost the same volume of rainwater that Tropical Storm Ondoy dumped in 2009. NDRRMC said, 1,268 people were killed and 181 have yet to be found.
TYPHOON PABLO (BOPHA)
Aerial view of Boston, Davao Oriental after Typhoon Pablo/AP Photo/Philippine Army 10th Infantry Division
Typhoon Pablo is one of the worst typhoons to hit Mindanao. In December 2012, it caused massive floods and landslides, killing more than 1,200 people and caused 797 to go missing. The devastation prompted PAGASA to retire “Pablo” from its list of tropical cyclone names.
TROPICAL STORM URING (THELMA)
Debris from the forest piled-up on houses in Ormoc City/Photo by Jose Duran/AFP
On November 5, 1991, Tropical Storm Uring ravaged Leyte– an incident which is known today as the “Ormoc Tragedy.” The storm buried the eastern and western plains of the province in water, sediments and debris. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the typhoon killed 5,101 people while 1,256 others went missing.
TYPHOON YOLANDA (HAIYAN)
Devastation in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, where Yolanda first hit land./AFP Central Command photo
Considered as one of the strongest tropical cyclones in world history, Typhoon Yolanda devastated Eastern Visayas, particularly the provinces of Tacloban, Leyte in November 2013. The typhoon caused heavy rains, strong winds and storm surges. It had cloud bonds of 600 kilometers in diameter and made six landfall activities in the following areas:
The typhoon left 6,300 people dead while 1,062 others remain missing. The devastation of Yolanda paved the way for a more accurate way of weather forecasting. PAGASA began providing NDRRMC a forecast track that included five days instead of three to allow a closer monitoring of weather disturbances The weather bureau now holds press conferences to disseminate information faster. A year after Yolanda, PAGASA officially added Storm Signal no. 5 and Super Typhoon (STY) to its warnings and categories for tropical cyclones.
*Figures from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
On November 8, 2013, Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) wreaked havoc in the Eastern Visayas, leaving a death toll of more than 6,000. After staying in our country for sixteen hours, last year’s strongest typhoon in the entire planet traversed the West Philippine Sea and finally exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
The storm surges brought by the cyclone have caused massive destruction especially in Guiuan in Eastern Samar, Tacloban in Leyte, and the seaside communities of Palawan. The National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) responded by deploying 35,463 personnel, 1,351 vehicles, 163 aircraft and 118 sea vessels to the devastated areas, where power outages and breakdown of telecommunication systems were reported.
Twenty-five international humanitarian agencies arrived in Tacloban to assist the victims, and address the needs and damages brought about by the typhoon. It was said to be the biggest disaster response, relief and recovery effort in our nation’s history.
According to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), rehabilitation and reconstruction of the affected areas will need at least more than 300 billion pesos. The NDRRMC states that rebuilding the affected areas will take three to five years.
Emergency and evacuation plans were well plotted in different islands of the country, but the strength of Yolanda was more these could handle. Now, measures are being taken to ensure citizen preparedness for such calamities. In line with this, the NDRMCC recommended that Storm Surge Advisories should be raised two days before the expected onslaught of the hazard.
In November of 2013, Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) wreaked havoc in the country with six landfalls, particularly in Guiuan in Eastern Samar, Tolosa in Leyte, Daanbantayan Island in Cebu, Conception in Iloilo and Busuanga in Palawan. Over a million houses were destroyed and over three million families were affected in ten regions, displacing about a million Filipinos.
Based on an assessment made by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), 47% of 172 respondents said that they understood what a storm surge was, but failed to visualize it. To aid the affected areas in their recovery, JICA created a Land Use Plan to determine the “No Build Zones” and “Safe Zones” in Tacloban.
Humanitarian and rehabilitation missions were plotted by the government, which were supported by international agencies. 38,000 affected workers had engaged in the restoration of public and economic infrastructure through the cash-for-work program. 165 child-friendly spaces, providing psychological activities, were made available for almost 42,000 children, while 1,827 temporary learning sites were established. School supplies were given to 384,000 pre-school and school-aged children.
Currently, the Strategic Response Plan for the devastated areas requires at least 33 billion pesos. So far, the country has received 45% of the needed funding.
Ongoing projects include tapping the 33 million fallen coconut trees for shelter and livelihood. The Department of Science and Technology, together with the Habitat for Humanity and other private partners, have also joined forces to build climate-adaptive houses, which can withstand intensity-eight earthquakes and wind gusts of up to 250 kilometers per hour. In the next three years, stakeholders target to build 30,000 core houses and distribute 30,000 shelter repair kits.
In his visit to the country last December, the United Nations (UN) Secretary Ban Ki-moon inspected the decimated areas. Until now, the UN continues to assist the Yolanda survivors through UNICEF, the World Food Program and the UN Development Program.
Apart from prominent leaders, international celebrities also took the lead in spreading hope. Pop sensation Justin Bieber encouraged his fans to contribute to his campaign in exchange for the privilege of watching him record his upcoming album. Arriving on December 10 last year, the singer played basketball and sang with the children in Tacloban. Barely two months later, England’s Soccer Captain David Beckham also dropped by to visit bunkhouses and interact with the children. Beckham and his wife donated 20 boxes of second-hand clothes subject for auction through the British Red Cross in Chelsea. The proceeds would benefit the typhoon survivors.
The whole nation is working towards recovery. As the Tacloban Airport resumed operations last November, The Department of Public Work and Highways (DPWH) installed temporary bunkhouses while the Department of Education released over P1 million for the construction of makeshift classrooms. Meanwhile, the Department of Energy (DOE), the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and other concerned agencies joined forces for the safe installation of electricity and other lifelines in Tacloban, where business operations and classes have already resumed.
In Metro Manila, Oplan Trabaho was mounted, meant as a job fair for the displaced survivors, who flew in free from Visayas.
Last February, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) commemorated the 100th day of Yolanda through their Worldwide Walk for Haiyan Victims held in all ecclesiastical districts of their church. In doing so, INC had set two new world records– by having the biggest number of participants in a charity event, and by holding the longest charity walk in multiple venues in different time zones.
As the third most disaster-prone country in the world, the Philippines experiences an average of 20 cyclones a year. This is why the humanitarian community recommends preparedness planning nationwide.
