The Philippines is one of the most typhoon-prone regions in the world, with an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually, largely due to the country’s natural geography. These wet tropical rains are inevitable, and Filipinos have always had to reside in their paths that may destroy their homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods. Although there are government contingencies and disaster response measures, it is not always sufficient to curb the disastrous effects. A glance at the past most destructive typhoons of recent years not only reminds us of the power of nature but also teaches us some lessons on how best to achieve preparedness and resilience during and after disasters.
Major Typhoons and Their Impacts (2009–2021)
From 2009 to 2021, the Philippines experienced some of the most intense and fatal storms in its history. Here are ten of the most devastating:
1.Typhoon Ondoy (2009) – Caused major flooding in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces, causing the death of 464 people, the inconvenience of nearly five million citizens, and damage of ₱23 billion.
2. Typhoon Pedring (2011) – It caused the death of 66 people, injured dozens, and caused ₱3.45 billion worth of losses due to destruction, especially in the Luzon region, due to the wind speeds of 213 km/h.
3. Typhoon Pablo (2012) – The powerful Mindanao strike caused deadly landslides and floods that took the lives of more than 1,000 people and wiped out banana plantations as well as villages.
4. Super Typhoon Yolanda (2013) – The most notorious typhoon in the history of the Philippines, Yolanda claimed the lives of more than 6,000 individuals and displaced 600,000, in addition to leaving damages worth ₱95.5 billion.
5. Typhoon Glenda (2014) – Glenda was devastating with wind speeds of 140km/h, and 38 people died, several planes were damaged because they were grounded, and several areas, such as Metro Manila, were hit.
6. Typhoon Lando (2015) – A windstorm-driven storm surge struck the areas of Aurora and Quezon, resulting in 48 fatalities, 83 injuries, and causing damage to agriculture and infrastructure amounting to ₱5.9 billion.
7. Typhoon Ompong (2018) – The damage affected more than 800,000 people, with landslides and other calamities being experienced particularly in the Cordilleras, which caused serious losses in terms of life. The agriculture and infrastructural losses amounted to ₱1.65 billion and ₱52 million, respectively.
8. Typhoon Rolly (2020) – One of the strongest landfalls in history, Rolly had 225 km/h winds that claimed the lives of 25 people and injured almost 400, as well as caused ₱11 billion of destruction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
9. Typhoon Ulysses (2020) – Struck just months after Rolly, worsening the crisis. It compelled numerous Filipinos to seek refuge in evacuation facilities, caused floods to inundate Luzon, and sparked protest rallies by students calling for school breaks.
10. Typhoon Odette (2021) – A storm surge caused by a windstorm impacted the regions of Aurora and Quezon, leading to 48 deaths, 83 injuries, and inflicting ₱5.9 billion in damages to agriculture and infrastructure.
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Building Awareness and Resilience
These catastrophes reflect the weaknesses of the Philippines and also its strengths. To individuals, knowing of the past catastrophes helps them prepare appropriately and evacuate their homes in a timely manner. At national levels, the strategies that are data-driven cannot be overlooked as far as disaster risk management is concerned. By tracking tendencies and studying the historical influences, government agencies and the participants of the concerned area will be able to plan more sustainable actions.
Improving the systems of disaster response, investing in resilient infrastructure, and equipping communities with knowledge can be major steps in the direction of reducing losses. Typhoons are unavoidable, but adequate preparedness and awareness are likely to limit the dangers to a considerable degree. Recollection of the history of the country hit by devastating storms is not only about the loss but also about the way to face the future challenges in a stronger direction with united efforts.
