PH’s typhoon alley and the trail of destruction it brings

Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) leaves devastation in Palawan province. Photo from Jenny Macatiag

MANILA, Philippines—At least 20 typhoons pummel the Philippines every year, bringing some of the country’s worst calamities.

The latest one made landfall on Dec. 16—Typhoon Odette (Rai)—which carried winds of up to 230 kph. It was the Philippines’ 15th typhoon and the strongest in 2021.

READ: Super Typhoon Odette (Rai): Quick facts

Odette, which made nine landfalls in Mindanao and Visayas on Dec. 16 to 17, killed so far more than 300 people and left a wide swath of destruction that would cost billions of pesos in losses.

READ: Typhoon Odette (Rai): Darker days ahead for 3.8M people living below poverty line

The provinces, where Odette made landfall, were severely hit by the “super typhoon”: Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Palawan.

READ: Typhoon Odette makes landfall in Siargao, says Pagasa

Graphic by Ed Lustan

The typhoons, which leave the Philippines ravaged each time—crops, homes and lives severely wrecked—represent 25 percent of the yearly typhoons in the world.

In 2014, a report by Agence France-Presse said since typhoons, which are created “above the warmer waters of the Pacific Ocean,” move northwest, the islands of the Philippines are often hit.

These typhoons, the Asian Development Bank said, had cost some $20 billion in the last 30 years (1990 to 2020), saying that typhoons often hit the poor, the marginalized and the isolated.

In this article, INQUIRER.net looks back at the strongest and most ravaging typhoons that hit the Philippines:

• Goni (Rolly)

Typhoon Rolly, which packed 300 kph winds, was considered by the National Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center as the “strongest” in the Philippines and the world. It hit Luzon on Nov. 1, 2020.

Rolly, the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said, has affected 68.6 million individuals—24.3 million were living in the worst-hit provinces.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Rolly left damage worth P17.8 billion in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Metro Manila.

• Haiyan (Yolanda)

Super Typhoon Yolanda, which hit the Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013, was once considered as the “strongest” to hit the Philippines and the world with more than 300 kph winds.

With its intensity, Yolanda affected 14 million individuals in 44 provinces. World Vision said 4.1 million were displaced because of the typhoon which killed 6,340 and left 1,800 missing.

The NDRRMC said Yolanda left P95.4 billion in damage while ravaging 1.1 million houses and 33 million coconut trees which were considered a primary livelihood in the provinces it hit.

Graphic by Ed Lustan

• Meranti (Ferdie)

Typhoon Ferdie, which hit Luzon on Sept. 14, 2016, was likewise considered by the National Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center as one of the strongest in the Philippines and the world.

While Ferdie left no deaths, with 300 kph winds, like Yolanda, it affected 2,891 families, especially in Batanes which was placed on Signal No. 4, the highest in the Philippines.

Malacañang said in 2016 that Ferdie left an extensive damage worth P835 million.

• Angela (Rosing)

Typhoon Rosing was the third in the consecutive intense typhoons which hit the Philippines in 1995. It was on Nov. 1, 1991 when the typhoon, with nearly 300 kph winds, ravaged Luzon.

Rosing, which mainly hit Metro Manila, Bicol Region and Calabarzon, killed 936 people and left damage worth P10.829 billion as power outages hit one-third of the Philippines.

The typhoon kept its strength for 60 hours, most of it while over land.

• Bopha (Pablo)

Typhoon Pablo, which hit the Philippines on Dec. 12, 2012, had powerful winds and floods that ravaged houses in Mindanao and Visayas. It carried winds of more than 200 kph.

It was said by the NDRRMC that Pablo affected 711,682 families in 34 provinces, especially Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, Bukidnon, and Negros Oriental.

The typhoon left damage worth P43.2 billion.

• Rai (Odette)

Typhoon Odette hit the Philippines as most Filipinos were preparing for Christmas with COVID-19 restrictions increasingly relaxed. It entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Dec. 14.

Odette, which had nearly 300 kph winds, destroyed homes, trees, and power lines while bringing heavy rain, floods, and landslides. It left PAR on Dec. 18.

READ: Pagasa says typhoon Odette leaves PH area of responsibility

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said over 1.8 million individuals were affected and nearly 490,000 were displaced. The typhoon left 52 missing. It left damage worth P343 million so far.

• Haima (Lawin)

Typhoon Lawin, which ravaged Luzon, especially Cagayan, with more than 200 kph winds on Oct. 19, 2016, was the third strongest typhoon to hit the world in 2016.

Lawin affected over 2.4 million individuals in five regions in the Philippines while leaving 14 dead. This was the strongest to hit Cagayan in 2016. Lawin left damage worth P16.26 billion.

• Koppu (Lando)

Typhoon Lando hit Luzon on Oct. 18, 2015 with more than 200 kph winds while bringing heavy rain.

Lando, a Category 3 typhoon which made landfall in Aurora, displaced 13,000 individuals and killed 22. It cost the Philippines P11 billion.

• Ike (Nitang)

Typhoon Nitang, which hit Mindanao and Visayas on Aug. 31, 1984, had winds exceeding 200 kph. The Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory said it left a trail of death behind it.

One of the deadliest typhoons in the Philippines, Nitang left 1,490 individuals dead and had P4.1 billion worth of damage.

• Megi (Juan)

Typhoon Juan made landfall in Luzon on Oct. 18, 2010 with more than 200 kph winds. Juan destroyed crops, a primary livelihood in Cagayan Valley, especially in Isabela.

Juan was the tenth typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2010. It killed one individual and left damage worth P12 billion.

TSB