IN THE KNOW: Deadliest typhoons in the Philippines

Situated right smack in the typhoon belt of the Pacific, the Philippines is battered by an average of 20 typhoons every year that claim hundreds of lives and cause billions in damages.

Tropical Storm “Uring” (international name: “Thelma”) is the deadliest weather disturbance in Philippine history. It hit Leyte and Negros provinces in November 1991 and dumped torrential rains that caused massive flash floods in Ormoc City, leaving up to 5,000 to 8,000 people dead. Its damages ran up to P1 billion.

In recent years, Tropical Storm “Ondoy” (international name: “Ketsana”) dumped on Metro Manila and nearby areas 341 mm—or a month’s worth of rainfall—in six hours in September 2009, triggering the worst flooding in the capital in decades. The deluge killed 464 people and inflicted damage estimated at P11.1 billion.

Just days after Ondoy, Tropical Depression “Pepeng” (international name: “Parma”) entered the country and flooded towns and cities in Northern Luzon, triggering landslides in some areas. Fatalities reached 492, while the damages are estimated at P27 billion.

Below is a list of the deadliest typhoons that battered the country:

Sources: Typhoon2000.com; Inquirer Archives; NDRRMC