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How ever you look at it, it is a complete tragedy. On December 4, 2012, Typhoon Bopha slammed into the Philippines causing widespread devastation. Over 900 people are known to have lost their lives, and several hundreds are still missing.
The typhoon was certainly a monster of a storm. It spanned over 1,600km (1,000 miles) in diameter, and as it made landfall the sustained winds were blowing at speeds of over 260km/h (160mph). This meant the storm was the equivalent of a powerful category-5 hurricane, the most powerful category there is.
As the news about the destruction unfolded and the death toll mounted, it became clear that the residents had been completely unprepared for such a catastrophe. This may surprise many people, given the frequency that tropical storms hit the Philippines; on average 20 tropical systems hit the country every year. However, the majority of these storms hit the north island of Luzon, which has ensured that Luzon has more warnings and the residents are more prepared.
On the southern island of Mindanao, where Typhoon Bopha made landfall, things are very different because there are far fewer storms. The regions at risk of tropical systems (whether they’re named hurricanes, typhoons or tropical cyclones) are the warmer parts of the globe where the sea temperature is over 27oC. The warm water of the sea is the energy source of a tropical system, but in order for them to develop their spin, they also have to be away from the equator.
Due to the rotation of the earth, winds travelling in the northern hemisphere are deflected to the right, whereas winds in the southern hemisphere are deflected to the left. Winds naturally want to flow from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure, but instead of flowing in a straight line, they curve as the earth is turning.
A tropical storm is an intense area of low pressure, so winds are trying to flow into the system, but they are deflected as they do so. Therefore in the northern hemisphere a tropical storm will spin anti-clockwise, but in the southern hemisphere it will spin clockwise.
Between latitudes 5°N and 5°S, the systems don’t get the spinning “help” they need to develop; so if you live directly on the equator, you shouldn’t be troubled by a tropical storm. Mindanao is just to the north of this rule of thumb, as it lies between 6°N and 9°N. It does occasionally get hit by a tropical system, but on average only about once every 12 years. However, over the past 12 months, the island of Mindanao has been particularly unlucky because the previous major storm slammed into the island last December.
Tropical Storm Washi made landfall in Mindanao on December 16, 2011, and killed at least 1,249 people. As you probably know, the winds in a tropical storm are not as strong as those in a typhoon, and Washi wasn’t expected to cause as much devastation as it did.
It was not only the lack of preparation that can explain the tragically high loss of life, there are many other factors which would have also played a part. For a start, in some areas the vegetation had changed in the recent years. The natural forest had been converted into pineapple plantations or illegally pulled down for logging. This meant the heavy rains were able to run quickly down the relatively barren soils creating devastating flash floods.
Tropical Storm Washi also struck at the worst time; most of the flash flooding hit at night. The majority of people would have been indoors, sleeping. They would have had no warning, and some people wouldn’t have woken up at all.
Finally the forecast wasn’t quite right. Tropical Storm Washi made landfall in the east of Mindanao and this is where you would normally expect the heaviest rain, but the heaviest rain was actually seen in the northwest of the island. The unusual behaviour of this tropical storm would have hindered anyone who was trying to take precautionary measures.
This year, as powerful Typhoon Bopha bore down on the island, the government took no chances. In an attempt to prevent casualties, people were moved into shelters two or three days before the storm made landfall, and the warnings were more actively broadcast. However, some of these emergency shelters were not as safe as they appeared. Along with the flimsy houses, two emergency shelters in New Bataan village were swept away when the rains poured down the countryside in torrents.
The recovery missions are still underway, as some towns were completely destroyed by tonnes of fallen trees and boulders. In some of the worst-hit regions, almost all of the landmarks have been destroyed, making it almost impossible to determine where the houses once stood.
If tragedies like this are to be avoided, those living on the island of Mindanao will have to make significant changes. It would be beneficial if trees were replanted on the mountainsides and illegal logging were actively enforced, but there are other measures which could also be taken. Deep trenches could be cut into the hillside to allow the water to surge down towards the river, compulsory evacuation orders could be put in place and an active warning system could also save lives.
It is important to note that the tragic loss of life that has been seen in 2011 and again in 2012 is not inevitable. If the next storm doesn’t strike the island until 12 years’ time, rather than becoming complacent, the islanders need to use this time wisely.