Disaster hotspot: The Philppines

Disaster hotspot: The Philppines

1. Why is the Philippines population vulnerable?

   • Series of 7000 small islands
   • High population density
     • 41-60% of people live in poverty = low capacity to cope
     • 45% of the population are under 18
     • Average of 240 people per km squared

2. The Philippines falls on a destructive plate boundary and is also located in the Pacific ring of fire.

3. Mount Pinatubo (1991)

   • June 7th - first magma reached the surface. June 12th saw that large amounts of gas charged magma reached the surface, then finally on June 15th the volcano exploded into a huge erruption.
     • 847 people were killed initially, mostly from roof collapses.
       • 2.1 million people affected
         • Damage to crops/property: $374 million
           • Eruption affected ozone levels
             • Agriculture affected
               • The Red Cross, Action Aid and Oxfam provided food/blankets in evacuation camps

4. Typhoon Haiyan (2013)

   • Scored category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale
     • Started from an area of low pressure several hundred km east of Pohnpei.
       • There were 6,300 confirmed casualties
         • Storm surges caught people off guard resulting in many deaths
           • Trees were uprooted and mud/debris decorated streets
       • Many structures were destroyed

5. Disasters in the Philippines

   • Earthquakes
     • e.g, Manila
   • Landslides
   • Volcanic erruptions
   • Flooding
   • Typhoons
   • Tsunamis