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| Cagayan de Oro Flood Hazard map |
After the devastating typhoon Ramon, Quiel and Ramon that hit Luzon last September, Sendong, a 55-65 kph Tropical Depression with a gust wind reaching 80 kph leaves more than a thousand death and many still remains missing after hitting Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City and other cities of Northern Mindanao last December 16, 2011.
NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) update as of January 26, 2012 death toll reaches 1, 268 dead, 181 identified missing and 6, 071 injured from 125, 256 families of 8 cities. Typhoon Sendong estimated cost of damages is worth 1.71 Billion pesos. But why such a weak typhoon killed many innocent lives?
Reasons Why Sendong killed more than Thousands of people
1. Typhoon Sendong brought 180mm (heavy rain) of rain in just 24 hours. Average Cagayan de Oro rainful is 100mm in a month.
2. Damming Effect - Artificial dam of Logs are created and burst into destructive floods creating massive force and damage.
3. Cagayan de Oro and Iligan is flood prone areas according to GeoHazard Mapping.
4. River Siltation
5. Illegal Logging
6. Mining
7. Unpreparedness
8. High Tide
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| Philippines Typhoon Frequency - 20 Typhoons a year and 9 making a LandFall |
According to PAG ASA , Typhoon visit once in 12 years in Mindanao and our country has an average of 20 typhoon visits every year. On the average 20, only 9 or 45% chance to make a Landfall. Doing the little math, average 240 typhoons visits the Philippines in 12 years and the chance to hit or make a landfall on Mindanao is only 1/108 or 0.93%. It's a less than 1 percent chance but the effects and damage are unexpected and unforeseen.
Philippine GeoHazard Mapping
Geohazard mapping are available since 2009 prepared by DENR ( Department of Environment Natural Resources). The map is a tool that identifies the Flood and Landslide prone areas in our country and this is already been sent to LGU's (Local Government Units) including Cagayan de Oro and Iligan city. LGU's are urged to look and take preventive measures to the flood and landslide prone areas.
GeoHazard Map and Philippine Flood Hazard Map are available Online, you can take a look at your provinces and municipalities if it is on danger zone for flood and landslide. It is a joint project of Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD) and DENR started on 2006.
I live in Virac, Catanduanes and our province is the HOME of Super typhoons ( 1 Super typhoon every 10 years). Typhoon Reming, Rosing, Loleng and Unsang to name a few of strongest typhoons that hit Virac in the last 30 years reaching up to 320 kph of winds. It's really psychologically frustrating and traumatic, the loss of wealth and the loss of people in natural disasters which can be prevented or mitigated with accurate forecast and strict implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction of the government.
Sources:
Typhoon2000
PAG ASA
NDRRMC
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