Significant Events – April 30, 2016

Strong aftershocks continue to rattle Vanuatu

Latest Events [USGS/EHP]

• M5.1 (16.262°S, 167.205°E) 27km SW of Lakatoro, Vanuatu 2016-04-30 09:26:30 UTC; depth=12.1km
• M4.7 28km SW of Lakatoro, Vanuatu 2016-04-30 08:45:57 UTC 7.3 km
• M6.0 (16.306°S, 167.188°E) 32km SW of Lakatoro, Vanuatu 2016-04-30 08:35:42 UTC; depth=4.8km
• M5.0 31km SW of Norsup, Vanuatu 2016-04-30 04:38:28 UTC; depth=10.0km
• M4.8 48km W of Norsup, Vanuatu 2016-04-29 22:50:14 UTC;depth=19.3km

Philippines: Drought and dry spells [OCHA]

Some 42 per cent of the Philippines is currently experiencing drought or dry spells brought on by El Niño effect. As of 15 April, 39 provinces, cities, municipalities and villages have declared a state of calamity. The worst affected areas are Mindanao and the Visayas regions. According to UN OCHA, around 181,687 farmers and 224,834 hectares of agricultural land have been affected since January 2016. Already, an estimated CHF 81 million in agricultural production has been lost. Rainfall for March was again well below normal.

Most of the affected areas are in Mindanao. According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as of April 16, a total of 457,497 families or 2,124,790 persons from Regions NCR, I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B, VI, VII, X, XI, XII, and ARMM have been affected by El Nino.

Drought, Rat Infestations to Plague 85% of Philippines

Worst drought in memory spreading across southern Philippines

As of 31 January, about a quarter of the Philippines was experiencing drought, and the authorities forecast that drought would soon plague 85 percent of the country.

State of Calamity

Mindanao, the second largest and southernmost major island in the Philippines, which supplies more than 40 percent of the nation’s food, is the worst affected area, reported the Food and Agriculture Organization, said a report.

The province of Maguindanao declared a “state of calamity” on 29 January, said UNOCHA, adding that 27,300 farmers in Mindanao are affected by drought and a rat infestation.

 

Typhoon KOPPU Affects About 2.4 Million People

KOPPU killed 47, injured 82 and left 4 missing

The following stats were issued by the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in their latest Situation Report No. 17, published October 24, 2015.

• Typhoon KOPPU [locally know as “LANDO”] has affected 536,408 families or 2,356,408 persons, in Regions, I, II, III, IV-A, V, NCR and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
• The storm has displaced 543,100 people (120,600 families) across Regions I, II, III and CAR.
• So far 47 deaths have been confirmed, with 82 others injured and 4 missing in Regions I, II, III, IV-A and CAR.
• Nearly 24,000 people (5,426 families, or 23, 993 persons) were evacuated from the projected path of the typhoon.
• A total of 803 schools were damaged or destroyed.
• A total of 26,675 houses were damaged or destroyed.
• States of calamity were declared for two (2) provinces, one (1)  city and eleven (11) municipalities.
  • Aurora and Isabela provinces and nine municipalities in six provinces newly declared a state of calamity.
• About 400,000 MT of rice was either damaged or lost due to the storm.
• Total cost of damage to agriculture and infrastructure: PHP9,856,328,602.93 (~ USD211.5 million), ratio of 7:1.

Philippine Government Declares State of Calamity

Province of Nueva Ecija placed under a state of calamity, as KOPPU  churns across the country

Philippine authorities have placed the entire province of Nueva Ecija, north of Manila, under a state of calamity, and warned of continued risk of flooding, after Tropical Storm KOPPU left many cities and municipalities flooded.

• About 5,000 homes were damaged or destroyes, said NDRRMC in its Situation Report No. 10.
• At least 18 people were killed, 1 person missing, with 16 others injured.
• A state of calamity has also been declared in Ilagan City the capital of Isabela province due to the devastation caused by the typhoon.

A state of calamity is defined as “a condition involving mass casualty and/or major damages to property, disruption of means of livelihoods, roads, and normal way of life of people in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or human-induced hazard,” according to the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management.

KOPPU, locally know as LANDO, the second strongest storm to hit the Philippines so far this year, has also forced more than 60,000 people from their homes, authorities said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said a total of 121,841 families (560,570 people) have been affected across the country, with 635 flooding incidents recorded in the affected regions.

Seven other people were killed after a passenger boat capsized in southern  Philippines “more than 500 kilometers from the direct path of the typhoon,” said reports.

“In the deadliest single incident related to the typhoon, seven passengers aboard a small outrigger (banca) were killed when it capsized in rough seas off Guimaras island in Western Visayas on Sunday,” Manila Times reported.

Typhoon GONI Causes Death and Destruction across Asia Pacific

GONI leaves a trail of death and destruction along its path

Typhoon GONI made landfall in the Philippines on August 22 bringing torrential rains, causing floods and landslides and prompting three provinces in northern Luzon to declare states of calamity.

The typhoon left at least 26 people dead, 15 missing and dozens injured. It destroyed or damaged more than 1,000 houses, forcing thousands to flee their homes.

It left about 70 people injured in southern Japan, prompting mass evacuations.

The typhoon caused transport chaos in Shanghai, China, forcing flight cancellations.

Heavy rains associated with the powerful storm system left at least 40 people dead in Rason City, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), and affected more than 11,000 others.

Flooding also destroyed or damaged at least 1,000 homes in the country, inundating farmlands and spoiling crops.

State of Calamity Declared in Philippines

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
MAJOR STORM
POWERFUL  TYPHOON
MASS EVACUATIONS
STATE OF CALAMITY DECLARED
SCENARIOS  444, 111, 088, 070, 066, 033, 023
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Typhoon RAMMASUN forces mass evacuations in the Philippines

At least ½ million people were evacuated as multiple Philippine provinces declared a state of calamity due to the damage caused by Typhoon RAMMASUN [aka GLENDA.]

The typhoon has claimed at least a dozen lives , as of posting, forced closure of Manila airport, and cut power to more than 10 million customers across Luzon.

“Major roads across Luzon were blocked by debris, fallen trees, electricity poles and tin roofs ripped off village houses. The storm uprooted trees in the capital where palm trees lining major arteries were bent over by the wind as broken hoardings bounced down the streets,” said a report.

Related Links

• RAMMASUN Targets Philippines Ground Zero July 15, 2014

200,000 Flee Their Homes, Dozens Killed in Philippine Floods

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS –
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
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State of calamity declared as severe floods landslides destroy homes, drown people in Mindanao, Philippines

More than 200,000 people have abandoned their homes on the Island of Mindanao, as widespread flooding and landslides destroy or damage thousands of homes, killing dozens of people in the Philippines second largest and southernmost island.

Major rivers have overflowed, forcing mass evacuations and causing many people to drown in areas still recovering from Typhoon BOPHA (locally known as Typhoon Pablo), said the local civil defense operations officer.

Typhoon Pablo killed more than 1,900 people and caused widespread destruction when it struck the region in December 2012.

“Many of the victims had not managed to rebuild and were staying in temporary shelters when they were hit by fresh flooding,” he said.

States of Calamity

States of Calamity have been declared in the towns of Sta. Josefa, Sibagat and Butuan City and at least four towns in Davao Oriental—Panabo City, and the towns of Carmen, Tagum City and Asuncion—due to severe flooding, said a report.

Floods and Landslides Destroy Infrastructure

Severe flooding and large landslides triggered by torrential rains have destroyed much of the infrastructure in the region, including six bridges that collapsed in Davao Oriental, said a report.

 

Many of the worst affected areas are left isolated due to collapsed bridges and impassable roads.

More Heavy Rain Forecast

Additional heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast for the region as a low pressure low pressure system hovers over Mindanao. Authorities have warned of additional flash floods and landslides throughout Mindanao, Eastern and Central Visayas and the Bicol region.

Residents of Davao, Compostela Valley, Surigao, Bukidnon, Misamis, Dinagat, Leyte, Samar, Bohol, Cebu, Masbate, Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes and Camarines of additional flash floods and landslides, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Typhoon BOPHA

Typhoon BOPHA (locally known as Pablo) made landfall in Mindanao on 4 December 2012, leaving a trail of destruction.

• BOPHA affected more than 6.2 million people, leaving about 1 million homeless—some 835,934 displaced people outside evacuation centers and 7,524 displaced others inside evacuation centers, according to the latest update by Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC), dated Jan 7, 2013.
• “An estimated 1,000,000 people are in need of food assistance. Of these, the Government has requested Food Security Cluster support for 400,000 critically affected people, taking into account also the support provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).” UN-OCHA reporetd.
• The typhoon killed at least 1,067 people, with 834 others reported as missing (presumed dead).
• The deadly typhoon destroyed or damaged 216,817 homes, and much of the region’s infrastructure.
• Much of the damage occurred in the two provinces of Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental.

Typhoon BOPHA Links

• Super Typhoon BOPHA Targets Philippines Posted on December 1, 2012
• BOPHA to Plow thru Palau Posted on December 2, 2012
• TY BOPHA Leaves Hundreds Dead or Missing Posted on December 5, 2012
• TY BOPHA Leaves Hundreds Dead or Missing Posted on December 5, 2012
• TY BOPHA: 250,000 Homeless, 500 Dead, 400 Missing Posted on Dec 6, 2012
• State of National Calamity Declared in the Philippines due to BOPHA Posted on Dec 9, 2012

Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Casualties Could Top Many Thousands

HAIYAN: A new breed of “intelligent,” “designer” typhoons with built-in “power-preserver mechanism”

FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models show the impact of Super Typhoon HAIYAN in the Philippines as a magnitude 6.2 catastrophe on the FEWW Disaster Scale, indicating large-scale regional destruction with up to 40,000 casualties. 

Few houses standing in Tacloban, Leyte province, Philippines:  Disaster Official

“Almost all houses were destroyed […] Only a few houses are left standing, but with partial damages,” Major Rey Balido, a spokesman for the national disaster agency, told Reuters.

Typhoon HAIYAN was downgraded to a Cat. 4A storm force on the FEWW New Hurricane Scale racing toward Indochina Peninsula, over the warm (29ºC) waters of South China Sea, at a forward speed of about 35 km/hr, as of posting (04:30UTC).

Typhoon HAIYAN -VISIBLE/INFRARED  [FIRE-EARTH Enhancement] satellite image  – recorded at 03:30UTC on November 9, 2013. Original image sourced from: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

Typhoon HAIYAN – IR/Water Vapor Difference [FIRE-EARTH Enhancement] satellite image (recorded at 03:30UTC on November 9, 2013. Original image sourced from: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

More details to follow…

UPDATES

• As of 12:00UTC the typhoon-related death toll had climbed to 1,200, but it’s expected to rise sharply.

• Large scale devastation has occurred in the islands of Leyte and Samar, which is consistent with FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models.

• At least 36 provinces, out of a total of 80, have been severely affected.

• FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models estimate the total cost of damage at more than $5billion.

• At least 4.3 million people have been affected including about 350,000 who have lost their homes, according to the Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

• The Super Typhoon pummeled seven of the country’s 17 regions, causing large-scale power outages across much of the disaster areas.

• There are numerous reports of widespread looting across the disaster zone.

• Dozens of towns throughout the disaster zone have declared states of calamity.

• HAIYAN is currently targeting South China, moving close  to Vietnam shoreline, according to revised projections suggested by several models. This would be a nightmare scenario for Vietnam because the typhoon could dump 4 to 6 times more rain over the country, and affect a much larger land area, than previously forecast, according to FIRE-EARTH Models.

This post will be updated throughout Saturday.

Related Links

• Extraterrestrial Typhoon Force Generating 20-Meter “Tsunami” November 8, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN’S Arm Battering the Philippines November 7, 2013
• “Extraterrestrial” Typhoon HAIYAN – Image Update November 6, 2013
• HAIYAN Intensifying to “Extraterrestrial” Levels November 6, 2013
• Potential Super Typhoon Headed for the Philippines November 4, 2013
• Typhoon KROSA Destroys or Damages 19,000 Homes in Philippines  November 2, 2013
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale
• Satellite Imagery

Philippine Quake Disaster Update

At least 108 people feared dead, 300 others injured, 2.9 million affected

Some 99 fatalities have been confirmed in the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Bohol Island in central Philippines.

Ninety people were killed in Bohol, eight in Cebu and one in Siquijor, said the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRM) on Wednesday.

• Some 276 others were injured said NDRRM, including 166 in Bohol, 106 in Cebu.

• Up to a dozen people remain unaccounted for, according to local reports.

According to unconfirmed reports, at least 108 people were killed and 300 others injured in the quake.

A total of about 558,390 families, which translates to more than 2.84 persons have been affected in three island provinces—Bohol, Cebu and Siquijor.

Philippine authorities declared declared states of calamity in Bohol and Cebu provinces after the  powerful quake struck on Tuesday.

The M7.1 quake,  centered at 9.866°N, 124.011°E, struck at a depth of about 20km about 2km NE of Catigbian, on the island province of Bohol, Philippines at 00:12:32 UTC on Tuesday, October 15, 2013.

The deadly quake occurred about 619km (385mi) SSE of Manila, the Philippine capital, according to USGS/EHP.

Meantime, USGS/EHP has upgraded its Pager status to “Orange,” raising its estimate for the quake fatalities and estimated economic losses.

The ShakeMap has also been upgraded to Level IX, or “violent.”

Related Links

• State of Calamity Declared in Bohol & Cebu Provinces, Philippines October 15, 2013

• M7.2 Quake Strikes Balilihan, Philippines October 15, 2013

State of Calamity Declared in Bohol & Cebu Provinces, Philippines

Powerful M7.1 Quake Causes Much Destruction in Central Philippines+

Philippine authorities have declared declared states of calamity in Bohol and Cebu Provinces after a powerful quake killed at least 80 people and left about 180 others injured, destroying or damaging scores of homes, buildings, historical churches, and causing widespread damage to public infrastructure across the famed tourist islands.

The M7.1 [revised by USGS/EHP] quake struck the island province of Bohol, about 2km NE of Catigbian, Philippines at a depth of about 20km [revised by USGS/EHP] at 00:12:32 UTC on Tuesday, October 15, 2013.

Centered at 9.866°N, 124.011°E,  the deadly quake struck about 619km (385mi) SSE of Manila, according to USGS/EHP.

The mainshock was followed by large swarms of at least 400 aftershocks including 10 tremors measuring 5.0Mw or greater, as of posting.

The quake has affected tens of thousands of people, most of whom were left without electricity, tap water, communication or transportation links.

Half dozen bridges have collapsed, and many road have buckled due to the quake energy.

Related Links

• M7.2 Quake Strikes Balilihan, Philippines October 15, 2013

State of Calamity Declared in Two Philippine Provinces

Severe flooding, landslides destroy homes, bridges, roads and dikes, killing dozens

State of Calamity has been declared in Ilocos Norte province after strong winds and heavy rain accompanying Typhoon USAGI [locally known as “Odette”] destroyed scores of roads, bridges and dikes, inundating thousands of homes and ruining large swathes of crops.

Severe flooding has inundated the towns of Bacarra, Bangui, Piddig, Pagudpud, Paoay and Pasuquin, in Ilocos Norte province, prompting the authorities to declare a State of Calamity throughout the province, according to local reports.

Heavy rains kill at least 33 in Zambales, N. Philippines

A state of calamity has also been declared in the city of Olongapo, Zambales province, amid widespread flooding, as monsoon rains inundated the city and its neighboring Subic municipality, said a report.

As of 11 am Tuesday, September 24, the death toll stood at 33, local officials reported.

“As of posting, houses in Sta Monica subdivision in Barangay Matain, Subic, were still submerged.” Said the report.

Floodwaters submerge vehicles in Olongapo City, September 23, 2013. Photo courtesy Ryan Viduya/ via Rappler.com

Major Flooding in Bataan Province, Central Luzon

Floodwaters also submerged at least 4 towns in the neighboring province of Bataan, in Central Luzon, authorities reported.

Mass evacuations are underway in the towns of Hermosa, Abucay, Dinalupihan, and Samal.

Thousands of families are being evacuated as floodwaters reached up to 5 feet high in some areas submerged homes and leaving roads impassable, said a report.

Flood victims were seen carrying their shivering kids as they waded through the floodwaters amid submerged cars, said an AFP reporter.

In Samal town, floodwaters “rose neck-deep” in some areas, the report said.

Olongapo City Mayor has asked the US ambassador to send the US Marines, who are conducting joint war games in the region, to help with relief efforts, said his office.

“About 2,300 US and Philippine marines are taking part in 3-week long joint exercises, many of them to be conducted in Zambales,” said the report.

State of calamity declared in Isabela, Philippines

Super Typhoon MEGI Strikes Northern Luzon, Philippines

Super Typhoon MEGI – VIS/IR Satellite Image . Source: CIMSS. Click image to enlarge.

Super typhoon MEGI (the 13th typhoon of the year in the region,) the 10th and strongest typhoon to strike the Philippines this year, hit Isabela province this morning and led to the state’s governor declaring a state of disaster.

Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from two northern states of Isabela and Cagayan.

MEGI uprooted trees, destroyed houses, cut off power and communication lines, and forced dozens of flight cancellations across Luzon island, and may have cause substantial damage to the region’s rice crop.

“In six hours from 8 a.m. (0000 GMT), the city of Tuguegarao in Cagayan had 54 mm (2.2 inch) of rain, while Baguio City on the western side of Luzon had 28 mm, the weather bureau said,” Reuters reported.

The typhoon has already claimed at least one life, local media reported. Up to 100,000 metric tons of rice may have been lost.

MEGI should enter the South China Sea Tuesday, according to China’s meteorological authorities, a report said, where “torrential rains have already forced the evacuation of almost 140,000 people in the southern island province of Hainan.”

Related Links:

• Super Typhoon MEGI

Manila Flooding Could Trigger Quakes

The Wrath of Ketsana

The wrath of Ketsana in the Philippines may not have ended.

Torrential rainfall caused by TS Ketsana, which resulted in epic flooding throughout western Luzon, may lead to yet another deadly hazard: Earthquakes.

Millions of tons of floodwater, massive landslides and unprecedented volumes of mud avalanches flowing in western Luzon could lead to regional  ‘climate-triggered’ earthquakes measuring about 4.5 Mw.

Ketsana, strengthened to typhoon force, is heading toward Vietnam

Typhoon Ketsana – Rainbow Enhancement satellite image – still image. To update and enlarged, click on the image. Source: NOAA/NHC/NWS

A handout photo released by the Philippine Air Force shows aerial view of flooded areas in Marikina City in northeastern Manila, Philippines, 27 September 2009. Up to 200 people have been killed with many reported missing as tropical storm Ketsana battered a wide area in Luzon, Philippines, dumping record rainfall (549 mm reported in one area)  on the capital that caused the worst flooding in living memory.  Thousands of people spent the night on the roofs of their submerged houses in Manila and surrounding provinces. The government weather bureau said the rainfall recorded in Manila was the city capital’s ‘greatest’ amount of rain since 1967. EPA/REY BRUNA/PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE/HO [Caption Monsters & Critics, edited by FEWW.] More Photos Posted Here!

The weather prospects don’t look too good for Vietnam, and China’s Hainan Island. Both areas seem to have an uneasy week ahead of them. However, the worst of Ketsana may yet strike Thailand and Myanmar.

Image from NASA TRMM – Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission

Related Links:

• Philippines: Worst Floods in Living Memory
• Philippines Worst Ever Flood Casualties Climb a Notch
• How Much Can a Single Natural Event Affect You?
• Floods leave 2.5% of Colombia’s population homeless
• Earth’s Human Induced Antiphase Nears Completion
  

• Remember this Image!

• Carbon Footprint of Your Dollar
• World Problems: The Root Cause Matrix
• First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Giga Trends
• World CO2 Emissions

• Wall Street Cognitive Dissonance
• Failing Ecosystems
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs

Philippines: Worst Floods in Living Memory

New Round of Floods Claim More Lives

Philippines Government Declares “State of Calamity” in Manila and nearby provinces, after Storm causes widespread flooding

At least 14 people are dead or missing as a typhoon with 100km winds makes landfall causing widespread flooding in the main Island of Luzon, Philippines. The storm was named both ‘Ondoy’ and tropical storm ‘Ketsana.’

Commuters wade through waist-deep floodwaters following heavy rains brought about by tropical storm Ketsana (locally known as Ondoy) Saturday Sept. 26, 2009 in Manila, Philippines. At least five people have been killed after nearly a month’s worth of rain fell in just six hours Saturday, triggering the worst flooding in the Philippine capital in 42 years, stranding thousands on rooftops in the city and elsewhere as Tropical Storm Ketsana slammed ashore. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez). Image may be subject to copyright.

Although more than 20 typhoons and storms formed in the Pacific Ocean hit the Philippines every year, causing floods throughout the country, the latest round of deluge in the capital, which resulted from storm-driven heavy rains, were said to be the worst in living memory.

A father and child were killed when a wall collapsed on them in Manila, while four other children were reportedly drowned in flooding  elsewhere in the city.

About 2,000 people were forced to take refuge in evacuation centers, as  rising waters threatened their homes, according to civil defense officials.

A local weather forecasters was quoted as saying that about a month’s worth of rain fell on the capital in just 6 hours. Many areas of the capital were flooded, with the water levels reaching the rooftops of single-storey buildings.

About 13.4 inches (34.1 centimeters) of rain fell on metropolitan Manila in just six hours, close to the 15.4-inch (39.2-centimeter) average for the entire month of September. The previous record was 13.2 inches (33.4 centimeters) recorded during a 24-hour period in June 1967, chief government weather forecaster Nathaniel Cruz said. —AP

In Cainta, located in the Rizal province, many residents had to climb onto rooftops to escape floodwater. According to the local mayor: “The whole town is almost 100 percent underwater.”

Civil defense officials and weather forecaster said they were completely surprised: “We knew there would be rain but not like this,” one forecaster said.

Related Links:

• US Southeast floods kill at least 10
• FEWW FORECAST: 2009 Likely Wettest Year on Record
• Drought and Deluge
• Landslides, Floods, Extreme Rain Events
• Nature Rejects More Cars

• Car burial day in S. Korea
• Nature’s Assault on Cars Continues
• CO2e Links Page
• World CO2 Emissions
• Carbon Footprint of Your Dollar

• New York Cognitive Dissonance
• Canceling Your Life Insurance Policy with Nature
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities