Recent Natural Disasters | Calamities | Hazards

In the Philippines, being situated in the Pacific Ring of Fire, natural disasters like typhoons are common occurrences. These typhoons can bring strong winds and heavy rains, posing significant challenges to homeowners. However, with thoughtful design and innovative solutions, it's possible to create small, affordable houses that can withstand the fury of typhoons. Let's explore some typhoon-proof house designs suitable for the Philippines: Elevated structures: Building houses on stilts or raised platforms can help protect them from flooding during typhoons. This design also allows for better airflow, which can help mitigate the impact of strong winds. Strong, durable materials: Using materials such as reinforced concrete, metal roofing, and impact-resistant glass can help make houses more resilient to typhoon damage. These materials are better able to withstand strong winds and flying debris. Sloped roofs: A steeply sloped roof can help prevent water from pooling and causing l

October 12, 2021:  Typhoon Kompas u (called "Maring" in Philippines) has claimed lives of eleven people and left seven others missing in Philippines . More than 6,500 villagers have been evacuated from flood affected areas. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), fatalities have been reported from Benguet, Cagayan and Palawan province. The Philippines' National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) was on ALERT STATUS RED since the start of the natural disaster . According to the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), Kompasu will make landfall in upper Vietnam on Wednesday or Thursday. Heavy rain is expected in Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon and Bueng Kan provinces in Thailand.

 August 23, 2020: Typhoon Bavi has developed near Taiwan over waters some 200 kilometers south-southeast of Taipei and is predicted to pass South Korea this week. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Typhoon Bavi is forecast to reach Jeju Island on Wednesday, making landfall near Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, at around 3 a.m. Typhoon Bavi is expected to gradually weaken after passing through the northeast of Pyongyang on Friday afternoon.

December 3, 2019: Two people have been killed after Typhoon Tisoy (Kammuri) lashed Philippines forcing evacuation of around 200,000 people. Typhoon Kammuri hit the main Luzon island just before midnight local time on Tuesday (16:00 GMT on Monday).  The Philippine disaster agency has marked Category-4-equivalent typhoon and asked locals to be alert for possible landslides, storm surges and floods triggered by heavy winds and rain. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport was shut from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA, said that the Typhoon Tisoy will bring heavy rainfall in Southern Luzon, Central Luzon and Metro Manila until Wednesday morning. Also several sporting events of the South East Asian Game 2019 have either been rescheduled for a later date or have been cancelled altogether due to Typhoon Tisoy.  Philippines deadliest cyclone on record was Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 , which

November 1, 2019: Typhoon Matmo has injured fourteen people and left one person missing in Vietnam. According to the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Typhoon Matmo has destroyed 179 houses and damaged 2,314 others in the provinces of Quảng Ngãi, Bình Định, Phú Yên, Gia Lai and Thừa Thiên Huế. The typhoon has now weakened into a low-pressure system and entered Cambodia.

October 15, 2019: Landslides and floods caused by a powerful typhoon Hagibis has claimed lives of 72 people and left 14 others missing in Japan. On 12 October, Hagibis made landfall at Izu Peninsula as a Category 2–equivalent typhoon. Hagibis caused widespread damage across Japan, particularly in the Kantō region. According to The Guardian , the evacuation orders have been issued to more than 800,000 households across 11 prefectures in Japan.  The typhoon touched down southwest of Tokyo on Saturday. An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 shook the area shortly before the same time as the typhoon was making landfall. The earthquake was felt across Tokyo and Chiba. Also for the first time in the history of the Rugby World Cup,  the match has been cancelled. Two matches of the 2019 Rugby World Cup have been cancelled i.e. the Pool B match between New Zealand and Italy, and the Pool C match between England and France. The sky turned in deep purple colour in Japan surprising t

Just before Typhoon Hagibis hit Japan,  the sky turned a deep purple (@newscomauHQ/Twitter) October 13, 2019:  The sky turned in deep purple colour in Japan surprising the locals, just before the arrival of Typhoon Hagibis . The social medias have been flooded with the images of the bright purple and pink sky mentioning it as a "strange phenomenon.". However the purple sky isn't uncommon. It has occurred several times in the U.S. following major hurricanes. "The light was scattered around the moisture in the air, causing the magical purple color," CBS News reported quoting meteorologist Lauren Rautenkranz. The typhoon touched down southwest of Tokyo on Saturday. An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 shook the area shortly before the same time as the typhoon was making landfall. The earthquake was felt across Tokyo and Chiba. Typhoon Hagibis has brought heavy rain and strong winds to the region and is expected to be Japan's worst typhoon in

February 20, 2018: The tropical depression has formed near the Federated States of Micronesia on Tuesday. The system developed to tropical storm strength early on Wednesday, earning the name Wutip, Accuweather reported. This tropical system is expected to become a typhoon by Thursday bringing unsettled weather to Chuuk State. As of 12:23 p.m., the storm was located southwest of Pohnpei and was moving west at 15 mph, according to the National Weather Service Guam office. As per the current track of the storm, developed Typhoon Wutip will causes a risk for flooding rainfall and damaging winds across Guam and parts of the Northern Mariana Islands. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for Nukuoro in Pohnpei State and Lukunor, Losap and Chuuk in Chuuk State. Philippines monitoring Tropical Storm Wutip  According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Tropical Storm Wutip is located more than 3,000 kil

Super Typhoon Haima (Super Typhoon Lawin in Philippines) claimed lives off at least 12 people in Philippines. Eight of the victims are from the Cordillera region, Reuters reported quoting Ricardo Jalad, chief of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Haima made landfall over Peñablanca, Cagayan of the Philippines at 15:00 UTC on October 19, 2016. Two days later, Haima made landfall over Haifeng County, Shanwei in the Guangdong province of China.

Typhoon Sarika forecast path (Hong Kong Observatory) Severe Typhoon Sarika (Typhoon Karen in Philippines) is forecast to make landfall in Hainan, China on Tuesday. Authorities in Hainan Province held an emergency meeting Sunday night to review precautionary measures, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Typhoon Megi triggers flooding in east China's coastal city (CCTV Plus) September 29, 2016: Typhoon Megi (Typhoon Helen in Philippines) has claimed lives of a least five people and caused damage worth $31.9 million. At least four died across Taiwan, while more 625 others have been injured by the disaster. The typhoon left at least one person dead in China.

Super Typhoon Meranti (Typhoon Ferdie in Philippines) is the strongest tropical cyclone worldwide in 2016 and is one of three most powerful typhoons ever recorded. Super Typhoon Meranti made landfall early on Thursday near Xiamen in Fujian Province of China. 

Typhoon Dianmu has claimed life of a person and injured three others in Vietnam, Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said Xinhua News Agency . A 48-year-old man died after being swept away by flood water in northern Son La province. At least three people got injured in Hanoi.

Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated as Typhoon Melor (known locally as Nona) made landfall around 11 a.m. over Batag, Northern Samar.  According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Typhoon Melor is expected to cause flooding, landslides and storm surges of up to four metres.

Typhoon Koppu (local name: Typhoon Lando) has claimed lives of at least 18 people and injured 16 others in Philippines as of October 20, 2015. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, one person is reported to be missing.

Strong Typhoon Dujuan (Typhoon Jenny in Philippines) is forecast to bring torrential rains and high winds across Taiwan, with landfall predicted around 15:00 GMT Monday. Almost 3,000 people, most of them tourists, were evacuated Sunday from Taiwan's Green Island and Orchid Island, Yahoo News reported.

Eastern China provinces have been kept on high alert for approaching typhoon Swan that may bring gales and rainstorms on Sunday night. The Fujian Provincial Meteorological Station has issued a yellow alert for the typhoon. Swan is expected to arrive at the East China Sea on Sunday evening, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Typhoon Goni (Typhoon Ineng in Philippines) has claimed lives of at least four people in Luzon Island of Philippines on Friday. Three people died of landslide and another man died after being pinned by a tree, The Associated Press reported.

Super Typhoon Soudelor hammered the island of Saipan in the Western Pacific ocean leaving trails of widespread damage. According to AccuWeather , Typhoon Soudelor hit Saipan with the intensity of a Category 2 hurricane on Sunday night with winds higher than 90 miles per hour.

Source: China Meteorological Administration Super typhoon Chan-Hom made landfall on Saturday afternoon in east China's Zhejiang province, causing evacuation of more than 1 million people. On Friday morning, China's Meteorological Center had raised "red warning of typhoon" for Zhejiang and Fujian province. At 9:00 a.m. on July 10, China Meteorological Administration (CMA) had also elevated emergency response to level I, the highest level  to address super typhoon Chan-Hom.