Living in the Philippines is a pleasure most of the time.
OK, there are many issues that make you get angry, but the weather and the beaches and the smiles are something special. It will never be a magnet like Thailand or its surrounding Asian tourist hotspots, mainly because of the corruption and bad infrastructure.
But, is there something else holding back the tourists?
What about all those natural disasters that seem to occur every few weeks?
The country is no stranger to natural disasters, as it is surrounded by bodies of water, and is located along the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire.” From typhoons to tsunamis to volcanic eruptions to earthquakes – name it, the Philippines has experienced it.
As this year’s Disaster Consciousness Month ends, let’s look back at the worst natural disasters that have hit the country.
Rappler divided this into 3 categories – number of casualties, amount of damage and number of people affected – based on the EM-DAT International Disaster Database as of Friday, August 1.
Notice that Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013 and Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) in 2012 appear in all 3 categories, making these recent weather disturbances top the worst in the country’s history so far.
Worst disasters in PH in terms of casualties:
| Disaster | Date | Number of People Killed |
|---|---|---|
| Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) | 8-Nov-2013 | 6,300 |
| 1976 Mindanao earthquake | 17-Aug-1976 | 6,000 |
| Typhoon Uring (Thelma) | 5-Nov-1991 | 5,956 |
| 1990 Luzon earthquake | 16-Jul-1990 | 2,412 |
| Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) | 4-Dec-2012 | 1,901 |
| Tropical Depression Winnie | 29-Nov-2004 | 1,619 |
| Typhoon Titang (Kate) | 13-Oct-1970 | 1,551 |
| Typhoon Sendong (Washi) | 15-Dec-2011 | 1,439 |
| Typhoon Nitang (Ike) | 1-Sep-1984 | 1,422 |
| Typhoon Reming (Durian) | 30-Nov-2006 | 1,399 |
Worst disasters in PH in terms of number of people affected:
| Disaster | Date | Number of Affected People |
|---|---|---|
| Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) | 8-Nov-2013 | 16,106,807 |
| Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) | 4-Dec-2012 | 6,246,664 |
| Typhoon Ruping (Mike) | 12-Nov-1990 | 6,159,569 |
| Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) | 26-Sep-2009 | 4,901,763 |
| Typhoon Frank (Fengshen) | 21-Jun-2008 | 4,785,460 |
| Typhoon Pepeng (Parma) | 29-Sep-2009 | 4,478,491 |
| 2012 Habagat (Southwest Monsoon) | 6-Aug-2012 | 4,451,725 |
| Typhoon Loleng (Babs) | 21-Oct-1998 | 3,902,424 |
| Typhoon Milenyo (Xangsane) | 27-Sep-2006 | 3,842,406 |
| Typhoon Openg (Vera) | 20-Nov-1973 | 3,400,024 |
John is a very young 56 who has lived in the Philippines for over ten years and makes his living online as an SEO consultant and copy writer along with other onliner resources. John has lived in Davao, Manila and in Puerto Galera and has become an honoury Filipino. His hobbies include traveling and 1970s culture
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