Disaster-prone areas? It hurts to think that those places who are facing the Pacific ocean, particularly the western part, are very much used to natural phenomena like typhoons. Who can forget super typhoon Haiyan also known as Yolanda, as it devastated the Philippines in 2013? The impact was so huge that it was even considered one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded and made countries in the world feel concerned about the situation. Well, it's no surprise for the Philippines to experience typhoons since the country faces an average of 20 storms a year, however, when super typhoon Yolanda came, it surprised the people as it reached category no. 5, the highest category number and most dangerous classification of a tropical cyclone. Typhoon "Yolanda" as it landed in the Philippines on November 8, 2013, reached category number 5 (Super Typhoon), damaged the country so badly that it killed many lives, destroyed livelihoods, and greatly affected the economy as a whole. Talking about tropical cyclones, do you know that there are classifications before it becomes a super typhoon (category 5), just like Yolanda?
Tropical Cyclones classified into five categories. First is Tropical depression, a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of up to 62 kilometers per hour (kph) or less than 34 nautical miles per hour. Second is Tropical storm, a tropical cyclone with maximum wind speed of 62 to 88 kph or 34 - 47 knots; Third is Severe tropical storm, a tropical cyclone with maximum wind speed of 87 to 117 kph or 48 - 63 knots, Fourth is a Typhoon, a tropical cyclone with maximum wind speed of 118 to 184 kph or 64 - 99 knots, and lastly, category number no. 5 or Super typhoon, a tropical cyclone with maximum wind speed exceeding 185 kph or more than 100 knots. (source: https://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/information/about-tropical-cyclone)
Imagine how big and wide the surface it covers and how fast the speed of the wind travels, that is how risky it makes and never easy to experience a typhoon since it can often occur many times a year. It can heavily affect lives of people not just who lives in the city but also those who are living near coastal areas since they may encounter storm surge. Although typhoons happen several times a year unlike some natural phenomena like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and others that do not occur often, it is an advantage that we can monitor typhoons to protect ourselves from the damage it creates. We can be aware when it enters our country's area of responsibility and evacuate before it hits the land. We can also prepare our first aid survival kit and be ready for whatever happens. With all the knowledge and awareness of everyone during a typhoon, maybe you're wondering why there are still casualties after this typhoon hits the land when we are already aware of what's going to happen when it occurs or even before it becomes a typhoon and its about to form? Well, these are just all that we can do. It still depends on the situation and how we apply our knowledge and execute our preparedness for the said phenomenon.
