Typhoon Haiyan

• Background

  • Strongest ever recorded tropical storm to hit Philippines
  • 8th November 2013
  • Category 5 on Saffir-Simpson scale
  • Sea temperature was 30 degrees
  • GDP - $2,800
• Environmental Impacts

  • Loss of forests and trees cause widespread flooding
  • Oil and sewage leaks into local ecosystems
  • Higher level of pollution due to lack of sanitation
  • Fishing communities affected
  • Flooding caused landslides and blocked roads and cut off aid to remote communities
• Social Impacts

  • 8000 people died
  • 1 million homes lost
  • Destroyed 30,000 fishing boats
  • 8 deaths in stampede for rice
  • Looting and violence broke out in Tacloban
  • Lack of clean water led to outbreak of diseases
  • 6 million lost sources of income
• Economical impacts

  • Coconut plantations 'completely flattened' (made up to nearly half of agricultural exports)
  • Total economic loss £13 billion
  • 175,000 acres of farmland damaged
  • Country locked in a debt cycle
• Immediate Response

  • Philippines declared 'state of national calamity', so international aid responded with food, water and temporary shelters
  • Over 1200 evacuation centres set up for homeless
  • Field hospitals set up by French
  • PAGASA (Philippine's meteorological agency) broadcasted warnings 2 days before it made landfall, leading to the evacuation of 800,000 residents (though some died when evacuation centres flooded)
• Long-term response

  • 5 days went by before any aid was received
  • Only 20% of victims received aid
  • 'Cash for work' gave locals money to help clear debris
  • Oxfam financed replacement of fishing boats
  • Charities built new storm-resistant houses for those who lost their houses
  • Philippines tourism board encouraged visiters so money would help with rebuilding