typhoon haiyan

• Taclonban


  • Lies in the centre of the Philippines
  • Where tropical storms cross the Pacific ocean towards South East Asia
  • Makes it the worst affected in the world by storm hazards
• Population of Taclonban


  • Poor
  • Unable to provide for themselves
  • Look to national and regional government agencies for help
  • Government agencies often do not have the resources to cope for emergencies
  • Rely on NGOs and foreign governments for help
• Philippines are made from small tiny islands
• GDP of $6947
• Typhoon Haiyan one of eight storms to hit Philippines in 2013
• Housing in Taclonban


  • Many people have built poorly constructed houses on flat land near to the sea
  • Increases the risk of storm surges and flooding
• Migration to cities in Philippines


  • Recently many people have migrated to the cities
  • Creating a highly dense population
  • Increases the vulnerability
• Category 5 storm with wind speeds over 250km/h


  6th November
• Storm dissipated as a tropical depression over southern China

  11th November
• Wind speeds of 195mph
• Huge storm surges up to 6 metres were responsible for most of the damages and loss of life
• Very heavy rainfall. In one of the areas of the Philippines, nearly 300 mm was recorded much of which fell under 12 hours
• Storm originated from area of low pressure in Micronesia

  2nd November
• Storm tracking


  1. Westward

  2. Became a tropical storm on the 4th November
• Primary impacts of Haiyan


  • Guiyan in Eastern Samar was the point of first landfall, a remote area which did not receive any help in the first few days due to lack of communication
  • A power barge got knocked over and caused an oil spill
  • Flooding extended 1km inland from the coast
  • 6300 deaths
  • Talcoban city airport was damaged by the storm surge but was quickly repaired as international aid was needed to be sent over quickly
  • 90% of buildings was destroyed
  • 1.9 million homeless and over 6 million was displaced
• Secondary impacts


  • 20000 people fled to the city of Manila
  • $2.86 billion in damages
  • Major rice and sugar production was destroyed
  • Widespread looting occurred. Relief trucks were attacked and items was stolen including 33000 bass of rice seeds
  • Local government collapsed in many areas as government locals was killed in the storm
  • Flooding and landslides blocked major roads which made relief work almost impossible
• Short term responses


  1. Aid flown in

  2. Roads still closed so aid could not be distributed

  3. 20% receiving aid 4 days later in Tacloban city
• UK government response


  Deployed 2 navy ships to Tacloban area with 200000 tones of aid
• UN fundraising appeal


  Totalled to $788 million in aid
• Save the Children response

  Helped to build tents to ensure that education could continue
• Emergency response coordination


  Coordinated by the WHO and UN
• Democratic government response


  Criticised for being too slow
• Evacuation of people


  1. Attempted to move thousands by military aircraft

  2. Miscommunication and panic slowed the evacuation
• DEC fundraising appeal


  1. Launched on 12th November via TV, radio, Internet and social media

  2. Raised millions of pounds in a week

  3. Possible due to interconnected world (globalisation)