Hazardous environment - Philippines

• Volcano - Mount Pinatubo 


  Convergent plate boundary, Philippine plate subjected beneath Eurasian plate (Pacific ring of fire)

  Island formed from folding and volcano from emerging magma

  Killed 847

  Second largest eruption

  Early warnings saved at least 5000 people

  Emission of small blast steams

  58 000 people evacuated

  100 killed from lahars

  650 000 lost jobs

  700 million damage
• Earthquake - Luzon 


  Many earthquakes occur but low on the richer scale

  7.8 magnitude occurred on Luzon island

  Killed 1500 people

  Caused widespread ground rupturing and soil liquefaction
• Tropical storms , Typhoons - Typhoon Haiyan 


  20 occur every year

  Develop in the Pacific Ocean and move westward to the islands

  Killed 6000 people

  14.1 million affected

  5.8 billion worth of damage

  600 000 displaced

  800 000 evacuated
• Secondary hazards 


  Due to the main hazards being prone they cause many secondary hazards

  Tsunamis - earthquakes below the sea around Philippines cause tsunamis eg one hit moro gulf, 800 killed

  Droughts - Luzon island reduction in rainfall decreased river discharge, decreased economic activity due to lack of HEP

  Flooding - Eastern floods in 2010 following heavy rainfall, displaced 450 000 and killed 25
• Factors affecting vulnerability 


  Heavily populated eg Luzon

  Coastally distributed population increase vulnerability to hazards such as typhoons, flooding and tsunamis

  Due to growing population more deforestation and upland areas of agri causes more landslides

  Settlements built in vulnerable areas such as Mount Pinatubo

  Widespread economic poverty
• What should the Philippines be doing?

  Currently rely on response or reactive approach, but should be taking a more proactive approach such as mitigating or avoiding hazards by using land use planning, constructive planning and more.
• Reducing vulnerability 


  Philippines national Red Cross is working with other Red Cross organisations to reduce impacts of natural disasters including -

  • cooperation with gov to get financial support for mitigation measures that have long term sustainability
  • training locals in disaster management
  • identifying risk through land use mapping
  • initiating mitigation measures like sea wall, land use plans, evacuation plans
  • information to whole community
• Problems with attempts

  • United Nations says it has some of the best risk reduction laws but they are still on paper
  • 7 000 island is too much of a responsibility for reducing disaster risk especially in local governments where money isn't spent wisely
  • although 70% of disasters spending to be long term plans and 30% on emergency aid - resources are stretched, even before we can recover from one disaster, the next one comes.