Background Info
Typhoon Haiyan is an extreme example of a tropical cyclone, the
scientific name for a hurricane. Scientists are not completely sure
how they are formed but the general consensus is:
 A strong upward movement of air draws water vapour up
from the ocean.
 As the air rises it spirals, cools and condenses- releasing huge
amounts of wind energy, which powers the storm.
 Colder air sinks down through the centre of the typhoon to
form the eye.
 When the hurricane reaches land and its source of heat
energy and moisture disappears- it rapidly decreases in
strength.
It was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded. It
devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the
Philippines, in early-November 2013.
It was the deadliest Philippine typhoon recorded in modern
history.
Economic Impacts
 Major rice and sugar producing areas were lost. This meant
that trade moved to countries such as India, Vietnam and
Thailand.
 Coconut plantations were ruined- they previously accounted
for half the Philippines agricultural exports. The country is the
biggest in the world for producing coconut oil.
 Between 50,000 and 12,000 tonnes of sugar were lost.
 71,000 of hectares of farmland affected.
 Total economic losses, as of 2013, were $2.86 billion.
 Due to the loss of rice there was a 1.8% reduction in the
fourth quarter output.
 The price of rough rice fell 0.9% and sugar dropped 6.7%.
 1.1 million crops were destroyed.
Causes/ Track
The super typhoon was fuelled by the ideal conditions for a
typhoon: low wind shear and a warm Pacific Ocean.
It originated from a low-pressure area several hundred kilometres
east-southeast of the Federated States of Micronesia on
November 2nd 2013.
It then moved westward, where environmental conditions
favoured tropical cyclones, and the storm became a tropical
depression. The system over the next days went through a period
of rapid intensification that brought it to typhoon intensity. By
November 6 it was a category 5 typhoons. It then continued to
intensify. On November 7th it made landfall In the Philippines at
Guiuan, Eastern Samar. It gradually weakened and made five
additional landfalls before emerging over the South China Sea. It
then ended up in Vietnam as a severe tropical storm on
November 10.
Southeast Asia is vulnerable to typhoons particularly as the vast
expanse of warm water, the Pacific, acts as the birthplace for
storms and there is little land around to slow the storms down.
Typhoon Haiyan hit land when it reached its peak, which is
unusual for most hurricanes.
Typhoon Haiyan
Environmental Impacts
 The trail of uprooted trees and environmental devastation
this leaves behind bumps up global warming by releasing a
pulse of carbon into the atmosphere.
 FAO say hundreds of thousands of hectares of rice have been
destroyed.
 Coconut plantations have been “completely flattened”.
 Fishing communities have been devastated- the storm
destroyed boats and gear consequently killing marine
animals.
 Power barge 103 of Napocor in Estancia, Iloilo was knocked
down which caused an oil spill.
Social Impacts
 A humanitarian crisis was caused as 1.9 million were left
homeless and 6 million displaced.
 Over one million farmers in the Philippines were impacted
according to the UN.
 In Tacloban 90% of structures were either destroyed or
damaged. Other cities like Ormoc are reporting similar
damage.
 The UN feared that diseased would spread due to the lack of
food, water, shelter and medication.
 The lack of aid in certain areas of the country has meant that
the death toll is likely to rise and more casualties were
reported following the typhoon.
 In less affected areas such as Cebu their population more
than doubled after the typhoon due to the influx of refugees
into the area.
 Overall 6,340 were confirmed dead with a further 1,061
missing.
 In Tacloban City wisepsread looting took place following the
typhoon. Relief trucks were attacked. Two of the city’s malls
and many grocery stores were looted. A curfew has to be put
in place.
Management
 Philippine communities are used to the passage of typhoons-
many towns have a disaster management committee and
these would of made preparations.
 The government issued major typhoon warnings, and
evacuated thousands of people to shelters.
 After the typhoon the Red Cross distributed water, water
tanks, thousands of ready to eat meals, medicine, shelter,
blankets, generators, satellite phones and body bags.
 However there was a delay in aid. The head of the UN
disaster assessment team said that there was a “logjam” of
aid ready to go but there was no way of moving it.
 There was a “10 hour journey across storm-damaged land to
reach people most in need.”
 Eventually some military flights were able to land.
 Security was a problem as looting broke out.
 "The delay was incredibly frustrating and in some respects
unacceptable," says Greg Barrow. "It's not inevitable in all
cases. But given the scale of the storm and its impact, there
was little that could have been done about it."