Typhoon Haiyan - Natural Hazards

Question 1

Background

Answer 1

Category 5 storm that hit the Philippines on 8th November 2013
Originated in North West Pacific
Wind speed in excess 195 miles per hour
4th most intense cyclone ever

Question 2

Primary effect

Answer 2

>6500 people killed
> 90% of Tacloban was destroyed
> over 600,000 people displaced and 40,000 homes wrecked 
> tacloban airport damaged
> 30,000 fishing boats destroyed
> power line brought down 
> crops destroyed 
> flooding as a result of 400mm of rain which fell

Question 3

Secondary effects

Answer 3

> 14 million people affected
6 million people lost source of income
landslides which blocked roads which cut off aid
no electricity for over a month
ferry services and flights were disrupted
shortage of fresh water and food
jobs lost, hospitals damaged, shops + schools destroyed, looting and violence broke out in Tacloban

Question 4

Short term responses

Answer 4

> US aircraft carrier George Washington and its helicopters conducted a search and rescue mission and delivered aid
1200 evacuation centres were set up
UK government sent shelter kits
Philippines Red Cross delivered food aid
French, Belgian, Israeli governments set up field hospitals
500 tonnes of medical supplies

Question 5

Long term responses

Answer 5

> “cash for work” programmes set up
Aid agencies supported the replacement of fishing boats
cyclone shelters have been built in coastal areas
thousands of new homes have built away from areas at risk of coastal flooding

Question 6

social affects

Answer 6

>6500 people killed
> 2.5 million people needed first aid
> around 12 million people were affected
> 90% of Tacloban was destroyed
> over 600,000 people displaced and 40,000 homes wrecked 
> Tacloban airport damaged

Question 7

economic affects

Answer 7

> 6million lost source of income
$5.8 billion in damage
33 million coconut trees destroyed
30,000 fishing boats destroyed

Question 8

environmental effects

Answer 8

> flooding as a result of 400mm of rain which fell
project in Tacloban replaced mangroves with 13,000 seeds
oil and sewage leaks
fishing communities severely damaged
hundreds of thousands of hectares of rice plants destroyed

Question 9

political effects

Answer 9

> declared a ‘sate of national calamity’
Tacloban city government was decimated
government were put under pressure to speed up the distribution of aid eg water, food and shelter