Learning fromTyphoon Yolanda Experiences
to Save Future Lives

A. Sakurai, E. Maly, K. Iuchi, and S. Kure
International Research Institute of Disaster Science,Tohoku University, Japan1

INTRODUCTION©Google Map

Affected by the 2011 Tsunami

2What is a Typhoon?
©PAGASA

Many typhoons attack
the Philippines

Reuters

Japan is also expected to be
attacked by super typhoon©JMA
3

Future Projected super typhoon (JMA)A: Typhoon is a rotating, organized system of clouds andthunderstorms that starts over tropical waters, and brings
strong wind and heavy rainfall.

4

Typhoon Yolanda

We have many
typhoons everyyear….
Why did Typhoon
Yolanda make such
big damage toTacloban?
5Why did so much damage occur by Yolanda?
Google/Digital/Globe

BeforeYolandaGoogle/Digital/Globe

www.baronservices.com.

After
Yolanda6

Answer 1: Because of strong
wind made by supertyphoon
Strong Wind
BeforeAfter

Radar isGone!!
Radar designed towithstand 100 m/s
wind was destroyed©PAGASA

10 – 20 m/s©JMA

30 – 40 m/s

7©JMA100 m/s = Super Express Train!!

Answer 2: Because of storm
surge made by super typhoon©MLIT©JMAStorm Surge©MLIT©JMA8

Storm surge is high tide and large waves produced by strong
wind and low pressure during typhoons
Storm surges behave
like tsunami.

Strong WindFinal Storm Surge

High Tide9

Q: What was the route of Typhoon Yolanda? A or B?

ATacloban

B©Google Earth10Answer 3: Because the stormsurge directly attacked Tacloban

Answer: B

Tacloban

YolandaB
11©Google Earth11

Typhoon Yolanda

Do you think that atyphoon like Yolanda
could come toTacloban again?

Yes, Yolanda was not the first super typhoon.
In the Philippines, similar typhoons withstorm surge occurred in 1897 and in 1912.
Another typhoon like Yolanda could comeagain in the future.
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Typhoon Yolanda

What could we do to survive from sucha typhoon like Yolanda?

Can we predict a typhoon coming?
13

YES WE CAN!

Forecast

Actual route

Forecasted
Landing time:
8am, Nov. 8
Forecasting time:
8am, Nov. 78am, Nov. 8©Google Earthcoastal areas under signal #3 and #2 are alerted against
storm surges which may reach up to 7‐meter wave height.

This was the warning where Yolanda is coming, but people didn’t understand.
Track of Typhoon YOLANDA was predicted in advance, and weather agency
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issued a warning, but people did not understand the message

Very IMPORTANT to collect Typhoon
Information in ADVANCE©MLIT

Weather news tells you BEFORE the typhoon comes,when a typhoon is coming, and how big it isYou can get this information from TV, RADIO, INTERNET, CELL
PHONES, etc. in ADVANCE!!!

15

What to do when I know a typhoon iscoming!!

Earlier evacuation saves yourlife!
Listen to and follow
Evacuation Warning.
16How should we evacuate?
Keep away from the river and the sea
©MLIT

©JMA

Avoid strong wind and heavy rainfall

Evacuate to ”TALL” and “STRONG” buildings!!!
17

Where did you evacuate
when Typhoon Ruby(Hagupit) came?

Find the designatedevacuation place bydiscussing with your family
and teachers.
18

Before a typhoon is coming, prepare inadvance!
Discuss with your family
and teachers©JMA

Participate in evacuation drill
Prepare an evacuation bag at home
©ICHARM

Evacuation drill gives us
preparation opportunity 19

SummaryTyphoon Yolanda caused big damages by storm
surge and strong wind

We can predict a typhoon coming

A Super Typhoon like Yolanda could come toTacloban again
Important to discuss with your family about
how to prepare for another typhoon inadvance20

References
Some of figures used in this handbook was copied fromfollowing materials:
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Tourism Hokkaido Regional
Development Bureau, Japan
http://www.hkd.mlit.go.jp/zigyoka/z_jigyou/gijyutu/mizubousai.html•• Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Tourism, Japan
http://www.mlit.go.jp/river/kaigan/main/kaigandukuri/forKids/INDEX0.htm• Japan Meteorological Agency
http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/kishou/books/takashio/
World Handbook on Local Disaster Management Experiences for beginners,
ICHARM, Japan
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/handbook_on_local_disaster_management_experiences.pdf••

PAGASA： Role of PAGASA in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

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Acknowledgements•We would like to express our gratitude to our counterparts in the Philippines,
especially for the support from the Department of Education Regional Office No.
VIII and Tacloban City Division.

•This handbook was developed by Dr. Aiko Sakurai, Dr. Elizabeth Maly, Dr. Iuchi
Kanako and Dr. Shuichi Kure under the Special Project Research of IRIDeS,Tohoku University.

•Translations from English to Tagalog was made by Mr. U‐Nichols A. Manalo ofTohoku University.

•If you need a PPT file with animations of the handbook, please contact us.

•The characters presented in this handbook were drawn by Dr. Elizabeth Maly.

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