Top 10 Most Destructive Philippine Typhoons of 2009 - Wikipilipinas: The Hip 'n Free Philippine Encyclopedia Top 10 Most Destructive Philippine Typhoons of 2009 From Wikipilipinas: The Hip 'n Free Philippine Encyclopedia Jump to: navigation , search The year 2009 brought about what could be considered the most destructive typhoons in Philippine history. Filipinos were tested for their courage and strength is coping with these miserable disasters. Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) Ondoy was considered a weak typhoon but it brought record rainfall and flooding in September. A state of calamity was declared in Metro Manila as well as 25 provinces. Marikina and Rizal province were the hardest hit areas. According to PAGASA , Ondoy dumped 455 millimeters of rain in Quezon City alone within 24 hours. As per the National Disaster Coordinating Council ’s last report, Ondoy left 337 people dead, 308 injured, and 37 missing.

Estimated cost of damages amount to almost Php 10.5 billion in infrastructure and agriculture. Pepeng (international name: Parma) Pepeng was the slowest and longest staying typhoon that hit the country in 2009. PAGASA forecast its location as early as 29 September but it made landfall only on 3 October. After exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility, it made a second landfall in Cagayan on 8 October. The “u-turn” was affected by Typhoon Melor which entered the country at the same time. Pepeng left 375 dead, 185 injured, and 48 missing as of NDCC’s last situation report made in 14 October. Estimated cost of damages was placed at Php 8.142 billion. Emong (international name: Chan-hom) Emong made landfall on 7 May in Bolinao , Pangasinan . It affected Northern Luzon and registered a 48 hour record rainfall from 6 to 8 May. Western Pangasinan was placed under a state of calamity with the whole province claiming 16 of the 60 deaths recorded by NDCC.

The number of missing was reported at 13 and the number of injured at 53. Total damage was estimated at Php 1.2 billion. Santi (international name: Mirinae) Santi entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on the night of 29 October. Regions most affected were IV-A and V. The typhoon left 34 dead, 20 injured, and 15 missing. Estimated cost of damage to agriculture, infrastructure, and private property was placed at Php 704.97 million. Dante (international name: Kujira) Dante was the fourth tropical cyclone to hit the country in 2009. It left 27 people dead, 8 missing, and 5 injured. Provinces most affected included Sorsogon , Camarines Norte , Camarines Sur , and Catanduanes . NDCC reports that Dante damaged Php 451,737,631 worth of crops and livestock and Php 102 million worth of communal irrigation facilities.

Kiko (international name: Morakot) Kiko flooded eleven villages in Botolan , Zambales with waters rising up to 4 to 5 feet high after the Pinatubo Dike overflowed on 6 August. It left 20 people dead, including miners trapped by mudslides in Baguio City. The NDCC declared Zambales under a state of calamity as more than 13,000 people were left homeless. Jolina (international name: Goni) Follow @WxNick Former Super Typhoon Koppu, known as Lando in the Philippines, was downgraded to a remnant area of low pressure Wednesday morning (Oct. 21) as it drifted over that country's small northernmost islands. Koppu drenched the country's main northern island of Luzon with as much as 43 inches of rain during its slow, meandering journey across the country. Dozens of deaths were blamed on Koppu, and thousands of people were displaced. (MORE: Filipinos Tally Destructive Impacts of Koppu ) Among the hardest-hit areas were the eastern coastal towns of Baler and Casiguran, where significant building damage was reported .

Koppu made landfall in Casiguran early Sunday, Oct. 18. Some of the most widespread flooding was reported in the province of Nueva Ecija, including the inland city of Cabanatuan, about 60 miles north of Manila. The Associated Press reported that some villagers in the province were trapped in their homes and on rooftops. The area around Baguio City was also hit hard, as expected, by extremely heavy rainfall that caused several deadly mudslides. Power outages were reported province-wide during the height of the storm in Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Apayao, and Kalinga, according to the Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council . The outages affected an estimated 9 million people, or nearly one-tenth of the entire population of the Philippines. Flood, Mudslide Threat from Days-Long Deluge Koppu (Lando) was well-anticipated as a worrisome flood risk because of its very slow movement near the northwest coast of Luzon.

Rainfall potential in a tropical cyclone is largely a function of the cyclone's forward speed, not its wind intensity, so the risk of severe flooding was anticipated well in advance. As Koppu (Lando) meandered slowly just off the northwestern coast of Luzon, the wind circulation around it drove moisture-laden air from the South China Sea directly into the north-south mountain ranges of the Ilocos and Cordillera regions. With additional lift for the moist air provided by Luzon's mountainous terrain , rainfall totals topped 20 inches over parts of Luzon, particularly the Cordillera Autonomous Region encompassing the mountain ranges of northwestern Luzon. The main city in the Cordillera region, Baguio, reported more than 43 inches (1,090 millimeters) of rain during the storm, of which more than 32 inches (800 mm) fell in a 24-hour period Monday and early Tuesday. Baguio is no stranger to extreme rainfall from slow-moving tropical cyclones. It received more than 2,200 millimeters (87 inches) of rain in four days from a tropical cyclone in 1911.

More recently, Typhoon Pepeng (international name Parma) dumped 73 inches of rain in seven days on Baguio in October 2009, unleashing severe flooding and mudslides that killed 465 people in other parts of northwestern Luzon. Just two months ago, Typhoon Goni brought more than 28 inches (700 mm) of rain to Baguio and nearby parts of northwestern Luzon in three days, even though it never made landfall in the country. The rain unleashed flash floods and mudslides that accounted for most of the storm's death toll of 33 in the Philippines. Heavy rainfall also occurred across much of Central Luzon, an administrative region encompassing several provinces north of Manila. However, the two primary weather observation sites – Casiguran and Cabanatuan – stopped reporting data during the height of the storm. Estimates from NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement satellite indicated at least 10 inches (250 mm) of rain fell across a broad swath including those areas. Much of that water then drained into the Cagayan River valley, leading to extensive flooding of one of the Philippines' major agricultural production regions.

The Philippine government said Wednesday that agricultural losses alone amounted to at least 6.3 billion pesos (about $135 million in U.S. currency). Rapid Intensification Before Landfall As Koppu (Lando) first approached the east coast of northern Luzon, favorable winds aloft spreading apart from the center of the typhoon helped it to strengthen quickly as very warm seawater fed moisture and warm air into its core of powerful thunderstorm activity. Koppu (Lando) made landfall as a super typhoon near Casiguran in Luzon's Aurora province at 1 a.m. local time Sunday morning, Oct. 18. There was no official advisory at the exact time of landfall from the U.S. military's Joint Typhoon Warning Center, but several hours earlier JTWC had estimated Koppu's top sustained one-minute winds at 150 mph (240 kph), the equivalent of a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. According to NOAA's "best track" database, only 11 Category 5 equivalent super typhoons have made landfall in Luzon since 1952.

The last to do so was Megi, exactly five years ago to the day of Koppu's landfall (Oct. 18, 2010). The Japan Meteorological Agency, which uses a different intensity scale and a 10-minute average for computing sustained wind speeds, rated Koppu (Lando) a "very strong typhoon," its second-highest category, with maximum sustained winds of 100 knots (115 mph) at the time of landfall. JMA estimated the typhoon's minimum central pressure upon landfall to be 920 millibars. (WATCH: What Does the Cone of Uncertainty Mean? ) Because it is one of the most tropical cyclone-prone coastlines on Earth, settlement along the east coast of northern Luzon is quite sparse. A large part of the coastline is virtually uninhabited, but Koppu (Lando) crossed the coast south of the most desolate zone and instead hit Aurora, a province of about 200,000 people that hugs the eastern coastline of Luzon northeast of Manila. Meteorologists Jonathan Erdman, Quincy Vagell and Chris Dolce contributed to this story.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Typhoon Koppu Photos Typhoon Watch 2009 | VisitPinas.com Typhoon Watch 2009 Teenee 12 Comments [Note: Thanks to our trusted crew, GoTravelBliss.com , for arranging our travels. Contact them for your travel needs.] Some say that doing things during the start of the new year dictates the tempo for the rest of the year. If that’s true, then it’s not good that the first typhoon for 2009 has entered the Philippine area of responsibility just two days into the new year. It’s not surprising, though, as 20 typhoons on average hit the Philippines every year, as noted in our previous article which also included reminders on typhoons. To track how many typhoons pass through Philippine jurisdiction this year, let’s list down each one as it hits the Philippines. (See 2010 and 2011 lists) 1. Auring. The first typhoon of 2009 on the second day of the year. Floods in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, and landslide in Matnog, Sorsogon were reported.

But this is a minor typhoon. 2. Bising. The pre-Valentines celebration of affected areas must have been cut short by Typhoon Bising. We understand it entered the Philippine area of responsibility on February 12, with Storm Signal No. 1 raised in Cebu and other areas in Visayas/Mindanao. Downgraded to a low pressure area late in February 13. 3. Crising. Declared as a tropical depression on 30 April 2009. 4. Dante (International Code: Kujira). This typhoon officially left the Philippine area of responsibility on Wednesday, 6 May 2009, left at least 27 people dead in the Bicol Region. 5. Emong (International Code: Chan-Hom). PAGASA issued the first tropical cyclone warning on Wednesday, 6 May 2009. The second warning raised storm signal No. 2 (60-100 kph winds) in the northern area: Zambales, Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet, Ilocos and Abra. Updates here . 6. Feria (International Code: Nangka).

In its first Severe Weather Bulletin, issued on 23 June 2009, PAGASA declared that an active low pressure area east of Visayas has intensified into a tropical depression, which was named Feria, and Signal No. 1 was declared in certain parts of Samar and Leyte. By June 25, only the following were covered by a storm signal warning (Signal No. 1): Northern Mindoro, Lubang Is., Batangas, Cavite, Bataan, Zambales and Metro Manila. 7. Gorio (International Code: Soudelor) 8. Huaning (International Code: Sanvu). This tropical depresssion was upgraded by PAGASA into tropical storm in July 13. 9. Isang (International Code: Molave). PAGASA reports that this tropical storm brought winds of 95 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 125 kph as of 17 July 2009. It reportedly left four people dead and 1 missing. 10. Jolina (International Code: Goni).

has acclerated and intensifed into a tropical storm while over the Philippine Sea, according to the second PAGASA bulletin as of 30 July 2009. The location of center is northeast of Virac, Catanduanes or east of Casiguran, Aurora. Maximum winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. No public storm warning signals yet raised. The first bulletin, issued on 31 July 2009, states that the low pressure area has developed into a tropical depression. 11. Kiko (International Code: Morakot). The first PAGASA bulletin, issued on 3 August 2009, indicates that a low pressure area has grown into a tropical depression. It went outside the Philippines’ area of responsibility, heading towards the direction of Japan, but it re-entered the Philippines, as revealed in PAGASA’s fourth bulletin issued at around 11 a.m. of 4 August 2009. No public storm warning signals were issued from the start until now. At 11:00 a.m. of 7 August, Signal No.

1 was raised in Batanes, Northern Cagayan, Apayao and Ilocos Norte. 12. Labuyo. The active Low Pressure Area east of Northern Luzon has developed into a Tropical Depression, according to PAGASA in its Severe Weather Bulletin Number ONE issued at 4:45 p.m., Wednesday, 2 September 2009. From that time, until the sixth severe weather bulletin was issued on 4 September 2009, no public storm warning signals was raised. 13. Maring (International Code Name: Mujigae). On 8 September 2009, PAGASA declared its as a tropical depression, leaving the Philippine area of responsibility in September 9. 14. Nando (International Code Name: Koppu). On 12 September 2009, Nando entered the Philippine area of responsibility. Only Storm Signal No. 1 was raised. 15. Ondoy (International Code Name: Ketsane). The most destructive typhoon that hit the Philippines in recent memory, primarily due to massive flooding in many areas including Metro Manila (see precautions ). Death toll is around 300 people, with millions directly affected.

Together with Pepeng, Ondoy caused more than P6 Billion of damage to crops (as of October 8 and this figure is rising). Read more here . Satellite Image of Typhoon Pepeng (Courtesy of PAGASA-DOST) 16. Pepeng (International Code Name: Parma). A few days after the destructive Typhoon Ondoy, Pagasa issued its first weather bulletin on 30 September 2009, indicating that Typhoon Pepeng has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), with a gustiness of up to 150 kph. Severe Weather Bulletin No. 8, issued on 2 October 2009 reflects a gustiness of 230 kph, with first landfall expected at around noon of Saturday in the Aurora-Isabela area. Storm Signal No. 2 had been declared for the provinces of Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Northern Quezon, Aurora, Polillo Islands and Isabela. Satellite image courtesy of Pagasa (11 a.m., 02 October 2009). Pagasa says it’s possible for the Pepeng to reach Signal No.

4, a super typhoon, last declared in 2006 for supertyphoon Reming. Update (Bulletin 13, 5 p.m., 3 October 2009): Pepeng has made landfall over the Eastern Coast of Cagayan and is now traversing Extreme Northern Luzon. Satellite Image of Typhoons Ondoy and Quedan (Courtesy of PAGASA-DOST) Maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near center and gustiness of up to 210 kph. Signal No. 3 in Batanes group of Island, Cagayan, Babuyan and Calayan Island, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Northern Isabela. Pepeng expected to leave the Philippines in the evening of Monday, 5 October. Update2 (PAGASA Bulletin 21, 5 October 2009): Pepeng has slightly intensified as it remains almost stationary and still threatens extreme northern Luzon.

Update3 (PAGASA Bulletin 31, 8 October): Pepeng still remained almost stationary, 80 kms east-northeast of Tuguegarao City. 17. Quedan (International Codename: Melor). Even while Typhoon Pepeng is ravaging northern Luzon, another typhoon is threatening the Philippines. Typhoon Quedan has entered the Philippine Area Of Responsibility, per PAGASA Severe Weather Bulletin No. 1, as of 5 p p.m., 5 October 2009. It has maximum sustained winds of 205 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 250 kph, and is expected to be 780 km east-northeast of Basco, Batanes, by Tuesday. 18. Ramil (International Code Name: Lupit). Severe Weather Bulletin No. 1, issued at 6:30 p.m. in October 16, indicates that Tropical Storm Ramil has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility, though no storm signal was raised, a status which remained until the 7th bulletin, issued in October 19 (maintained its strength as it moves northwestward slowly).

19. Santi (International Code Name: Mirinae). PAGASA released its Severe Weather Bulletin No. 1 on 28 October 2009, indicated that Typhoon Santi has entered the Philippine area of responsibility. Bulletin No. 6, released in October 30, indicates that Santi continues to move closer to Aurora-Quezon area, with Public Storm Warning Signals in a number of areas, including Signal No. 2 for Metro Manila 20. Tino. This tropical depression fizzled on November 3, immediately after it entered the Philippine area of responsibility on November 2. See 2010 and 2011 lists. Also check the following: NASA - Hurricane Season 2009: Typhoon Ketsana (Western Pacific) Hurricane Season 2009: Typhoon Ketsana (Western Pacific) 10.1.09 > View larger image Data from NASA's TRMM satellite was used to create an enhanced 3-D topographic rainfall map of Ketsana's flooding rains received in the Philippines.

The dark yellow and orange areas indicate 375 mm (~15 inches) to over 475 mm (~19 inches), respectively. The red area over Manila indicates almost 2 feet of rain fell. Credit: SSAI/NASA, Hal Pierce NASA 3-D Map Shows Flooding Rains of Typhoon Ketsana in Philippines The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission or TRMM satellite, orbits the Earth and measures the amount of rainfall created by a tropical cyclone. When Typhoon Ketsana (known in the Phillippines as "Ondoy") made landfall early this past weekend TRMM was monitoring its rainfall. That data was used to create a 3-D map of rainfall over the Philippines from September 21-28. According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Ketsana dropped 17.9 inches (455 mm) of rain in Manila in just 24 hours on Saturday, September 26. The TRMM-based, near-real time Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. is used to monitor rainfall over the global Tropics.

TMPA rainfall totals for the 7-day period 21 to 28 September 2009 for the northern Philippines and the surrounding region showed that the highest rainfall totals occurred south of the storm's track in an east-west band over central Luzon that includes Manila. Amounts in this region are on the order of 375 mm (~15 inches) to over 475 mm (~19 inches). The highest recorded amount from the TMPA near Manila was 585.5 mm (almost 24 inches). Ketsana maintained minimal tropical storm intensity as it crossed central Luzon on the afternoon of September 26 (local time). The main deluge in the Manila area, located on the western side of Luzon, began around 8:00 a.m. local time even though the center of Ketsana had yet to make landfall on the eastern side of the island. A record 13.43 inches of rain fell in Manila in the six hours between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time, which is equivalent to about a month's worth of rain for the area.

The enhanced rainfall over on the Manila-side of the island as the storm approached was because of an interaction between Ketsana's circulation and the seasonal southwest monsoon. On-the-ground photos from Boston.com of the devastation Ketsana's rains caused can been seen at: Text credit: Rob Gutro,NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center September 30, 2009 > View larger image The Aqua satellite flew over Typhoon Ketsana during its lifetime and captured infrared imagery from September 26-30. The images showed high, cold, thunderstorm cloud tops (purple) as cold as -63F as they dumped heavy rains over the northern Philippines and Vietnam. Credit: NASA/JPL, Ed Olsen NASA's Infrared Satellite Images Reveal Ketsana's Deadly Western Pacific March NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Typhoon Ketsana during its lifetime and captured infrared imagery on a daily basis. The images showed high, cold, thunderstorm cloud tops (purple) as cold as -63F, as they dumped heavy rains over the northern Philippines and Vietnam. Although Ketsana was a tropical depression when it made landfall in the northern Philippines, it brought record rainfall, creating deadly flooding and mudslides.

Flooding killed 246 people in the Philippines, and affected more than 2 million homes there. Ketsana made landfall in the Vietnamese province of Quang Nam at around 2 p.m. local time. When it made landfall, it was a Category 2 typhoon with maximum sustained winds of up to 144 kilometers per hour (90 mph). In Vietnam's central highland province of Kon Tum, Ketsana destroyed or damaged approximately 170,000 homes, and crops and irrigation systems. More than 350,000 people were evacuated before the typhoon made landfall. Ketsana was downgraded to a tropical depression after crossing into Laos early Wednesday. Even in Cambodia, Ketsana killed 9 people and destroyed almost 100 homes in Kampong Thom province, which is located 80 miles north of the capital Phnom Penh. NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Typhoon Ketsana during its lifetime and its Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument captured infrared imagery from September 26-30.

The images showed high, cold, thunderstorm cloud tops as cold as -63F as they dumped heavy rains over the northern Philippines and Vietnam. That data helped forecasters see that Ketsana had powerful rain-making thunderstorms. AIRS provided valuable infrared data on Ketsana's cloud top temperatures, which are important because they tell forecasters how high thunderstorms are, and the higher the thunderstorm, the more powerful. Satellites provide helpful information to forecasters on what to expect from the storm, and forecasters in the Philippines posted warnings the day before Ketsana (called Ondoy in the Philippines) made landfall. Now, forecasters are watching Typhoon Parma approach. Text credit: Rob Gutro,NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center September 29, 2009 The MODIS instrument on NASA's Terra satellite captured this view of Typhoon Ketsana on September 28 at 10:30 a.m. local time as it was approaching Vietnam.

Credit: NASA/MODIS Rapid Response Team Typhoon Ketsana (17W) Makes a Deadly Landfall in Vietnam Typhoon Ketsana killed more than 200 people in the Philippines and when it made landfall early today, September 29, it killed 23 in Vietnam. Vietnamese officials reported deaths in six provinces, including three in Quang Nam, where the storm made landfall around 2 p.m. local time. It had maximum sustained winds of up to 144 kilometers per hour (90 mph) at the time of landfall. By 10 p.m. local time on September 29, the center of Ketsana had moved inland and was located 70 miles south of Hue, Vietnam, near the border of Vietnam and Cambodia. The storm was weakening quickly. It was still moving westward near 13 mph and is expected to dissipate sometime late on Wednesday, September 30.

Text credit: Rob Gutro,NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center NASA's TRMM Satellite Sees Tropical Storm Ketsana's Record Flooding in Northern Philippines The latest tropical system to the hit the Philippines, Tropical Storm Ketsana (known locally as "Tropical Storm Ondoy"), has resulted in record flooding in the capital of Manila on the island of Luzon in the northern Philippines. So far 140 people have died in the resultant flooding and mudslides with at least 32 more still missing. Ketsana began as a tropical depression in the west- central Philippine Sea on the morning of September 25, 2009 about 500 miles (~800 km) east-southeast of the central Luzon coast. The system was upgraded to a minimal tropical storm on the evening of the 25th (morning of the 26th local time) as it tracked westward towards Luzon. Ketsana maintained minimal tropical storm intensity as it crossed central Luzon on the afternoon of the 26th (local time). The main deluge in the Manila area, located on the western side of Luzon, began around 8:00 a.m.

local time (00 UTC September 26) even though the center of Ketsana had yet to make landfall on the eastern side of the island. A record 13.43 inches of rain fell in Manila in the 6 hours between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. local time, which is equivalent to about a month's worth of rain for the area. The reason for the enhanced rainfall over on the Manila-side of the island as the storm approached was the interaction between Ketsana's low-level circulation and the seasonal southwest monsoon. The southwest monsoon comes about from the summertime heating of the Asian landmass. As warm air rises over the continent it induces low pressure as the surface, which draws air in from surrounding regions. The southwest monsoon typically runs from June to September in the Philippines and draws warm, humid air up from the southwest across the South China Sea and into the islands where it can interact with the topography. Ketsana's counterclockwise circulation enhanced the effect, which resulted in the torrential rains.

Armed with both a passive microwave sensor and a space-borne precipitation radar, the primary objective of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite (better known as TRMM) is to measure rainfall from space. For increased coverage, TRMM can be used to calibrate rainfall estimates from other additional satellites. The TRMM-based, near-real time Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is used to monitor rainfall over the global Tropics. > View larger image Credit: SSAI/NASA, Hal Pierce TMPA rainfall totals are shown here for the 7-day period from September 21 to 28, 2009 for the northern Philippines and the surrounding region. The highest rainfall totals occur in an east-west band over central Luzon, including Manila, south of storm's track (indicated by the solid black line). Amounts in this region are on the order of 375 mm (~15 inches, shown in dark yellow) to over 475 mm (~19 inches, shown in orange). The highest recorded amount near Manila was 585.5 mm (almost 24 inches).

After passing through the Philippines, Ketsana intensified into a minimal typhoon over the central South China Sea and is expected to make landfall along the central coast of Vietnam. To see an animation of the calculated flood potential for this event, click here: . Heavy rain amounts (from satellites) and flood potential calculations (from a hydrological model) are updated every three hours globally with the results shown on the "Global Flood and Landslide Monitoring" TRMM web site pages located at: . TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency JAXA. Text credit: Steve Lang, SSAI/NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center September 28, 2009 This rainfall map was created by NASA's TRMM satellite and shows a week of global rainfall accumulation from September 21-28, 2009. The purple area in the northern Philippines shows rainfall between 24-32 inches in purple. Credit: NASA/TRMM > View larger image TRMM rainfall indicated that between 200-600 millimeters (mm) of rain (7.8-23.6 inches) of rain have fallen in the northern Philippines.

The yellow-green area on the rainfall map is around 100 mm, red is between 300-400 mm, while the purple indicates 500 to 600 mm of rainfall. Credit: NASA/TRMM Flooding in the Little Baguio area of San Juan City, the Philippines. That city is located east of Manila and south of Quezon City. Credit: Tropical Depression 17W Brings Disastrous Flooding, Death in the Philippines The tropical depression (17W) that formed on Friday, September 25 brought deadly flooding rains and mudslides through the northern Philippines over the weekend, killing at least 140 people and flooding many cities. Tropical Depression 17 W, now named Ketsana, and also named Ondoy in the Philippines, dumped record-breaking rainfall there over the weekend. PAGASA, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration noted the total rainfall on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. surpassed the highest 24-hour rainfall that the weather bureau recorded back in June 1967 for Manila.

The rainfall generated from Ondoy (Ketsana) during its first six hours over land measured 13.43 inches (341 millimeters). The old record from 42 years ago was 334 millimeters in 24 hours. NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite data confirmed the rainfall from its orbit in space. TRMM showed rainfall between 200-600 millimeters (mm) (7.8-23.6 inches) in the northern Philippines over the weekend from September 25-28. The product was developed in the Laboratory for Atmospheres of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. by the TRMM precipitation research team. More than 116,000 are being sheltered, and the flooding affected more than 400,000 people in Manila and surrounding areas. People either fled or sought refuge on the roofs of buildings or their homes. Reports indicated that as much 25 percent of Manila was flooded, and clean water, food, cooking gas and medicines are difficult to find.

Cars and trucks that were swept away by floodwaters were left in piles with mud and other debris. Some hospitals have also been reported damage from flooding. Rescue operations and updates were posted on a blog from the Philippines, the Manuel L. Quezon III blog: . According to the blog, "On Sunday, 27 September, we distributed over 2100 relief packages to three communities within Metro Manila and today, 28 September, are in the process of loading our trucks with over 3000 packs to be distributed to prioritized communities." Authorities estimated that on September 27, 25% of Manila remained submerged. A video posted by C.Magno on YouTube on September 27 at 10:30 a.m. local time showed several feet of floodwaters with floating cars and trucks around the hospital at Bagyong: . Residents in the Philippines can call the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) Emergency Numbers: 912-5668, 911-1406, 912-2665, 911-5061.

Help hotlines: 734-2118, 734-2120. Red Cross: 143, 527-0000 Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA): 136 Philippine Coast Guard: 527-6136 Bureau of Fire Protection Region III (Central Luzon) Hotline: (045) 9634376 Victory Fort is opening its doors to those affected by the typhoon. Call 813-FORT. On September 28 at 1500 Zulu Time (11 a.m. EDT), Ketsana (Ondoy or 17W) had moved into the South China Sea and strengthened into a typhoon. Ketsana had maximum sustained winds near 90 knots (103 mph). It was located about 200 nautical miles east of Hue, Vietnam, near 16.2 north and 110.6 east. It was moving west-northwest near 10 mph, and generating waves 26 feet high.

Typhoon Ketsana is now forecast to make landfall in Hue, Vietnam tomorrow September 29. Hue is the capital city of Thua Thien - Hue province, Vietnam with a population of 340,000. It was the imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty between 1802 and 1945, and is well known for its monuments and architecture. Two more tropical depressions have also now formed in the Western Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines and may threaten the country later this week as typhoons. Tropical Depression 18W was located 590 nautical miles east-southeast of Guam, and Tropical Depression 19W was located 280 nautical miles south-southwest of Guam on September 28. Text credit: Rob Gutro, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center September 25, 2009 NASA's Aqua satellite AIRS instrument captured 17W just east of the northern Philippines, poised for landfall. The purple areas indicate strong thunderstorms with cold cloudtops, colder than -63F.

Credit: NASA/JPL, Ed Olsen The MTSAT satellite captured an infrared image of TD17W at 17:30 UTC today, and showed the center of circulation just to the east of the northern Philippines. MTSAT is a dual mission satellite for Australia and Japan. Credit: US Navy/Joint Typhoon Warning Center Tropical Depression 17W Making Landfall in the Philippines Tropical depression 17W formed in the Philippine Sea very early today, September 25, and its forecast track takes it across the northern Philippines this weekend. The Philippine government has designated the storm as Tropical Depression "Ondoy." After it trudges through the Philippines this weekend, it is then forecast to intensify prior to final landfall in Vietnam early next week. Warnings have already been posted in the Philippines today. Public storm warning signal number 1 is already in effect in the Philippines provinces of: Albay, Burias Island, Quezon, Marinduque, Rizal, Bulacan, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela.

Public storm Public storm warning signal number 2 is raised in the following Philippines provinces: Catanduanes, Camarines Norte & Sur, Polillo Island. At 15:00 UTC (1 p.m. EDT) on September 25, the center of 17W was located approximately 330 nautical miles east of Manila, Philippines, near 14.6 north and 126.1 east. It had maximum sustained winds near 35 mph, and was moving west-northwest near 10 mph. It was generating waves as high as 12 feet, so the east facing shores of the northern Philippines can expect heavy surf and beach erosion, accompanied by gusty winds and downpours. Satellite imagery has shown that the low level center of the storm is located more than 100 nautical miles to the east of the strongest convection (and precipitation) that is already affecting the northern Philippines. Satellite imagery also revealed that convection has deepened or strengthened since midnight this morning (September 25).

NASA's Aqua satellite Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument captured 17W just east of the northern Philippines on September 24 at 1:29 p.m. as it was poised for landfall. The purple areas indicate strong thunderstorms with cold cloud tops, colder than -63F. The U.S. Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast said "The system will continue to track generally westward towards Luzon, making landfall shortly after [1 p.m. EDT Sept. 26]. The [low level center of circulation] is expected to weaken some, but improved upper level [atmospheric] conditions and favorable sea surface temperatures will promote re-intensification as the low level center of circulation emerges into the South China Sea." After that, 17W will continue to track westward towards Vietnam and strengthen in the warm waters in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Text credit: Rob Gutro, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Tropical Storm Pepeng - Wikipilipinas: The Hip 'n Free Philippine Encyclopedia Tropical Storm Pepeng Parma being declared as a category 4 super typhoon on Oct 1, 2009 Formed 2009 Pacific typhoon season Tropical Storm Pepeng (international name: Parma) is considered one of the strongest but slow-moving, and the longest staying tropical storm to hit the Philippines . Tropical storm Pepeng hit the Philippines days after Tropical storm Ondoy hit Central Luzon Region and caused massive flooding in Metro Manila . At 4:00 AM, 2 October 2009, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported the typhoon at 270 km East of Virac, Catanduanes (14.0°N 127.0°E) with maximum sustained winds of 195 kph and gustiness of up to 230 kph. The typhoon moved West Northwest at 19 kph until it reached northern Luzon.

The weather bureau forecasted typhoon Pepeng at 60 kms of Casiguran, Aurora on the morning of Saturday (October 3) then to Aurora- Isabela area at noon, 80 kms West of Laoag City in the morning of October 4, and 400 kms West Southwest of Basco, Batanes in the morning of October 5. The typhoon exited from landfall after two days of battering northern Luzon and remained in the Philippine area of responsibility only return three days after making a second landfall in Cagayan province. Contents 14 Citation Timeline On September 30, 2009 at 4:00 in the afternoon, PAGASA forecasted its location to be at 630 east of northeast of Borongan , Eastern Samar . On September 29, 2009, the storm was located 160 kilometers nautical miles northeast of Palau and moved northwestward to the territorial waters of the Philippines . It made landfall only on October 4 hitting the Cagayan Valley Region in northern Luzon. The storm path is headed towards Taiwan .

On October 7, 2009 PAGASA announced that Typhoon Pepeng remains stationary in the province of Isabela and is packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center. PAGASA Track as of 8 a.m., 02 October 2009 Forecast (October 4) 260 km West Northwest of Laoag City or 280 km West of Basco, Batanes Tuesday morning 320 km West Northwest of Basco, Batanes Public Storm Warning Signal (October 1) On October 1, 2009, 11:00 am, PAGASA hoisted the following storm signals in the following areas: Signal No. 1 Philippines– 2009– Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng affected 9.3 million people | GFDRR Printer-friendly version In late September and early October 2009, the Philippines was hit, in quick succession, by two typhoons—Ondoy and Pepeng—that severely affected over 9.3 million people and resulted in the loss of 956 lives, with over 700 injured and 84 persons missing.

While the majority of deaths caused by tropical storm Ondoy were due to drowning, reported deaths during typhoon Pepeng were also due to landslides. Ondoy, the equivalent of a Category I storm, brought an unusually high volume of rain, which generated high flooding in the Marikina River causing extensive flooding in the Metro Manila area and the neighboring Rizal province, including the cities of Antipolo, Makati, Malabon, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Pasig, Quezon, San Juan, Taguig, and Valenzuela. Tropical storm Ondoy was quickly followed by typhoon Pepeng (international name Parma), a category III storm, bringing powerful winds with gusts of up to 230 km/hr then an extended period of heavy rains. The Government of the Republic of the Philippines declared a National Sate of Calamity on October 2ndand requested development partners to undertake a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) jointly with the Government. In response, a PDNA was undertaken with the support of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) with financial support from the European Commission and the governments of Australia, Norway and Sweden.

The assessment team consisted ofthe government agencies, representatives of the private sector and civil society organizations, multilateral development partners―the Asian Development Bank, European Commission, United Nations, and the World Bank Group, and bilateral development partners, including Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the governments of Australia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, and the United States. Tropical storm Ondoy and typhoon Pepeng caused a total of US $4.38 billion in damage and losses, equivalent to about 2.7 percent of GDP. The share of private sector damage and losses was estimated to be 90 per cent of the total. Total cost of recovery and reconstruction was estimated at US$ 4.42 billion, consisting of US$ 942.9 million for recovery needs, and US$ 3.48 billion for the reconstruction efforts over the short term (2009-10) to medium term (2011-12). Arecovery and reconstruction strategy was recommended including (i) immediate restoration of rural livelihoods; (ii) housing alternatives for informal settlements, and (iii) important role of Local Government Units (LGUs) in implementing the recovery and reconstruction program and future measures to mitigate disaster risk.

A number of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) priorities were identified, including: (i) improving flood management in Metro Manila, (ii) improving quality of and access to scientific data for predicting and forecasting disasters, (iii) mainstreaming of DRR into local planning and critical service infrastructure, and (iii) improving access to disaster risk financing. TYPHOON! TYPHOON! As we were about to wrap up the September, 3rd Qtr. 2009 issue of “Kasama”, Typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) hit the Philippines with 85kph winds on September 26th. About 16.7 inches (42.4 centimetres) – more than the month’s average total of rain – fell in just twelve hours causing the worst floods Manila has experienced since 1967. Then, on October 1, with parts of the capital still under floodwater, Typhoon Pepeng (Parma) snaked its way northwest from Samar, to pass over the Cordillera and the far north of Luzon by October 4, and eventually moved off toward the South China Sea by October 9.

The third incident, Typhoon Santi (Mirinae) made landfall on October 31 in Quezon Province with 150kph winds, but thankfully did not linger and was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved back out to sea. (Data culled from the National Disaster Coordination Council situation reports at .) Sadly, with three typhoons in five weeks affecting major cities and rural areas, the numbers of dead, injured and missing people continue to rise with many in hospital suffering from injuries, respiratory illness, leptospirosis, and other infectious diseases. To include some reports on the consequences of these extreme weather events, this issue spans four months. We thought you would not mind the delay.

Looking back: the records of Ondoy Looking back: the records of Ondoy Five years after Ondoy hit the country, its record remains unmatched by other disasters that followed Published 3:03 PM, September 26, 2014 Updated 9:34 PM, September 26, 2014 Tropical Storm Ondoy has affected about 4.9 million people in the Philippines MANILA, Philippines – Five years ago on September 26, Tropical Storm Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) ravaged Luzon, submerging areas like Metro Manila in floods at record-breaking levels. Ondoy, then combined with the enhanced southwest monsoon, caused damages to infrastructure and agriculture at a cost of P11 billion ($246 million*). It's been 5 years since Ondoy hit the country, yet it will always be remembered because of its impact. It is even often compared to other typhoons that have followed, yet most have failed to match Ondoy's record. Here are just 5 of the biggest effects of Ondoy to the country. 1.

Ondoy is one of the worst natural disasters to hit the country in terms of number of people affected. With combined heavy rains and strong winds, Ondoy affected 993,227 families or 4,901,234 people, making it fourth in the list of worst natural disasters in the Philippines in terms of number of people affected. From the total of affected population, 464 were killed, 529 injured, and 37 were missing. Furthermore, a total of 15,798 families or 70,124 people took shelter in 244 evacuation centers. 2. Metro Manila and about 30% of all provinces in the Philippines were placed under a state of calamity. In just 6 hours, Ondoy released rainfall equivalent to a month’s volume of rain with a rate of 56.83 mm/hr based on its 24-hour recorded rainfall. Twenty-three provinces and Metro Manila were placed under a state of calamity due to the widespread devastation by Ondoy.

Then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared a state of national calamity via Proclamation No.1898 on October 2, 2009, to also prepare the country for Typhoon Pepeng (international name: Parma). In Metro Manila, the most affected areas in terms of flooding were Pasig City, Quezon City, City of Manila, Caloocan City, Muntinlupa City, and Marikina City, with the highest height of flood ranging from knee to neck level, up to roof top. Marikina City is one of the areas that were most affected by Ondoy in Metro Manila 3. The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act was created. Just after a week of Ondoy’s havoc, Typhoon Pepeng entered the country and also caused damages in the northern part of the country. The damages brought by both Ondoy and Pepeng led to the enactment of Republic Act No. 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.

The Act enhances the disaster preparedness and capabilities of the national government and local government units by providing a National Disaster Risk Reduction Management System Framework, and by institutionalizing the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan. 4. Ondoy caused a leptospirosis outbreak that year. In 9 Metro Manila hospitals, the Department of Health (DOH) recorded a total of 383 cases of leptospirosis just a few weeks after Ondoy caused flooding in Metro Manila, CALABARZON, and Central Luzon. Suprisingly, this figure is already half of the total number of leptospirosis cases reported in 2009. The DOH even asked help in responding to the leptospirosis outbreak from a team of international experts from Australia, France, the Netherlands and Singapore. 5. Ondoy's rainfall remains unmatched by other typhoons that followed. Almost 5 years after Ondoy, Tropical Storm Mario (international name: Fung-wong) hit almost the same areas affected by Ondoy. Mario hit the country a week before the fifth anniversary of Ondoy.

Question: What was the name of the typhoon which hit the Philippines in October 2009?
Answer: Parma