Effects of the 2013 Pacific typhoon season in the Philippines

The effects of the 2013 Pacific typhoon season in the Philippines were considered some of the worst in decades. Throughout the year, a series of typhoons impacted the country, with the worst impacts coming from Typhoon Haiyan, especially in death toll, during November.

The first half of the season was relatively weak compared to the other intense seasons of 2004 and 2009. The season started off with Auring affecting southern Philippines on January 2. The next week after that, Bising formed consequently south of the country, which later moving off north becoming a bomb cyclone. After a month, Crising developed, tracking like Auring.

During the second half of the season, tropical activity within the Western Pacific rose especially on the month of August. A series of storms formed or entered the Philippine area of Responsibility during the first week of June until the middle of July, which brought heavy rainfall throughout the country. Tropical activity and the southwest monsoon gradually intensified after the dissipation of Tropical Depression Kiko, which Typhoon Labuyo made landfall over Luzon a few days after that. Even though Maring didn't made landfall whereabouts in the country, the system intensified the monsoon which brought extreme flooding throughout the country.

Even though September was weak, with Typhoon Odette impacting southern Taiwan and extreme northern Luzon, October was relatively active as well as dual typhoons appearing three times within the month. Just like Maring, Quedan enhanced the monsoon. The storm later intensified into a strong typhoon just in the upper part of the PAR, and later making landfall over eastern China with extreme damages. When Quedan was exiting the PAR, Ramil briefly entered their area while intensifying into a Category 4 typhoon. During the mid-week of the month, Typhoon Santi made landfall over central Luzon, with extreme damages. Category 5 Typhoon Francisco weakened to a minimal typhoon before entering their area with a codename of Urduja.

The last four named storms by PAGASA was from the last week of October until the mid-week of November. During late-October, Vinta made landfall over northern Luzon with little damages. As November came in, the PAGASA had monitored a weak Tropical Depression Wilma which had brought minor damages and a waterspout in southern Visayas. Later that week, Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) entered the area as a rapidly intensifying storm system with a fast-pace speed and was named Yolanda by PAGASA. The monstrous typhoon first made landfall over eastern Visayas with the JTWC unofficially estimating wind speeds of up to . This made Haiyan the strongest storm globally to make landfall, in terms of 1-minute sustained wind speeds, until the record was broken by Super Typhoon Rolly (Goni) 7 years later. Upon impact, the storm produced a large storm surge, which was a primary cause for the abnormally high death toll of nearly 7,000 people Haiyan caused in the Philippines. Just like the formation of Bising during January, the last named storm, Zoraida, formed and impacted southern Philippines with hardly any deaths and damages. No storms formed after that from November through to the end of the year.

Moreover, this is the first time that PAGASA had used all 25 names in their list since 2004 which also marks one of a few active seasons.

Related articles2013 Pacific typhoon seasonTimeline of the 2013 Pacific typhoon season

Seasonal statistics Name PAGASAname Dates of impact Dates within PAR Fatalities Damages(Millions US$) Maximum intensityduring passage Sonamu Auring ---- Bising Shanshan Crising Yagi Dante Leepi Emong Bebinca Fabian Rumbia Gorio Soulik Huaning Cimaron Isang Jebi Jolina Mangkhut Kiko Utor Labuyo Trami Maring Kong-rey Nando Usagi Odette Wutip Paolo Fitow Quedan Danas Ramil Nari Santi Wipha Tino Francisco Urduja Krosa Vinta 30W Wilma Haiyan Yolanda Podul Zoraida

Seasonal activity

January–February

On January 3, the PAGASA had started to issue advisories on a tropical depression and west named Auring, as it was located over the Sulu Sea. Public Storm Signal #1 were raised over western Visayas including Palawan. Heavy flooding was observed throughout Mindanao. PAGASA had also stated in one of their bulletins that heavy rainfall would be an estimate of 5–15mm per hour. A passenger vessel ran aground on Thursday, after being hammered by strong winds and waves spawned by tropical depression Auring, but all 228 passengers were rescued unharmed over in Dumaguete. Within the Philippines, one person died, while a passenger ship was stranded near the coast of Dumaguete on January 3 before being rescued. PAGASA had issued their final warning, which was upgraded to Tropical Storm Auring, as it heads out of the Philippine area of Responsibility and was later upgraded by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to Tropical Storm Sonamu on January 4. By January 8, the NDRRMC confirmed that the total death toll rose to 2 and 12 were injured by Tropical Storm Auring. At least 63 houses were damages while 122 were destroyed. Damages from the storm are unknown, but the effects were minor.

On January 11, Tropical Depression Bising developed east of the Philippines. Bising caused moderate to heavy rains across Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas and Mindanao. More than 17,000 people were affected by heavy rains caused by Bising. About 229 passengers were stranded in Bicol. The NDRRMC had reported that no casualties were confirmed and damages were estimated at PhP 1.5 million (US$34,000) due to Bising.

With Tropical Depression Crising, 100 families were evacuated as it headed to Palawan. Crising left several areas flooded, including areas that were hit by Typhoon Bopha last December 2012. NDRRRMC had also reported that 16,700 people were affected in southern Mindanao of Regions X and XI. A total of 262,880 people were affected throughout the country, nearly half in the Davao Region. The storm destroyed 53 homes and damaged 119 others, while crop damage amounted to ₱11.2 million (US$255,000). On February 20, classes in three cities in Cebu were suspended due to heavy rains. Heavy rains from the storm triggered flooding in the southern Philippines that killed four people and left two others missing by the NDRRMC on February 21. On February 22, it was confirmed that a total of at least 36,407 families were affected by Crising across Mindanao and Eastern Visayas, which 5,683 families are staying in evacuation centres.

June–July Even though Yagi, known as Dante, didn't make landfall in any parts of the country, the storm enhanced the early southwest monsoon which brought heavy rainfall to parts of the Philippines. With this, the PAGASA had declared the official start of rainy season, which was on June 10. After a week and same with Yagi, Tropical Storm Leepi brought heavy rainfall throughout the country without making landfall. On June 18, PAGASA stated that Leepi may bring moderate to heavy rainfall with possible thunderstorms over southern Luzon, Visayas and northern Mindanao. Due to heavy rainfall from the precursor system, PAGASA issued a flash flood warning for parts of Mindanao as well. Heavy precipitation was reported in Davao City, as well as Greater Manila, where the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority offered free rides to stricken commuters. On June 20, the PAGASA had stated that Tropical Depression Fabian will have no direct to the country, but it will bring heavy rainfall over in western Luzon and Palawan and coastal waves will be moderate to rough over the western seaboards.

Tropical Storm Rumbia

Late on June 27, when PAGASA made their first few bulletins on Gorio, Public Storm Signal #1 has been raised mostly over Regions VIII and a few islands over XIII. The agency advised residents living in low-lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning signals to be alert against possible flash floods and landslides. On June 29, Gorio made landfall over eastern Samar. As the JMA upgraded Gorio to Tropical Storm Rumbia, Signal #2 were now put up over Region V and VIII, whilst Signal #1 were put up over southern Luzon, Visayas and northern Mindanao. PAGASA also upgraded Rumbia to a tropical storm. In Manila, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority's (MMDA) Monsoon Task Force deployed 200 personnel to 11 station in the local metropolitan area to monitor flooding and traffic conditions, as well as assist in potential rescue situations. The authority also requested the dismantling of all outdoor advertisements and billboards. Army rescue trucks were also on standby in Guadalupe, Makati. The Philippine government allocated ₱6.9 million in relief funds to deal with the effects of Rumbia. The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Eastern Visayas activated rapid response teams and prepared 1,040 family food packs for potential delivery in disaster areas. The department also readied ₱263,920 in standby food funds and ₱1.7 million in food items, as well as ₱270,350 in standby non-food funds. The civil defense office in the province also called for the preemptive evacuation of citizens in potentially affected areas. Local disaster management units in Caraga were activated, with 2,000 family food packs readied and a standby fund totaling ₱300,440. In total, the cost of prepositioned food packs, standby funds, food items, and other relief materials in Eastern Visayas and Caraga amounted to ₱6.9 million.

Due to the heavy rainfall from Rumbia in Tacloban, local officials were forced to cancel the scheduled Day of Festivals Parade. Elsewhere in Leyte, the rains began to cause widespread flooding on June 29, which also contributed to the cancellation of the event. In Central Visayas, Southern Luzon, Bicol, Northern Mindanao, and Eastern Visayas, the storm displaced 10,604 passengers due to the stoppage of transportation services as a result of Rumbia. Two major roadways in Eastern Visayas were blocked by soil erosion and flooding left behind by the heavy rainfall. In Bicol, the Philippine Coast Guard suspended maritime operations, resulting in the displacement of at least 2,949 passengers. A minor landslide rendered a main road impassable, but cleanup crews subsequently removed the debris. In Northern and Eastern Samar, downed wires resulted in temporary and isolated power outages across the two provinces.

Overall, on July 1, the NDRRMC had reported that seven people were left dead.

Tropical Storm Cimaron and Jebi Tropical storm Isang enhanced the south-west monsoon and brought heavy rain to parts of Luzon and Visayas between July 16–18. It will enhance the southwest monsoon which will bring light to moderate rains and thunderstorms over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and Western Visayas, Pagasa said.

August

Typhoon Utor

Ahead of Utor affecting the Philippines, PAGASA issued various tropical cyclone signals for Luzon and Visayas, including signal 3 for the provinces of Aurora and Isabela and signal 1 for Metro Manila. As Utor approached Central Luzon, a Malacanang Palace spokesperson called that local government to prepare and evacuate residents living near slopes, mountains and sea. Thirty-two provinces in Luzon and Manila had been placed under signal warnings. In Isabela, 67 families were evacuated before landfall. Under the anticipation of a direct hit, the local Pangasinan government placed the entire province on red alert. On August 11, the governor announced the suspension of classes from pre-school to tertiary level. Government and private offices were also suspended. Rescue equipment and rubber boats had also been placed in the disaster risk area of the province. In the said regions, the government advised all to not engage on water sports or rough seas due to the anticipated rough seas.