The Philippines is archipelagic country in Southeast Asia, located in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It consists of 7,641 islands. The country is known to be "the most exposed country in the world to tropical storms", with about twenty tropical cyclones entering the Philippine area of responsibility each year. In the Philippine languages, tropical cyclones are generally called bagyo. [1]
Climatologically, in the Northwest Pacific basin, most tropical cyclones develop between May and October. However, the Philippines can experience a tropical cyclone anytime in the year, with the most storms during the months of June to September. This article includes any tropical cyclone of any intensity that affected the Philippines from 2000 onwards.
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The following list are the fourteen most deadly storms that impacted the Philippines from 2000. Storms that are known to have killed at least 100 people are included in this list. Only six storms have exceeded the death toll of 1,000. Total number of deaths recorded are only from the country itself.
Rank | Name | Year | Number of Deaths |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Haiyan (Yolanda) | 2013 | 6,300 |
2 | Bopha (Pablo) | 2012 | 1,901 |
3 | Winnie | 2004 | 1,593 |
4 | Durian (Reming) | 2006 | 1,399 |
5 | Fengshen (Frank) | 2008 | 1,371 |
6 | Washi (Sendong) | 2011 | 1,268–1,472 |
7 | Ketsana (Ondoy) | 2009 | 671 |
8 | Parma (Pepeng) | 2009 | 465 |
9 | Rai (Odette) | 2021 | 410 |
10 | Xangsane (Milenyo) | 2006 | 279 |
11 | Tembin (Vinta) | 2017 | 266 |
12 | Megi (Agaton) | 2022 | 214 |
13 | Lingling (Nanang) | 2001 | 171 |
14 | Utor (Feria) | 2001 | 168 [40] [41] |
15 | Nalgae (Paeng) | 2022 | 164 |
16 | Trami (Kristine) | 2024 | 162 |
17 | Mangkhut (Ompong) | 2018 | 127 [42] |
18 | Rammasun (Glenda) | 2014 | 106 [43] |
19 | Conson (Basyang) | 2010 | 102 [44] |
Typhoon Babs, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Loleng, was a powerful typhoon that struck the Philippines days after Typhoon Zeb hit the same area. The seventh typhoon of the inactive 1998 Pacific typhoon season, Babs formed on October 14 between the Philippines and Guam. The storm moved westward initially, failing to intensify initially due to the outflow from Typhoon Zeb to the northwest. Babs slowed and briefly turned to the south before advancing to the northwest, whereupon it rapidly intensified into a strong typhoon. On October 20, the official Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) estimated peak 10‑minute winds of 155 km/h (96 mph), while the unofficial Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) estimated peak 1‑minute winds of 250 km/h (160 mph), making Babs an unofficial super typhoon. The storm struck the Philippine island of Catanduanes at that intensity and weakened slightly before hitting Luzon. Babs turned northward once in the South China Sea, later weakening due to unfavorable conditions and transitioning into an extratropical cyclone on October 27 in the Taiwan Strait.
Typhoon Parma, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Pepeng, was the second-wettest typhoon to affect the Philippines, and the second typhoon to affect the country within the span of a week during September 2009.
The effects of the 2009 Pacific typhoon season in the Philippines were considered some of the worst in decades. Throughout the year, series of typhoons impacted the country, with the worst damage occurring during September and October from Typhoons Ketsana (Ondoy) and Parma (Pepeng).
Severe Tropical Storm Rumbia, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Gorio, was a tropical cyclone that brought widespread flooding in areas of the Philippines and China late June and early July 2013. The sixth internationally named storm of the season, Rumbia formed from a broad area of low pressure situated in the southern Philippine Sea on June 27. Steadily organizing, the initial tropical depression moved towards the northwest as the result of a nearby subtropical ridge. On June 28, the disturbance strengthened to tropical storm strength, and subsequently made its first landfall on Eastern Samar in the Philippines early the following day. Rumbia spent roughly a day moving across the archipelago before emerging into the South China Sea. Over open waters, Rumbia resumed strengthening, and reached its peak intensity with winds of 95 km/h (50 mph) on July 1, ranking it as a severe tropical storm. The tropical cyclone weakened slightly before moving ashore the Leizhou Peninsula late that day. Due to land interaction, Rumbia quickly weakened into a low pressure area on July 2 and eventually dissipated soon afterwards.
Tropical Storm Fung-wong, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Mario, was a relatively weak tropical cyclone which affected the northern Philippines, Taiwan and the Eastern China. The sixteenth named storm of the 2014 typhoon season, Fung-wong caused severe flooding in Luzon, especially Metro Manila.
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.
Tropical Depression Usman was a weak but deadly tropical cyclone that impacted the southern Philippines in December 2018. Tropical Depression Usman originated first as a low-pressure area to the east of Palau on December 23. Slowly intensifying, the system became a tropical depression two days later. The system maintained its intensity while moving in a general west-northwestward direction approaching the eastern portion of the Philippine islands. However, due to unfavorable conditions, the depression weakened into a remnant low on December 29, while making landfall over Eastern Samar thereafter.
Typhoon Kammuri, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Tisoy, was a powerful typhoon which impacted the Philippines in early December 2019. Kammuri, which means crown or Corona Borealis in Japanese, the twenty-eighth named storm and sixteenth typhoon of the 2019 Pacific typhoon season, Kammuri developed from a tropical wave situated a couple hundred kilometers south of the Mariana Islands. From November 25 to 27, the system tracked westward at a steady pace and rate of intensification, first making minor impacts in Guam. On November 28, the system intensified into a typhoon as environmental conditions became marginally conducive for significant development. From November 29 to December 1, Kammuri was unable to strengthen to previous estimates due to its near stationary movement as a result of weak steering currents, upwelling itself consequently. On December 2, the system tracked westward at a much faster speed of 19 km/h (12 mph) and rapidly intensified over warm Philippine Sea waters, before making landfall in the Bicol Region of the Philippines at peak intensity as a category 4-equivalent typhoon.
Typhoon Vongfong, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Ambo, was a strong tropical cyclone that impacted the Philippines in May 2020. Beginning as a tropical depression on May 10 east of Mindanao, Vongfong was the first storm of the 2020 Pacific typhoon season. It gradually organized as it took a slow northward course, strengthening into a tropical storm on May 12 and curving west thereafter. The next day, Vongfong entered a period of rapid intensification, becoming a typhoon and attaining 10-minute maximum sustained winds of 150 km/h (93 mph). The storm made landfall at this intensity near San Policarpo, Eastern Samar, at 04:15 UTC on May 14. The system tracked across Visayas and Luzon, making a total of seven landfalls. Persistent land interaction weakened Vongfong, leading to its degeneration into a tropical depression over the Luzon Strait on May 17.
Severe Tropical Storm Nalgae, known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Paeng, was a very large and deadly tropical cyclone that wreaked havoc across the Philippines and later impacted Hong Kong and Macau. Nalgae, meaning wing in Korean, the twenty-second named storm of the 2022 Pacific typhoon season, Nalgae originated from an invest located east of the Philippines on October 26. The disturbance, initially designated as 93W, was eventually upgraded the following day to a tropical depression by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and re-designated as 26W. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) however, had already considered the disturbance as a tropical depression a day prior to JTWC's; the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also followed the JMA's lead and gave it the name Paeng. That same day, it was upgraded again by the JMA to tropical storm status, thus gaining the name Nalgae.
Severe Tropical Storm Trami, known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, was a very large, devastating, and deadly tropical cyclone that wreaked havoc across the Philippines and later impacted Vietnam, Thailand, and China in October 2024. It was also the first tropical cyclone in a series to impact the Philippines in late 2024, before Typhoons Kong-rey, Yinxing, Toraji, Usagi, and Man-yi.