Note: This is a reprint of my article posted in my old blog . The Philippines is located north of Malaysia and Indonesia, south of Ta...
Note: This is a reprint of my article posted in my old blog.
The Philippines is located north of Malaysia and Indonesia, south of Taiwan, east of Vietnam and sandwiched by the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. In this setup, it is not surprising that the Philippines is battered by typhoons more than any of its closest neighbors. Because of this, the Philippines suffered most of the deadliest typhoons in recorded history.
When talking about the deadliest typhoons, these typhoons have killed the most in recorded history but estimates may be included in the list. As for the destructive typhoons, these typhoons have destroyed the most in terms of total damaged/destroyed properties (in pesos/dollars). The recent Typhoon Bopha (Pablo), Typhoon Washi (Sendong), and Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) are not included because it is difficult to make comparisons without verifiable records.
Before listing the ten most deadliest and destructive typhoons ever recorded, let us go back in time to evaluate the typhoons that hit the country before records were made. In this case, the destructiveness of these typhoons are based upon accounts by Spanish meteorologists at that time.
One of the earliest recorded typhoon was the typhoon that hit the island of Marinduque in October 10-15, 1617, wherein six ships were destroyed. A devastating tempest battered Samar and Leyte islands in May 4-5, 1870, destroying 400 houses and 15 bridges as another smashing hurricane was dismantling 247 houses in Negros, sinking 13 fishing trawlers and five schooners as it stampeded over the Iloilo seacoasts. At that time, it is considered the most deadliest and most destructive typhoon of the 19th century. In a situation eerily similar to Typhoon Ondoy, a powerful storm in October 12, 1872 brought havoc in Samar with a sustained ferocity for eight whole hours, crushing houses and drowning agricultural crops with its surging flood waters before turning with the same great energy to topple towering trees and level down whole towns in southern Luzon.
Two typhoons hit the archipelago in a span of one week from December 25, 1874 to January 1, 1875. Christmas Day saw a violent fury as a tropical tornado came howling over Misamis, northern Mindanao and onto Cebu; "uprooting" a stone church and mortar buildings; running a huge naval ship destroyer aground; dislodging massive stone docks of Cebu. Finally in November 25-27, 1876, hurricane-generating surging tidal waves took a heavy toll in agricultural crops and livestock, sweeping away 2,500 houses in the then still sparsely populated areas of Mindanao and the Visayas.
The 20 Worst Typhoons in Philippine History
| NAME | PERIOD OF OCCURRENCE | DEATHS | DAMAGE IN BILLION PESOS | HIGHEST WIND SPEED IN KPH (Place Recorded) | AREAS MOST AFFECTED |
| 1. URING(Thelma) 1 | November 2-7, 1991 | 5101* | 1.045 | 95 (Tacloban) | Leyte, Negros |
| 2. ROSING(Angela) 2 | October 30-November 4, 1995 | 936 | 10.829 | 260 (Virac Radar) | Bicol Region, CALABARZON, NCR |
| 3. REMING(Durian) 3 | November 26-December 1, 2006 | 754** | 5.086 | 320 (Virac) | Bicol, CALABARZON, Marinduque, Mindoro |
| 4. NITANG(Ike) | August 31-September 4, 1984 | 1363*** | 4.1 | 220 (Surigao) | Surigao, Bohol, Cebu, Negros |
| 5. RUPING(Mike) 4 | November 10-14, 1990 | 748 | 10.846 | 220 (Cebu) | Surigao, Visayas |
| 6. LOLENG(Babs) | October 15-24, 1998 | 303 | 6.787 | 250 (Virac) | Bicol, Central-Northern Luzon |
| 7. SENING(Joan) 5 | October 11-15, 1970 | 768 | 1.89 | 275 (Virac) | Bicol, CALABARZON |
| 8. UNDANG(Agnes) | November 3-6, 1984 | 895 | 1.9 | 230 (Tacloban) | Samar, Leyte, Panay |
| 9. SISANG(Nina) | November 23-27, 1987 | 979 | 1.119 | 240 (Legazpi) | Bicol, CALABARZON |
| 10. KADIANG(Flo) | September 30-October 7, 1993 | 576 | 8.752 | 130 (over water) | Northern-Central Luzon |
| 11. AMY | December 6-19, 1951 | 991 | 0.7 | 240 (Cebu) | Cebu, Negros |
| 12. TRIX | October 16-23, 1952 | 995 | 0.88 | 215 (Legazpi) | Bicol Region |
| 13. UNSANG(Ruby) | October 21-26, 1988 | 157 | 5.636 | 215 (Virac) | Bicol, Central-Northern Luzon |
| 14. KADING(Rita) | October 25-27, 1978 | 444 | 1.9 | 185 (Virac) | Central Luzon |
| 15. HERMING(Betty) | August 7-14, 1987 | 200 | 2.066 | 240 (Catarman) | Northern Samar, Southern Bicol |
| 16. SALING(Dot) | October 15-20, 1985 | 118 | 2.133 | 240 (Daet) | Northern Bicol, Central Luzon |
| 17. MILENYO(Xangsane) | September 25-30, 2006 | 110 | 6.61 | 180 (Legazpi) | Bicol, NCR, CALABARZON |
| 18. ANDING(Irma) 6 | November 21-27, 1981 | 409 | 0.65 | 260 (Daet) | Bicol Region, Central Luzon |
| 19. ILIANG(Zeb) | October 7-18, 1998 | 75 | 5.375 | 260 (over water) | Northern Luzon |
| 20. FERIA(Utor) | July 2-7, 2001 | 188 | 3.586 | 150 (over water) | Northern Luzon, Cordillera |
The 20 Costliest Typhoons in Philippine History
| NAME | Period of Occurrence | Damage (in Billion Pesos) |
| 1. RUPING (Mike) | November 10-14, 1990 | 10.846 |
| 2. ROSING (Angela) | October 30-November 4, 1995 | 10.829 |
| 3. KADIANG (Flo) | September 30-October 7, 1993 | 8.752 |
| 4. LOLENG (Babs) | October 15-24, 1998 | 6.787 |
| 5. MILENYO(Xangsane) | September 25-30, 2006 | 6.610 |
| 6. UNSANG (Ruby) | October 21-26, 1998 | 5.636 |
| 7. ILIANG (Zeb) | October 7-18, 1998 | 5.375 |
| 8. REMING (Durian) | November 26-December 1, 2006 | 5.086 |
| 9. NITANG (Ike) | August 31-September 4, 1984 | 4.100 |
| 10. REMING (Xangsane) | October 26-November 1, 2000 | 3.944 |
| 11. FERIA (Utor) | July 2-7, 2001 | 3.586 |
| 12. HARUROT (Imbudo) | July 19-23, 2003 | 3.240 |
| 13. NANANG (Lingling) | November 6-9, 2001 | 3.200 |
| 14. MAMENG (Sybil) | September 27-October 1, 1995 | 3.170 |
| 15. TRINING (Ruth) | October 16-31, 1991 | 3.072 |
| 16. YONING (Skip) | November 5-8, 1988 | 2.767 |
| 17. MONANG (Lola) | December 2-7, 1993 | 2.463 |
| 18. SALING (Dot) | October 15-20, 1985 | 2.133 |
| 19. HERMING (Betty) | August 7-14, 1987 | 2.066 |
| 20. YOYONG (Nanmadol) | November 29-December 4, 2004 | 2.036 |
The 20 Deadliest Typhoons in Philippine History
| NAME | PERIOD OF OCCURRENCE | DEATHS |
| 1. URING (Thelma)A | November 2-7, 1991 | 5,101 (8,000+)* |
| 2. NITANG (Ike) | August 31–September 4, 1984 | 1,363 (3,000)* |
| 3. TRIX | October 16-23, 1952 | 995 |
| 4. AMY | December 6-19, 1951 | 991 |
| 5. SISANG (Nina) | November 23-27, 1987 | 979 |
| 6. ROSING (Angela) | October 30 – November 4, 1995 | 936 |
| 7. UNDANG (Agnes) | November 3-6, 1984 | 895 |
| 8. SENING (Joan) | October 11-15, 1970 | 768 |
| 9. REMING (Durian)B | November 26–December 1, 2006 | 754 (1,200)* |
| 10. RUPING (Mike) | November 10-14, 1990 | 748 |
| 11. TITANG (Kate) | October 16-23, 1970 | 631 |
| 12. YOLING (Patsy) | November 17-20, 1970 | 611 |
| 13. KADIANG (Flo) | September 30 - October 7, 1993 | 576 |
| 14. KADING (Rita) | October 25-27, 1978 | 444 |
| 15. ANDING (Irma) | November 21-27, 1981 | 409 |
| 16. WINNIE C | November 28–30, 2004 | 407 |
The 20 Strongest Typhoons in Philippine History
| NAME | PERIOD OF OCCURRENCE | DEATHS |
| 1. URING (Thelma)A | November 2-7, 1991 | 5,101 (8,000+)* |
| 2. NITANG (Ike) | August 31–September 4, 1984 | 1,363 (3,000)* |
| 3. TRIX | October 16-23, 1952 | 995 |
| 4. AMY | December 6-19, 1951 | 991 |
| 5. SISANG (Nina) | November 23-27, 1987 | 979 |
| 6. ROSING (Angela) | October 30 – November 4, 1995 | 936 |
| 7. UNDANG (Agnes) | November 3-6, 1984 | 895 |
| 8. SENING (Joan) | October 11-15, 1970 | 768 |
| 9. REMING (Durian)B | November 26–December 1, 2006 | 754 (1,200)* |
| 10. RUPING (Mike) | November 10-14, 1990 | 748 |
| 11. TITANG (Kate) | October 16-23, 1970 | 631 |
| 12. YOLING (Patsy) | November 17-20, 1970 | 611 |
| 13. KADIANG (Flo) | September 30 - October 7, 1993 | 576 |
| 14. KADING (Rita) | October 25-27, 1978 | 444 |
| 15. ANDING (Irma) | November 21-27, 1981 | 409 |
| 16. WINNIE C | November 28–30, 2004 | 407 |
Sources:
Worst Typhoons in the Philippines (1617-1876), by Dominic Alojado
Typhoons in the Philippine Islands, by Ricardo Garcia-Herrera, Emiliano Hernandez & Luis Gimeno
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