Extreme Weather

    A common extreme weather event in the Philippines is monsoon rains. There are two types of monsoons in the Philippines : Amihan and Habagat. 

AMIHAN: This is known as the Northeast monsoon and "cool and dry northeast wind coming from Siberia and China and blows down to Southeast Asia". It typically takes place between the months of October to end of March. 

Habagat : This is characterized by the humid weather and heavy rainfall monsoons. It is also known as the Southwest monsoon. The rainfall during this time is more excessive than Amihan and often results in millions of dollars in damage. It typically takes place between the months of end of June to October. 

-Safety tips for monsoon season are:

*When you are meant to evacuate, follow instructions and leave. 

*Repair any damage to your home ahead of time such as the roof.

*Have all medication in a safe place with extras as there way be no way to receive such medications.

*If you are driving and the floods are to difficult to move through, leave your car and find higher ground.

On the 24 of July, 2021 there were reported heavy monsoon rains leading to flooding and the endangerment of people living in Manila. A total of 14,023 had to leave Manila and go to evacuation centers set up for those in need. Luckily there were no casualties and little damage sustained besides high flood waters. 

The monsoon rain storms in the Philippines are only becoming stronger because of the rising ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. As the evaporation becomes more prominent the heat from the Pacific Ocean rises into the air since warm air rises. It cause more tropical and threatening monsoon seasons. 

Resources:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/24/philippines-evacuates-thousands-as-monsoon-rains-flood-cities-pr

https://www.divescotty.com/underwater-blog/amihan-habagat-monsoon.php

https://www.abs-cbn.com/newsroom/listicles/2018/8/30/10-safety-tips-for-the-family-during-the-habagat-s?lang=en

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/06/30/2191858/rainy-across-philippines-caloy-enhances-habagat

https://www.edf.org/climate/how-climate-change-makes-hurricanes-more-destructive#:~:text=Warmer%20oceans%20fuel%20storms&text=Evaporation%20intensifies%20as%20temperatures%20rise,when%20the%20storms%20hit%20land.

Mass Wasting In The Philippines

One of the worst landslides in the Philippines occurred on February 17, 2006. The landslide killed 85 people and 981 were confirmed missing. It was said that the heavy rains were the cause of the landslide. The heavy rains caused mass flooding which then caused the landslide on the island of Leyte and Mindanao. 

When the soil became saturated it become loose and made the slope unstable, causing it to slide. 

According to the Philippines Mines and Geoscience Bureau, 80% of the land in the Philippines is prone to landslides. This is due to monsoons, earthquakes, and flooding that occurs often. Earthquakes can cause landslide by the intense shaking loosening the soil and making the ground unstable. 

                                                    Because of the mass rainfall in the Philippines there is lots of vegetation and greenery. This vegetation can appear on slope and can increase chance mass wasting such as a landslide, mudslide, or rockslide. The plants absorb the water from the rainfall to help grow. The water goes to the roots of the plant and into the soil for more nutrients. But with so much water going into the soil it is loose. Also the weight of the slope is heavier with vegetation and if it is weighted down it can slide. 

The PHIVOLCS department in the Philippines has tried to create a safety system for mass wasting occurrences. 

The top three most effective safety systems in place in my opinion are:

1). Creating retaining walls that look like tall stairs up the sides of roads and land, to hold soil in place. 

2). Shotcrete walls, which are very strong sprayed concrete that should not retain water therefore keeping it safer than the slopes. 

3). Having public safety signs up on main roads, in nature, near farming or large slopes that say there could be a mass wasting event nearby if hit by an earthquake or monsoon rains. As well as signs that clarify if there had been a mass wasting event here before. 

Overall the Philippines has taken many precautions in order to prevent and aid an mass wasting. 

References:

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/16144/landslide-in-the-philippines

https://www.bria.com.ph/articles/landslide-risk-reduction-schemes-in-the-philippines/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Philippine%20government's,Indonesia%2C%20India%2C%20and%20China.

https://pnsn.org/outreach/earthquakehazards/landslides

https://www.utsa.edu/today/2015/09/landslides.html#:~:text=Plants%20absorb%20water%20and%20reduce,die%2C%20resulting%20in%20more%20landslides.

https://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/index.php/landslide/landslide-prepareness

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotcrete#:~:text=Shotcrete%2C%20gunite%20(%2F%CB%88%C9%A1,%2C%20steel%20mesh%2C%20or%20fibers.