Effects of and responses to tropical storms

Effects of tropical storms

are caused directly by the storm:

Strong winds destroy buildings, bring down power lines and trees.
Heavy rain causes flooding.
A , a rise in sea level as winds push water ashore, floods coasts.

follow: homelessness, shortages of clean water and food, disease, damaged crops, lost jobs and the cost of rebuilding.

The effects depend on the storm's strength, how many people live in its path, and how well prepared the area is.

Key terms

Reducing the effects

satellites, aircraft and weather stations track storms as they form and grow.
forecasters predict a storm's path and strength days ahead, so warnings can be given.
buildings with strong roofs and walls; ; sea walls and flood defences; homes on stilts.
evacuation routes and plans, emergency supplies, and education so people know what to do when a warning is given.

Forecasts can't stop a storm, but warnings and evacuation save many lives.

Key terms

Typhoon Haiyan, 2013

Where and when: Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Yolanda, struck the central Philippines on 8 November 2013. It was one of the strongest tropical storms ever recorded to reach land. It first hit land at Guiuan in Eastern Samar, then crossed the islands westwards.

The country: the Philippines is an emerging country, often hit by typhoons, but many people in the worst-hit areas were poor, living in lightly built homes along the coast.

The worst damage was in and around Tacloban, a city on the coast of Leyte, where a several metres high swept inland.

Key terms

Haiyan: effects

	Effects
Primary	About 6,300 people died, many drowned by the storm surge in Tacloban. Over a million homes were damaged or destroyed. Roads were blocked, power was cut and Tacloban's airport was wrecked.
Secondary	About 4.1 million people were displaced from their homes. Shortages of food, clean water and medicine; fears of disease. Crops and fishing boats were destroyed, so many people lost their incomes. Looting in Tacloban.

Around 11 million people were affected in all, according to the Philippine government's disaster agency.

Exam tip

Name places (Tacloban, Leyte) and give figures. A generic answer about "typhoons" stays in Level 2.

Haiyan: responses

Immediate:

The government evacuated many people before the storm arrived, but many shelters were themselves flooded by the surge.
Countries and charities around the world sent search and rescue teams, field hospitals, food, water and shelter. Roads and the airport had to be cleared before aid could reach many areas.

Long-term:

The government's plan, Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda, set out about US$8 billion of rebuilding over four years, the largest part for housing and resettlement.
The aim was to : stronger homes, more storm shelters and new homes away from the most dangerous stretches of coast.

How successful? Warnings saved many lives, but the storm surge was underestimated. Rebuilding was slow, and many families waited years for new homes.

Key terms

Exam practice

Plan your own answer first, then open the model answers to see what each level looks like.

9 marks · about 9 minutes

Evaluate how successful the responses to a named tropical storm were.

Evaluate means: Judge strengths and weaknesses or successes and failures, then reach a conclusion.

Link it

Use the facts from:

Typhoon Haiyan (Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines, 8 November 2013)

Level 1 (Basic)· 3/9 marks (band 1–3)

After Typhoon Haiyan, other countries sent aid. People were evacuated. The responses were quite successful but lots of people still died.

Why this level: A named storm and two simple responses, but no detail and the judgement isn't supported. To reach Level 2: describe immediate and long-term responses with facts, and say what worked and what didn't.

Level 2 (Clear)· 5/9 marks (band 4–6)

Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in November 2013. Before it struck, many people were evacuated, which saved lives. After the storm, international aid sent rescue teams, field hospitals and supplies. In the long term, the Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda plan set out about US$8 billion of rebuilding over four years. However, about 6,300 people still died.

Why this level: Clear, accurate immediate and long-term responses with figures. But the evaluation is thin: it doesn't explain why responses failed or reach a reasoned judgement. To reach Level 3: weigh successes against failures and conclude.

Level 3 (Detailed)· 8/9 marks (band 7–9)

The responses to Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Philippines on 8 November 2013, were partly successful. Warnings meant many people were evacuated before the storm, which saved lives, and international aid quickly sent rescue teams, field hospitals, food and water. In the long term, the Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda plan set out about US$8 billion of rebuilding over four years, mostly housing, aiming to build back better. However, the responses had serious failures. The storm surge, several metres high, was underestimated, and some evacuation shelters were themselves flooded, so about 6,300 people died, many drowned. Around 4.1 million people were displaced, and rebuilding was slow, with many families waiting years for new homes. Overall, the immediate responses were more successful than the long-term ones: warnings and aid saved many lives, but the surge was not fully understood, and recovery was too slow for many of the 11 million people affected.

Why this level: Detailed, accurate facts on both immediate and long-term responses, with successes and failures weighed and a judgement that compares them. This is Level 3.

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