Two storms and a typhoon have hit the Philippines in the last three weeks – “Pepito,” “Quinta,” and then typhoon “Rolly” this weekend. A fourth tropical cyclone has now entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility in the east — tropical storm “Siony” (international name: “Atsani”) which may be here in three days, probably hitting Cagayan and Batanes in Northen Luzon this coming weekend.
Severe tropical storm “Pepito” ravaged Luzon, from Cagayan Valley to Southern Luzon, last October 22, leaving P121-million damage to agriculture and infrastructure. It was followed by tropical storm “Quinta” which hit 15 provinces from Cagayan to Aklan on October 27, leaving three dead and causing damage to electric power facilities of cooperatives estimated at P1.1 billion.
Then typhoon “Rolly,” said to be the world’s strongest typhoon so far this year, pounded Southern Luzon and the Bicol area last Sunday, killing at least seven people and causing widespread destruction with its 315-kph winds, which matched the peak winds of typhoon “Yolanda” that killed 6,300 people in East Visayas in November, 2013.
And now we have yet another tropical storm approaching Central Luzon from the east with the international name “Atsani,” which will be given a local name “Siony.” It is predicted to be around 40 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, on Friday morning, on its way to Apayao and the Ilocos provinces.
These storms bring winds and floods causing death and considerable destruction, but we have accepted these as part of life in this country. Because of them, we have generally clean air and sufficient water denied to so many other countries in Asia.
Aside from these annual storms, we have the natural phenomena of alternating dry El Nino and wet La Nina periods. The World Meteorological Organization said La Nina is back after an absence of nearly a decade and it will cause a large-scale cooling of the surface of the central Pacific Ocean, bringing above-average rainfall to Southeast Asia.
We may thus have many rainy days in the coming months, but we welcome them. We just have to be prepared, with people ready to evacuate flood- and landslide-threatened areas, with evacuation centers ready with adequate facilities and food supplies.
This year, we have the added danger of a pandemic, requiring social distancing measures, face masks and face shields, and sufficient hand-washing and other health facilities. Even now, we are certain, the government is preparing for this coming period of storms, rains, and floods, on top of COVID-19.
