EARTH-AND-LIFE-SCIENCE-11-Group-4

EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE 11 by the slope of the continental
shelf. A shallow slope off the coast

I. HAZARDS DUE TO TROPICAL will allow greater surge to flood
CYCLONES coastal communitites. Communities
wih a steeper continental shelf will
Almost all tropical cyclones develop not see as much surge inundation,
from the Northwest Pacific Ocean, alhough large breaking waves can
directly hitting the Philippines. still present major problems.
Meteorologists predict that they will
further increase in number and are Tropical cyclones’s destructive power
stronger (UNEP-DRID Europe) due to is due to the combined effects of strong
climate change. Our location makes wind and torrential rain. A tropical
our country prone to destruction and cyclone’s wind damages and destroys
devastation due to typhoons. structures in 2 ways. First, many homes
are damaged or destroyed when the high
Tropical cyclones are dangerous wind lifts the roof. Once lifted, the roof
because they generate destructive acts as a sail and is blown away. With the
winds and heavy rainfall, and amplify roof gone, the walls are much easier to be
storm surges depends on the blown down by the wind. The wind picks
steepness of the coastline. An almost up the debris and sends them hurling at
flat coastline receives considerable high speed into other structures.
damage than elevated coastline.
2. FLASH FLOODING - Annually, an
1. STORM SURGE - The term storm estimated 5,000 deaths worldwide
surge is frequently associated with is reported due to flash floods,
tropical storm Haiyan, locally considered as one of the deadliest
known as typhoon Yolanda, that natural disasters, according to the
devastated Tacloban City and World Meteorological Organization
nearby provinces in Eastern (WMO). Flash floods happen around
Visayas, before Typhoon Yolanda, the wold. Flash floods occur at a
storm surge was unknown to most short notice and the destruction is
Filipinos. considerably huge. Unlike typical
Storm surge is described as an flood, it cannot be monitored
abnormal rise of water generated remotely. Although heavy rainfall
by a storm, over and above the triggered by another weather
predicted astronomical tides system causes flash floods, other
(National Hurricane Center). factors also contribute to the
Astronomical tide is the typical or problem. For example, the
normal height of the tides due to presence of mining operation
atmospheric influences like strong increases the possibility of flash
wind due to tropical cyclone. This flood in the area. The likelihood of
rise in water level can cause flash flood is high if the soil lacks
extreme flooding in coastal areas ground cover or vegetation and the
particularly when storm surge area is prone to soil erosion.
coincides with normal high tide, Human activities such as slash and
resulting in storm tides reaching up burn farming and land
to 20 feet or more in some cases. development add to the problem.
Approximately, 90% of deaths from Flash floods trigger landslides,
tropical cyclones are due to storm mudslide, including lahar flow. The
surges. resulting cataclysm has the
The level of surge in a potential to wipe out an entire
particular area is also determined vilage. Meltwater from ice or snow
flowing over sheets or snowfield 1.Like all winds and storms, tornadoes
causes flash floods. begin when the sun heats up the surface
3. FLOODING IN URBAN AREAS - of the land. As the warm, less heavy air
begins to rise, it meets the colder, heavier
Residents in Metro Manila always air above it. Note that wind shears make it
associate September 26, 2009 with even easier to set them off. A wind shear
tropical storm Ondoy (Intenational name: is when two winds at different levels and
Ketsana). Ondoy submerged almost the speeds above the ground blow together in
entire Metro Manila and several parts of a location.
Luzon, an epic flood of overwhelming
proportion resulting in Php 11 billion 2. The faster moving air begins to spin
damage to properties and almost 500 and roll over the slower wind. As it rolls
deaths. It dumped 455mm or 17.9 inches on, it gathers pace and grow in size.
of rain in less than 24 hrs. It affected
nearly 5 million people or 1 million 3. At this stage, it is an invisible,
families. Tropical storm Ondoy is not horizontal wind spinning and rolling like a
actually a strong typhoon; in fact, it is only cylinder. As the winds continue to build
a category 2 typhoon in the Saffir-Simpson up, stronger and more powerful warm air
scale. Southwest monsoon intensified forces the spinning winds vertically
Ondoy causing heavy rainfall. upward, causing an updraft
Flash flooding in highly urbanized areas 4. With more warm air rising, the
like Mero Manila severely disrupts the spinning air encounters more updraft. The
wind spins faster, vertically upwards and
normal flow of life. Primarily, it affects the gains more momentum.
delivery of goods and basic services.
5. At this stage, the spinning wind creates
Trading, commerce, schooling and other
a vortex and the wind has enough energy
activities are disrupted and suspended.
to fuel itself.
The possibility of an epidemic due to
water-borne diseases is very high. 6. The tornado is fully formed now and
Sometimes, food supply is affected as moving in the direction of the
roads and bridges become impassable. thunderstorm winds. When the pointed
Trucks loaded with fruits, vegetables and part of the tornado touches the ground
other agricultural products from from the cloud, it is often referred to as
neighboring provinces cannot enter the “touchdown” and as it moves, it rips off
metropolis. The resulting supply and things along its path.
demand imbalance causes food prices to
increase for days up to 2 weeks; however, Tornadoes are sometimes called
once supply is restored, prices may return ‘twisters’ because they move as if they
to normal level. are being twisted. They are very
destructive. Tornadoes are capable of
II. HAZARDS DUE TO lifting heavy objects and hurl several
TORNADOES meters away, ripping off infrastructures
and uproot trees. They destroy everything
Tornado (ipo-ipo) is a narrow, violently
along their path resulting in enormous
rotating column of air that extends from
damage to properties. On average, there
the base of a thunderstorm to the ground.
are 12 to 24 tornadoes that hit the
Typically, if it is characterized by its
different parts of the country particularly
consideration funnel which is actually
in the flat terrains of Mindanao and central
composed of water droplets, dust and
Luzon. On june 17 2013, a tornado struck
debris.
the town in Minglanilla and Talisay Cebu. It
How do tornadoes form?
destroyed 55 houses. Tornado can happen Direct exposure to rain causes
during summer or rainy season. hypothermia and respiratory tract
infections.
III. HAZARDS DUE TO
MONSOONS Winter monsoon causes death due to
direct exposure to extreme cold.
Monsoon is wind that reverses its Vulnerable are the elderly children,
direction with the season, blowing and individuals with weak immune
more or less steadily from the interior system and the sick. Cases of death,
of a continent toward the sea in winter, flu and pneumonia also increase this
and in the opposite direction during season
summer.
Monsoons are most often asscociated

with the Indian ocean. Monsoons
always blow from cold to warm
regions. The summer monsoon or the
southwest monsoons and the winter
monsoons or northeast monsoon
determine the climate for most of India
and southeast Asia.
Summer monsoon is locally referred to

as hanging habagat while winter
monsoon is called hanging amihan.
These two wind systems influences
almost all aspects of life of the
Filipinos. They inspire and influence
festivals and cultural events in the
country.
Winter monsoons, dominated by trade

winds, brings cooler air from Siberia
and Himalayas.
On the other hand, summer monsoon

provides relief from the extreme heat
of summer. It typically starts in June
and ends in early October.
Southeast monsoon causes flooding in

most cities in southeast Asia. In the
countryside.
Flooding also triggers vector borne

diseases such as malaria, and dengue,
hemorrhagic fever, while direct contact
with contaminated water leading to
dermatitis, conjunctivitis, ear, nose,
and throat infections, wound
infections, and leptospirosis.

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EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE 11 by the slope of the continental

shelf. A shallow slope off the coast

Monsoons are most often asscociated

Summer monsoon is locally referred to

Winter monsoons, dominated by trade

On the other hand, summer monsoon

Southeast monsoon causes flooding in

Flooding also triggers vector borne

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