Philippines

The Philippines are highly prone to disasters triggered by natural disasters, with some estimations placing 60% of its land area and 74% of its population as exposed to numerous hazards, including floods, cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, tsunamis and landslides. Since 1990, the country has faced 565 such disasters, killing 70,000 and costing $23 billion in damages. With the exception of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the multiple natural hazards facing the Philippines are projected to intensify under climate change. The country is particularly prone to cyclones due to its location in the Northwestern Pacific Basin, the most active tropical cyclone basin in the world, with the country experiencing an average of 20 cyclones per year within its area of responsibility, with approximately 8 making landfall. The strongest recorded typhoon happened in recent years, Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 killing 6,000 people, devastating nine regions and resulting in 1.1 million homes damaged and agricultural and infrastructure damages of $802 million. While not directly climate-related, the Philippines are also located in an area of considerable tectonic activity, possessing 22 active volcanoes. An example of the threat from volcano activity is witnessed in the eruption of Mount Mayon in early 2018, which resulted in the evacuation of up to 90,000 people

This section provides a summary of key natural hazards and their associated socioeconomic impacts in a given country. It allows for a quick evaluation of most vulnerable areas through the spatial comparison of natural hazard data with development data, thereby identifying exposed livelihoods and natural systems.