When typhoon hits a country, most of the government departments and agencies including the school authorities and non-government organizations are on high alert because of the severe effects that it can cause.

The major effects of typhoon include the data on death toll, numbers of the injured victims, extent of damages on the properties caused by raging floods and communicable diseases.

Every year, the Philippine archipelago is being hit by 20 to 25 typhoons. So, it is very vital for every government and school authorities, non-government organizations and Filipino family to be prepared for these predictable but potentially destructive weather occurrences.

What is Typhoon?

The New International Webster’s Pocket Thesaurus defined Typhoon as a violent tropical storm, occurring in the Western Pacific.

What is Storm?

Storm is a natural disturbance in the atmosphere. It may be violent with a strong wind that brings rain or snow and may be a gentle movement of a large mass of air that you hardly notice. Sudden changes in temperature over a local area cause some of our most violent storms.

What is the eye of the storm?

This is a circular area of very low pressure. It may vary from a few miles to about 25 miles in diameter which is calmed and with no rain. It is also roughly circular area of comparatively light winds and fair weather located at the center of a severe tropical cyclone. There is small or no depositing of moisture or ice from the atmosphere upon the surface of the earth. Sometimes, blue sky or stars can be observed in  the heavenly realm. As the center of the hurricane approaches an area, the wind first blows violently in one direction. Then, there is a stillness and clear skies as the eye passes. A wind blowing in the opposite direction soon follows the calm as the other side of the low passes.

Hurricanes cause great destruction due to wind in which speed may reach more than 500 miles wide and more than a thousand miles in length. Considerable amounts of rain fall in this area. The storm itself moves very slowly at first, usually a few miles a day. Tropical storms most attain wind speeds of at least 75 miles per hour before they could mean hurricanes.

 From the Holland (1993) textbook, “hurricane” and “typhoon” mean as regionally specific names for a strong “tropical cyclone”.

What is Tropical Cyclone?

It is the standard term for a non-frontal synoptic scale low-pressure system over tropical or sub-tropical waters with organized convection and definite cyclonic surface wind circulation. Tropical cyclones are storms with winds which spinning round. A tropical cyclone has a diameter of hundreds of kilometers and is made of several to dozens of storms.

According to meteorologists, cyclones are “lows”, and typically formed when a mass of warm moist air near the earth’s surface rises. This upward movement of the warm air creates Low Pressure area filled through surrounding air moving in toward the center. This air rotates in a counterclockwise motion in the northern hemisphere. As the moist air continues to rise, it becomes cooler and finally loses its moisture as rain or snow.

A falling barometer reading usually indicates a cyclone (low) is approaching. We can generally expect cloudy weather with some precipitation, strong winds, warmer and unsettled weather conditions. “Highs” tend to follow “lows” across the United States in nearly easterly direction. A shift in the wind may indicate that a high has followed a low over a given region.

For the meteorologists, the word “cyclone” does not mean a violent storm, but just a low-pressure area. A destructive cyclone means a hurricane or typhoon.

For several years, typhoons named after women by Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA), before they could enter the country’s area of responsibilities. PAG-ASA based its course of action into the women’s unpredicted behavior.

However, at present, typhoons are already named after a pre-determined list of both male and female names before they could reach the Philippine archipelago, following some women’s organizations and lady solons prevailed on their battles against that unfair treatment towards the Filipinas.

How Tropical Cyclones are developed?

There are numerous factors to form a typhoon:

• Warmed ocean waters of at least fifty meters. Warm waters are essential to fuel the heat engine of the tropical cyclone.
• An atmosphere that quickly cools enough with height that is unstable to moist convection. It has a thunderstorm activity that allows the heat stored in the ocean waters to be discharge for the development of a tropical cyclone.
• Relatively moist layers near the mid-troposphere of 5 km. This permits the continuing development of widespread thunderstorm activity.
• It has a minimum distance of at least 500 km from the equator
• It has a pre-existing near-surface disturbance and does not developed suddenly. They need a weakly organized system with sizeable spin and low level of inflow to develop.
•  Low values of vertical wind shear between the surface and the upper troposphere

About Storm’s signals:

• Signal no. 3 means the public should expect winds of greater than 100 kph (kilometer per hour to 185 kph (kilometer per hour) within 18 hours.
• Signal no. 4 means the public should anticipate very strong winds of more than a whopping 185 kph within 12 hours. Both signal nos. 3 and 4 signify the cancellation of the classes and office works for the day.

Basic Measures to do, during, before and after typhoon:

• Update the family always with the latest weather forecast bulletins or public announcements by tuning in to TV, radio stations and internet everyday
• Do not pay attention to rumors or gossips
• It is best to store water and food, if, already aware of the coming typhoon. Stock enough food which will not spoil even without refrigeration. It is recommendable to have a stock of canned goods and instant food like instant noodles and biscuits. Stock water because water service might be interrupted or cut off for a couple days when a typhoon strikes.
• Make sure, if emergency cooking facilities are necessary and that they are in working condition
• Keep a typhoon kit which contains a battery-operated radio, flashlights, extra batteries, raincoats and medicines
• Remember to secure essential contact numbers like Bureau of Fire, Police station, electric and telephone companies, village security telephone numbers, rescue tel. phone numbers, etc. Post these contact numbers near your telephone.
• Make sure that objects which may be blown away inside your home must be secured. Make sure to seal windows and doors in your house. See to it, if the root of your house is firmly secured. Make sure the gutters of your house are not clogged. Use good lumber to securely fasten the windows of your house. Make shift boarding may do more damage than good. Whenever appropriate, secure house with strong wires.
• Trim trees outside your house and immediately report to authorities if you discovered that trees are touching electrical lines
• Be aware that flying objects become dangerous during typhoons. Report immediately or contact your local government unit if your house is near in some installed billboards so that they will bring down the tarpaulin banners to prevent accidents.
• Tune in to TV and radio stations for emergency information
• Turn off and unplug all appliances if a power failure occurs
• Turn off immediately the main switch and move your appliances and other valuables to a higher area your house
• It is advisable to go to the center of the house, hallway or any part which is least exposed to external glass windows, in case a very strong winds caused by typhoon hit
• Immediately Check your house if there are electrical facilities which have been damaged and should be immediately repaired by a qualified electrician after a typhoon
• Never operate the electrical appliances in your home if they are wet, but let them be checked by a legitimate repairman or electrician
• Be calmed. Your ability to meet emergencies will inspire others and help them. If the eye of the typhoon passes over your area, there may be a calm lasting from a few minutes to half an hour. Stay, in a safe place. Make emergency repairs during the lull if necessary. However, be aware that the wind will return suddenly from the opposite direction and frequently with even greater violence.
• Stay away from low-lying beaches or other areas that high tides or storm waves might sweep up. Leave early, if your only passage to higher ground is over a road likely to be under water during a severe storm.
• If your house is out of the risk of high tide and is well built or anchored, then it is most likely the best place to weather out the storm