Disasters in the Region

Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) and Typhoon Parma (Pepeng)

Philippines Floods

Typhoon Ketsana (PAGASA code name: Ondoy), with maximum centre winds of 85kph and gustiness of up to 120kph, hit Luzon island on 26 September 2009. Areas affected include Regions I to V, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the National Capital Region (NCR) including Metro Manila. The storm left large areas inundated with floods and caused extensive damage to property. Flooding in barangays (villages) and roads submerged entire homes and forced thousands of families to seek shelter in evacuation centres.

One week later, on 2 October 2009, Typhoon Parma (PAGASA code name: Pepeng) struck eastern and northern Luzon, causing widespread damage to agriculture but little loss of life. However, pulled by a second typhoon in the Pacific, Typhoon Parma reversed course and made a second landfall at Ilocos Norte on 7 October 2009.

This second strike brought heavy rains to Regions I, II, III, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), flooding roads and triggering landslides across the region. Houses were buried by falling earth in the province of Benguet. In the province of Pangasinan, heavy rains combined with the release of water from major dams caused massive flooding along the course of the Agno river, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents.