Philippines Typhoon: Kammuri

Early this December, Typhoon Kammuri struck Central Philippines and their most populous island, Luzon. It is the 20th storm of the typhoon season to hit the Philippines this year, so to Philippines locals, this is just routine. The typhoon season starts in the middle of May and runs until  the end of the year. Local Filipino names are given to each storm. This one is called Kammuri.

A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops in the Northwestern Pacific Basin. Kammuri, specifically, is considered a category four typhoon which is not as bad as a category five, but this storm has been very destructive.

From the destruction of Kammuri, 17 people died, five people on the southern tip of the Luzon Island, 11 others in other parts of Luzon, and one in Visayas. The New York Times reported that, “the national police included a man who was electrocuted when a damaged wire touched his galvanized metal roof. Another man was hit by a tree and killed. A man who was fishing along the shore in Quezon, along the south of Luzon, was struck by lightning, and several others on shorelines along the archipelago drowned.” With many dead, about 340,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes in the central Bicol region. 

There were more consequences caused by this typhoon, like the airport being shut down in Manila, Philippines leaving 500 flights cancelled. The airport reopened shortly after the typhoon ended its course. On the other hand, as the typhoon struck the Southeast Asian Games, “a biennial sports event that draws top athletes from 11 Southeast Asian nations.” The storm took a turn on some of the events such as windsurfing and volleyball. Nonetheless the show went on despite the horrible conditions. 

For Typhoon Kammuri, its reign is over,  but the year isn’t over yet which means typhoon season isn’t done. The Philippines are safe for now and will, hopefully, go into the New Year with the “quiet season,” before the typhoon season starts up again in May.