Effects of the 2009 Pacific typhoon season in the Philippines

The effects of the 2009 Pacific typhoon season in the Philippines were considered some of the worst in decades. Throughout the year, series of typhoons impacted the country, with the worst damage occurring during September and October from Typhoons Ketsana and Parma.

The season started by the formation of Tropical Depression Auring during early of the year which affected southern Philippines with moderate damages. Only two storms, Bising and Crising, developed during the weak first third of the season, with later Dante and Emong forming and impacting Luzon during the first week of May. Tropical Storm Feria impacted most of the country with severe damages during June. A series of weak storms developed continuously during July.

Typhoon Kiko only brushed the norther part of the Philippine's area of Responsibility while enhancing the southwest monsoon, which caused heavy flooding throughout the country. During late-September, combined with the enhancement of the monsoon, Ondoy formed and affected most of the country with an extreme death toll and extensive damages. Typhoons Pepeng and Quedan formed along a week after Ondoy, but both typhoons interacted together which made Pepeng affect northern Luzon for a long time. During late-October to early-November, Typhoon Santi made landfall over central Luzon with major damages. Vinta was the last storm to enter or form within the PAR during the season without even affecting the country.

Tropical Depression Auring, the first system to form in the western Pacific during 2009, produced heavy rainfall and flooding on Mindanao in early January, forcing 38,764 people to evacuate to shelters from their homes. The flooding destroyed 294 houses, killed two people, and left nine others missing. About 12,211 people were left stranded at ports due to dangerous conditions caused by the depression. An additional 14 trucks, 44 light cars, 75 passenger buses, 27 vessels and 295 rolling cargoes were also stranded. A total of 305 homes were destroyed and another 610 were damaged. In addition, an estimated 53 hectares (130.9 acres) of rice and 3.5 hectares (8.6 acres) of corn were damaged. About 43,851 people were affected by the depression and damages from the depression were estimated at PHP 23 million ($498,318 US$).

Late on February 14, the remnants of Tropical Depression Bising brought scattered rainshowers across Southern Luzon, Bicol Region, and Visayas, then dissipated. The rainfall led to mudslides on Cebu Island which blocked the Cebu Transcentral Highway. Heavy rains produced by the outer bands of Tropical Depression Crising caused flooding in western areas of the Philippines, affecting an estimated 2,500 people. The worst flooding occurred in Lucena City where ten villages were isolated. Areas along the Bucon and Inalmasinan Rivers were inundated and sustained significant crop losses. Several animals reportedly drowned in the region. Several roads were impassable due to landslides or were washed out by floodwaters. One bridge was destroyed in the town of Mercedes.

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Wikipedia