This is one of the countries that suffers from the largest number of super typhoons in the world, facing many impacts from natural “disasters.”
Questions
1. Which country experiences the most typhoons in the world?
A: Philippines
B: Japan
C: China
D: USA
2. Which super typhoon caused over 6,000 fatalities in this country?
A: Super Typhoon Haiyan
B: Super Typhoon Megi
C: Super Typhoon Thelma
3. How many times more energy did Super Typhoon Haiyan generate compared to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima (Japan) by the US?
A: 8 times
B: 10 times
C: 20 times
4. What number typhoon was Haiyan that “attacked” the Philippines in 2013?
A: 15
B: 25
C: 35
Homes devastated after Typhoon Haiyan.
5. Prior to Haiyan, how many people died from the super typhoon called Washi in 2011?
A: 1,000 people
B: 1,200 people
C: 2,200 people
6. What wind speed defines a super typhoon?
B: 16
C: 18
7. The larger the size of the typhoon, the stronger its intensity. Is this true or false?
A: True
B: False
8. What was the estimated material damage caused by Linda – the once-in-a-hundred-years typhoon that made landfall in 1997?
A: 7,200 billion VND
B: 9,200 billion VND
C: 11,200 billion VND
Answers
Question 1: The correct answer is option A: According to the Global Risk Index 2023, the Philippines is the country most affected by natural disasters in the world, followed by Indonesia and India. This country is geographically located in the Ring of Fire and the Pacific Typhoon Belt, with 7,109 islands and a coastline vulnerable to storm surges.
Question 2: The correct answer is option A: In the past, the Philippines has faced numerous super typhoons. Notably, Super Typhoon Thelma caused 5,100 deaths in 1991. By November 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan (Typhoon Yolanda) made landfall in the Philippines, setting a new record with over 6,300 fatalities, over 28,600 injuries, and more than 1,060 people missing.
Question 3: The correct answer is option B: According to researchers, the Philippines is indeed the country most affected by tropical storms in the world. The energy generated by these tropical storms is also “enormous.” For example, Super Typhoon Haiyan is said to have generated energy equivalent to 10 times that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima (Japan) in 1945. The disasters such as typhoons, tornadoes, severe earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions are natural disasters that the Philippines has faced over the past decade, resulting in thousands of fatalities and significant damage to the country’s infrastructure and economy.
Question 4: The correct answer is option B: Super Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in Eastern Philippines on November 8, 2013, with wind speeds exceeding 300 km/h and wave heights reaching 7 meters. This was the 25th typhoon to “attack” the Philippines in 2013. The disaster resulted in over 6,000 fatalities, hundreds missing, and over 4 million people displaced. Therefore, Haiyan is considered one of the deadliest typhoons in the Philippines in the 21st century. Moreover, Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated nearly 90% of Tacloban City in Leyte Province, the capital of Eastern Visayas. Haiyan is regarded as one of the most damaging natural disasters in the Philippines, with estimated losses of approximately 2.02 billion USD.
Question 5: The correct answer is option B: Prior to Haiyan, in 2011, the super typhoon known as Washi claimed 1,200 lives, destroyed 10,000 homes, and forced 300,000 residents to evacuate urgently in the Philippines. Following Washi, Bopha was the super typhoon that caused significant financial losses, second only to Haiyan, with estimated damages exceeding 1 billion USD on December 3, 2012.
Question 6: The correct answer is option B: According to the National Hydro-Meteorological Service, a typhoon is a tropical cyclone with wind speeds of level 8 or higher and may have gusts. Typhoons with wind speeds from level 10 to level 11 are classified as strong typhoons, from level 12 to level 15 as very strong typhoons, and from level 16 and above is classified as a super typhoon. Level 16 corresponds to wind speeds of 184-201 km/h, with average wave heights of 14 m.
Question 7: The correct answer is option B: According to the National Hydro-Meteorological Service, the size of a typhoon does not correlate proportionally with the intensity of the typhoon and does not reflect the typhoon’s strength. Not every large typhoon is a strong typhoon with devastating power. Typhoon number 6 (Typhoon Xangsane) in October 2006 made landfall in Da Nang, causing heavy damage to the city, despite having a relatively small radius of strong winds. According to recorded data, the radius of winds above level 10 of this typhoon was only about 80 km, yet it produced winds of level 13 in Da Nang. Alternatively, Typhoon Andrew in 1992 was a very powerful storm and caused catastrophic destruction in the century, yet it was relatively small in size.
Question 8: The correct answer is option A: Typhoon Linda is assessed as a “once-in-a-hundred-years” storm in the Southern region, with its eye making landfall in Bac Lieu – Ca Mau on the night of November 2, 1997, with wind speeds of level 10 and gusts of level 11. The Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention at that time continuously reported and held urgent meetings with localities, but few believed that the storm could hit the Southern region. At a seminar reflecting on 20 years of Typhoon Linda in 2017, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Huy Ngo recounted: “The storm made landfall in Ca Mau” as if it were a tale of “jokers.” Some even eagerly discussed what a typhoon was, as this region had been peaceful for a hundred years and had never encountered the concept of “typhoon.” Statistics show that Typhoon Linda caused damage in 21 provinces and cities, resulting in over 770 deaths, more than 2,000 missing persons, and 1,200 injuries, mostly among fishermen. Additionally, around 3,000 boats were sunk; nearly 108,000 houses collapsed; and hundreds of thousands of hectares of aquaculture and rice were flooded. The estimated material damage caused by the typhoon was 7,200 billion VND.
