Most Destructive Typhoons

10 Most Devastating RP Typhoons

Who could forget these howling monsters of nature?
Considering that the Philippines is adjacent to large bodies of water (e.g. South China Sea & Pacific Ocean) and home to constant typhoons, we Pinoys have become accustomed to these weather disturbances.

But with the recent news of Typhoon Ondoy's devastation mostly in Luzon – we ask ourselves: have we grown too complacent having gone through several of these howlers unscathed OR are we just too confident with the roof over our heads that we couldn't care less about others who only have used tires for roof-weights?

Super Typhoon “LOLENG”
(October 15-24, 1998)


Wind velocity: 250 kph
Victim Count: 303 deaths
Estimated Property Damage: Php 6.787 B

Two days earlier, super typhoon ILIANG was already rampaging across some areas that super typhoon LOLENG passed through when it hit our shores on October 19 - thus leaving the areas of Southern Tagalog Region (Virac, Catanduanes; Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte coastline; Polillio Islands; Dinangalan, Aurora; Gabaldon and Palayan City, Nueva Ecija; Urdaneta, Dagupan City, Alaminos and Bani, Pangasinan) with vast tracks of uprooted dwellings & flattened agricultural lands.


Typhoon “KADIANG”
(September 30-October 7, 1993)


Wind velocity: 130 kph
Victim Count: 576 deaths
Estimated Property Damage: Php 8.752 B

1993 saw the Philippines with a record of 32 typhoons but its 22nd visitor - KADIANG - did quite a beating of Pinatubo areas trying to recuperate from the eruption it experienced two years backs.

Slow moving & erratic, KADIANG caused countless massive landslides throughout Northern Luzon regions but did more damage when it back-tracked to Central Luzon, especially the Zambales areas where gigantic volcanic mudflows ("lahar") buried towns in Pampanga.


Super Typhoon “RUPING”
(November 10-14, 1990)


Wind velocity: 220 kph
Victim count: 748 deaths
Estimated Property Damage: Php 10.846 B


The country's most costly typhoon devastation swept right through the heart of the Visayas region late in the afternoon of November 12 - RUPING, perhaps one of the most well-remembered typhoon names.

Despite the adequate warnings and preparations from LGU's, RUPING affected a staggering number of 1,010,004 families after it waylaid several hundreds of homes in the rural Visayan areas.

And with the sheer power of its winds - even the whole of Mindanao and Southern Tagalog regions as well as NCR sustained heavy damages.


Super Typhoon “SENING”
(October 11-15, 1970)


Wind velocity: 275 kph
Victim Count: 768 deaths
Estimated Property Damage: Php 1.89 B


Clocking winds up to 275 kph, SENING got inked in history books as the strongest typhoon to have crossed the country.

Targeting Central Luzon in particular, SENING did the most damage in major urban residential, industrial & commercial centres of the metro as it left an unforgettable trail of twisted billboards, hazardous street debris & uprooted electric posts and trees.

Take note, scores of lives died from flying debris, so in the event of another storm, it’s best to stay indoors.


Typhoon “UNDANG”
(November 3-6, 1984)


Wind velocity: 230 kph
Victim Count: 895 deaths
Estimated Property Damage: Php 1.9 B


Slamming through the Visayas & Northern Mindanao, UNDANG brought a slippery end to coastal barangays in Capiz & Northern Iloilo coasts & brought the docks in Roxas City (Culasi Port) down literally.

But the central drama of the typhoon circled around Panay River when the continuous downpour made the enormous river overflow, transforming half of the city of Capiz into a sea of raging water riddled with farm animal corpses, trees, houses & debris.