Typhoon Rai – A case study of a tropical storm in a developing country

What Happened?

Typhoon Rai (locally named Odette) was one of the strongest storms to hit the Philippines in recent years. It formed over the warm western Pacific on 13 December 2021 and rapidly intensified into a Category 5 “super typhoon” before making its first landfall on 16 December on Siargao Island.

Rai was unusual because it intensified extremely quickly and struck late in the typhoon season, catching many communities off guard. It made nine separate landfalls as it crossed the central and southern Philippines, bringing winds over 195 km/h, torrential rain, and storm surges that devastated coastal settlements.

More than 11 million people were affected across 11 regions, with the worst-hit areas including Caraga, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, and Palawan.

The Primary Effects

Typhoon Rai caused major destruction across some of the Philippines’ poorest provinces:

• Over 400 deaths and more than 1,100 injuries, according to the Philippine disaster agency (NDRRMC).
• 1.9 million houses were damaged, including over 400,000 destroyed.
• Electricity and communication networks collapsed in several regions, leaving many islands isolated for days.
• Four million people were displaced, with hundreds of thousands staying in evacuation centres.
• Storm surges and winds flattened coastal villages in Siargao, Dinagat Islands, and Southern Leyte.
• Critical infrastructure—including bridges, ports, roads, water systems, and hospitals—was severely damaged.
• Agriculture was hit especially hard:
  • Over ₱13 billion (£190 million) worth of crops and fisheries were lost.
  • Coconut plantations, rice paddies, and fishing communities suffered long-term damage.

The Secondary Effects

The impacts continued long after the storm had passed:

Social Effects:

• Many communities had no clean water, leading to outbreaks of diarrhoea and waterborne diseases (WHO monitoring).
• Food shortages developed due to damaged transport routes and ruined crops.
• Schools used as evacuation shelters remained closed for weeks.
• Thousands of families spent Christmas in temporary shelters or makeshift homes.

Economic Effects:

• Total economic losses exceeded ₱47 billion (approx. £650 million).
• Tourism hotspots such as Siargao and Bohol suffered widespread loss of businesses, guesthouses, and surf resorts.
• Power outages lasted over a month in some provinces, slowing the return of economic activity.
• Fisherfolk lost boats, equipment, and access to fishing grounds.

Environmental Effects:

• Landslides triggered by heavy rain destroyed farmland and blocked roads.
• Coastal ecosystems—particularly mangroves and coral reefs—were damaged by storm surges and debris.
• Thousands of trees were uprooted, and agricultural soils were eroded.

How Did the World Respond? (Immediate Responses)

• The Philippine government declared a state of calamity in the hardest-hit regions.
• Pre-emptive evacuations helped move over 330,000 people to safer areas before landfall.
• Emergency services, the army, and the coastguard carried out search-and-rescue operations and delivered essential supplies.
• The UN launched a $107 million humanitarian appeal, and more than 30 international organisations provided support.
• Countries such as Japan, the USA, the UK, Australia, and South Korea sent:
  • food packs
  • generators
  • shelter kits
  • medical teams
  • satellite imaging to assess damage
• Charities, including the Red Cross, UNICEF, World Food Programme, Oxfam, and Save the Children, distributed clean water, medicine, hygiene kits, and temporary shelter.

Rebuilding and Recovery (Long-Term Responses)

• Major recovery efforts focused on rebuilding homes, schools, water systems, and power lines.
• The government and NGOs launched cash-for-work schemes to help local people clear debris and restart livelihoods.
• The Philippine Red Cross built typhoon-resilient shelters, prioritising areas exposed to storm surges.
• Water systems were repaired and upgraded to reduce future contamination risks.
• Fishing communities received new boats and equipment to restore income.
• The government strengthened early warning systems and expanded “no-build zones” in at-risk coastal areas.
• Replanting programmes began in damaged mangrove forests to help protect against future storms.

Lessons from Haiyan

Typhoon Rai demonstrated how high-intensity storms are becoming more frequent, partly due to warming ocean temperatures.
Despite good forecasting, the late-season timing and rapid intensification made the typhoon especially destructive.

The disaster highlighted the need for:

• stronger and more resilient homes
• better protection for remote island communities
• improved water, electricity, and communication infrastructure
• expanded mangrove restoration for natural coastal defence

Rai showed the importance of preparedness in a developing country where many people live in fragile housing and rely on climate-sensitive livelihoods such as farming and fishing.