CONTEMPORARY ISSUES
EARTHQUAKE
The Philippines being part of the Pacific
Ring of Fire, a geologically and volcanically
active region, commonly experiences
shaking of the ground due to the
movement of the earths crust and
volcanic eruptions.
According to the Philippine Institute
of Volcanology and Seismology
(PHILVOLCS), the Philippines has
experienced 106 earthquakes with a
magnitude of 6.0 or higher since the
1600s, with the deadliest earthquakes
taking place in the last 50 years.
INTENSITY SCALE
Intensity 1 - Scarcely Perceptible
Perceptible to people under
favorable circumstances.
Intensity 2 - Slightly Felt
Felt by few individuals at rest
indoors.
Intensity 3 Weak
Felt by many people indoors
especially in upper floors of buildings.
Vibration is felt like one passing of a light
truck.
Intensity 4 - Moderately Strong
Felt generally by people indoors and
by some people outdoors. Vibration is felt
like a passing of heavy truck.
Intensity 5 Strong
Generally felt by most people
indoors and outdoors. Many sleeping
people are awakened. Some are frightened,
some run outdoors. Strong shaking and
rocking felt throughout building.
Intensity 6 - Very Strong
Many people are frightened; many
run outdoors. Some people lose their
balance.
Intensity 7 Destructive
People find it difficult to stand in
upper floors. Limited liquefaction, lateral
spreading and landslides are observed.
(Liquefaction is a process by which loose
saturated sand lose strength during an
earthquake and behave like liquid).
Intensity 8 - Very Destructive
People panic.
Intensity 9 - Devastating
People are forcibly thrown to
ground.
Intensity 10 - Completely Devastating
Practically all man-made structures
are destroyed.
INTENSITY is the gravity of the Earths
movement while MAGNITUDE is the
quantitative measure of the size of the
earthquake or simply the amount of
seismic energy released at its source.
TROPICAL CYCLONES
A tropical cyclone is an intense low-
pressure system with minimum sustained
winds of 35 kilometers per hour (kph).
CLASSIFICATION
tropical depression or tropical low is a
tropical disturbance that has a clearly
defined surface circulation with maximum
sustained winds of less than 34 kn
knot {kn} is a unit of speed equal to one
nautical mile (1.852 km) per hour

tropical storm is an organized system of

strong thunderstorms with a defined
surface circulation and maximum
sustained winds between 34 knots (63
km/h) and 64 knots (119 km/h)

Severe Tropical Storm has a maximum

sustained wind speed of 89-117 kph while
a Tropical Storm has a maximum
sustained wind speed of 62-88 kph

typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that

develops in the western part of the North
Pacific Ocean between 180 and 100E

super typhoon is violent storm originating

over tropical or subtropical waters,
characterized by violent rainstorms and
high-velocity cyclonic winds, maximum
wind speed exceeding 220 kph.

HURRICANE
a cyclone that is located in the
North Atlantic Ocean, or the NE Pacific
Ocean east of the International Date Line,
or the South Pacific Ocean east of 160E,
and with sustained winds that reach or
exceed 74 mph.
Clockwise in the
_________hemisphere and
counterclockwise in the
_________hemisphere
10-15 per year

TYPHOON
Tropical cyclones in the Northwest
Pacific Ocean west of the International
Date Line with sustained winds of (or
those that exceed) 74 mph are typhoons.
counterclockwise in the
_________Hemisphere and clockwise in the
_________ hemisphere
Northwest Pacific Ocean west of the
International Date Line
25-30 per year
 TSUNAMI
is a very high wave usually caused
by the movement of the earths crust
under the sea.
the word tsunami comes from the
Japanese word for harbor (tsu) and wave
(nami).
or tidal wave, also known as a
seismic sea wave, is a series of waves in a
water body caused by the displacement of
a large volume of water, generally in an
ocean or a large lake.
not just a single wave but a series
of ocean waves called a wave train caused
by an underwater earthquake, by a
volcanic eruption, landslide, rapid
changes in atmospheric pressure, or a
meteorite.
Tsunami Warning
A tsunami warning is issued when a tsunami with the
potential to generate widespread inundation is
imminent or expected.
Tsunami Advisory
A tsunami advisory is issued when a tsunami with
the potential to generate strong currents or waves
dangerous to those in or very near the water is
imminent or expected.
Tsunami Watch
A tsunami watch is issued to alert emergency
management officials and the public of an event
which may later impact the watch area.
Tsunami Information Statement
A tsunami information statement is issued to inform
emergency management officials and the public that
an earthquake has occurred, or that a tsunami
warning, advisory or watch has been issued for
another section of the ocean.
The most devastating tsunami that
happened in the country was the Moro
Gulf tsunami, which took place on August
17, 1976 and resulted in estimated death
toll of 8,000. It happened past midnight
which caught the people of Sultan Kadarat
unprepared.
The Moro Gulf tsunami eventually led
former president Ferdinand Marcos to
form the National Disaster Coordinating
Council, which is now known as the
National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council (NDRRMC).
Disaster Risk Reduction
Management
The Philippines being situated
in the Pacific Ring of Fire and
topping the list of countries
experiencing extreme weather
conditions, highly needs its own
disaster risk reduction and
program. Typhoon Haiyan, locally
known as Yolanda, which was
placed in the highest disaster
classification (Category 5) by the
World Health Organization.
According to Republic Act No.
10121, disaster risk (DRR) means
reducing disaster risks through
systematic efforts to analyze and
manage the casual factors of
disasters through reduced
exposures to hazards, lessened
vulnerability of people and property,
wise management of land and the
environment, and improved
preparedness for adverse events.
The PDRRMC Act transform the
National Disaster Coordinating
Council, which was created in 1978
into the National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council
which oversees the Philippine
disaster and management system.
 CLIMATE CHANGE
a change in the statistical
distribution of weather
patterns when that change lasts for
an extended period of time (i.e.,
decades to millions of years).
may refer to a change in
average weather conditions, or in
the time variation of weather
includes changes in weather
elements such
as temperature, precipitation,
humidity, wind,
cloudiness, and snow cover.
EVIDENCES
Global Temperature Rise
The planet's average surface
temperature has risen about 2.0
degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 degrees
Celsius) since the late 19th century,
a change driven largely by increased
carbon dioxide and other human-
made emissions into the atmosphere
Warming Oceans
The oceans have absorbed
much of this increased heat, with
the top 700 meters (about 2,300
feet) of ocean showing warming of
0.302 degrees Fahrenheit since
1969.
Shrinking ice sheets
Glacial Retreat
Sea Level Rise
Global sea level rose
about 8 inches in the last
century.
Extreme Events
Ocean Acidification
FLOOD
an overflowing of a large
amount of water beyond its normal
confines, especially over what is
normally dry land.
Types of flooding are
determined based on the ff:
*Location:
River Flooding- an overflow of water
from
river
Coastal Flooding-occurs when
normally dry, low-lying land
is flooded by seawater
Urban Flooding- is the inundation of
land or property in a built
environment, in more densely
populated areas, caused by
rainfall overwhelming the capacity
of drainage systems, such as storm
sewers.
*Duration of occurrence:
Flashflood
Sheetflood
To help protect the citizens and
their properties the government,
through the Philippine Atmospheric,
Geophysical and Astronomical
Services Administration(PAGASA),
introduced a standard flood warning STEPS TO REDUCE
system 1. Plant more trees.
2. Reduce, reuse and recycle.
San Roque Dam > largest dam 3. Use less hot water.
4. Turn off electronic devices
GLOBAL WARMING when not in use.
5. Spread awareness.
is the increase in the
temperature of the atmosphere due
to natural causes such as volcanic
eruptions and the variation of the
output of the sun

Methane > traps heat

Carbon Dioxide > burning of fossil
fuels such as coal, natural gas, oil,
clearing of forests for agriculture,
mining
Nitrous oxide> produced naturally
through biological reactions in both
soil and water

halocarbons
best at trapping heat, which
have more than 10,000 times the
warming effect of carbon dioxide
known as chlorofluorocarbons
or CFCs, hydrochlorofluorocarbons
or HCFCs and hydrofluorocarbons
or HCFs

EFFECTS
1.Change in the warming patterns
and precipitation patterns of the
world.
2. Change in ecosystems and
biodiversity
3. Melting of the ice and rise of sea
levels
4. Intensified tropical cyclones