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Strong winds and a storm surge caused huge damage when Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in 2013
The spec asks you to use a named example of a tropical storm to show its effects and responses. In the exam, a general answer scores low. An answer with real place names and facts from one storm scores high. Our example is Typhoon Haiyan, which hit the Philippines in November 2013.
Remember, primary effects happen straight away because of the storm itself. Secondary effects happen later, as a result of the primary effects. Responses are what people do about it, in the short term and the long term.
Tropical storms cause damage in three main ways: very strong winds, torrential rain and a rise in sea level at the coast.
Strong winds flatten homes, tear off roofs and knock down trees and power lines. People are killed or injured by flying debris and falling buildings. Roads, bridges, ports and airports are damaged. Crops are destroyed and boats are wrecked.
Floods and landslides follow the heavy rain. Dirty water spreads disease. Food and clean water run short. Jobs and income are lost. Wildlife habitats such as forests and coral reefs are damaged.
Key terms:
Haiyan formed over the warm waters of the western Pacific Ocean. It crossed the central Philippines on 8 November 2013. It was one of the strongest tropical storms ever to hit land, with wind speeds of over 300 km per hour. Remember that a typhoon is the name used in this part of the world for a tropical storm.
The Philippines is a group of more than 7,000 islands, which makes it very exposed to storms coming in from the Pacific. Many people live in low-lying coastal towns in simple homes made from wood and tin. The worst hit area was the island of Leyte, and the city of Tacloban took the full force of the storm surge.
After Haiyan, shortages of food and clean water were serious secondary effects
The storm was extremely strong, it hit a densely populated coast, and the Philippines had limited money for strong buildings and emergency services. A tropical storm of the same strength hitting a richer country would usually cause fewer deaths.
Immediate responses happen in the hours, days and weeks after the storm. They aim to save lives and meet basic needs.
Long-term responses happen in the months and years after the storm. They aim to rebuild and to reduce the harm from the next storm.
Short term. Rescue, food, water, shelter and medical care. Often led by aid agencies and other countries.
Years. Rebuilding, new jobs, stronger defences and better planning. Needs money and local government.
Students mix up primary and secondary effects. A flattened house is primary. The disease that follows because of dirty water is secondary. Another mistake is writing about a storm in general and not using Haiyan's name, place or facts. Finally, do not describe how the storm formed. That is a different question.
Using a named example of a tropical storm, explain its primary effects and its immediate and long-term responses. [6 marks]
Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in November 2013. Its primary effects included more than 6,000 deaths and about 1 million homes damaged or destroyed, as a storm surge flooded Tacloban (1). Roads, power lines and the airport were also damaged (1). A secondary effect was that aid was slow to arrive because roads were blocked, so survivors lacked food and clean water, and disease risk went up (1). Immediate responses included other countries and charities sending food, water, tents and medical supplies, and rescue teams searching for survivors (1). Long-term responses included rebuilding homes and roads to a stronger standard and building new shelters (1). Mangroves were replanted and rules were introduced to stop building close to the coast, so that damage from future storms would be lower (1).
For a 6 mark question, aim for six clear points. Give at least one named place or figure from Haiyan, and separate your effects from your responses so the examiner can see each mark point.