WORST TYPHOONS OF MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES
(1947 - 2002)
           
           
       NAME PERIOD OF OCCURRENCE
HIGHEST WIND SPEED RECORDED
PLACE RECORDED
DEATHS
DAMAGE IN BILLION PESOS
   
     
1.   NITANG (Ike) 1

August 31-September 4, 1984
220 kph

Surigao
1,363-3,000

4.100

2.   RUPING (Mike) 2

November 10-14, 1990
220 kph
Cebu
748

10.846
3.   INING (Louise) 3 November 15-20, 1964
240 kph
Cebu
400
0.010
4.   TITANG (Kate) 4 October 16-23, 1970
095 kph
Cuyo Island
631
1.750
5.   PURING (Nell) December 25-28, 1993
150 kph
Surigao
45
0.152
6.   BISING (Nelson)
March 22-29, 1982
100 kph
Maasin
288
0.590
7.   NANANG (Lingling) 5 November 6-9, 2001
90 kph
over water
236
3.200
8.   AURING (Lola) January 22-25, 1975
110 kph
Mactan*
39
0.016
9.   LUCY November 25-December 1, 1962
121 kph
Cuyo Island
5 (?)
UD**
10. BEBENG (Sally) 6
March 1-4, 1967
120 kph
Surigao
NA
NA
           
           

LEGEND:
1 - NDCC and Reuters estimate 70-80% of houses and buildings in Surigao City were severely damaged or totally wiped-out.
2 - The country's costliest typhoon up-to-date.
3 - Clocked an estimated 280-290 kph over water just before making landfall just south of Siargao Is., Surigao del Norte.
4 - A small and concentrated typhoon with only a radius of more or less 50 kms of typhoon strength winds (> 120 kph).
5 - Never made landfall in any part of Mindanao but brought severe damage and 236 fatalities to Northern Mindanao, particularly the island province of Camiguin.
6 - Was already weakening as it approached Surigao del Norte after ravaging the Island-Republic of Palau. It dissipated at Sulu Sea.
* - Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
** - JTWC puts $ 5,000,000.00 for damage.
NA - Data not available.
UD - Undetermined.
(?) - Unofficial figure by JTWC.

over water – typhoon's strongest winds were recorded while typhoon was still at sea but is closely approaching land.
Underlined figures - are courtesy of PAGASA.
Bold and italicized figures - are combined information courtesy of NDCC, reliefweb.com, Manila Bulletin, Reuters and Unisys.
The rest of the figures came from NDCC and/or Typhoon2000.com

           

NOTES:
> 8 of the 10 worst typhoons of Mindanao made landfall in Surigao del Norte and its outlying islands. TITANG (Kate) made its landfall at Digos, Davao del Sur, while NANANG (LingLing) never made landfall in Mindanao.

> 6 of the 10 worst typhoons in Mindanao were only tropical storms while passing over the island, usually the northern provinces.

> INING - This short-lived super typhoon permanently reduced the output of Bacuag, Surigao del Norte's coconut production.

> TITANG - Forming just near the equator, this typhoon took a westerly track and entered Davao Gulf. It hit Digos with winds up to 200 kph, but just 48 kilometers north east of Digos, Davao City only recorded winds not greater than 46 kph, attesting to the typhoon's small and concentrated size. It ravaged through a wide expanse of land in Central Mindanao, Lanao and Zamboanga Provinces causing it to decelerate. TITANG remained an intact tropical storm just south of Negros after exiting Zamboanga del Norte and became a typhoon again at South China Sea. This is the only tropical cyclone in the Philippine typhoon records that has directly crossed through more than one province in the island of Mindanao.

> NITANG - Surigao City was almost leveled as viewed from the air on helicopters of the Philippine Air Force. The National Disaster Coordinating Council declared Surigao City, "…a total devastation." TIME magazine (2nd issue of September 1984) quotes, "…It could be a miracle to see one house intact and unscathed in the city of Surigao after Typhoon Ike…"

> NANANG - Heavy rains from this tropical storm loosened the earth at Hibok-Hibok Volcano in Camiguin Island sending a deluge of mud and rocks to the town of Mahinog, wiping out villages and burying hundreds in debris. NANANG never made landfall in any area of Mindanao (instead it went through the Visayas) but wreaked havoc mostly in the Northern regions of the island.
           

SOURCES: www.ndcc.gov.ph , www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph , www.typhoon2000.com, http://weather.unisys.com , www.reliefweb.com , www.npmoc.navy.mil/jtwc.html

 
Compiled by Dominic Alojado with additional information by David Michael V. Padua of Typhoon2000.com (05.18.05).
           
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