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Week 014-Module Hydro-Meteorological Hazards

The document discusses hydro-meteorological hazards, including floods, typhoons, and droughts, which pose significant risks in the Philippines due to climate change. It emphasizes the importance of understanding these hazards and utilizing hazard maps and monitoring tools to mitigate their impacts. The module aims to equip readers with the skills to interpret hazard maps and use monitoring tools effectively.

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bernadettealegre2006
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8 views8 pages

Week 014-Module Hydro-Meteorological Hazards

The document discusses hydro-meteorological hazards, including floods, typhoons, and droughts, which pose significant risks in the Philippines due to climate change. It emphasizes the importance of understanding these hazards and utilizing hazard maps and monitoring tools to mitigate their impacts. The module aims to equip readers with the skills to interpret hazard maps and use monitoring tools effectively.

Uploaded by

bernadettealegre2006
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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[Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction]

1
[Hydro-meteorological Hazards]

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction

Module 014. Hydro-meteorological Hazards

Executive Summary:

What is a hydro-meteorological hazard?


Hydro-meteorological hazards are floods, typhoons and drought. UNESCO in 2017 describes these hazards as
caused “by natural processes of atmospheric, hydrological or oceanographic nature”. Hydro-meteorological
hazards also includes intense rain, flash floods, heat waves, cold spells and coastal storm surges. The
conditions brought about by these hazards may also result to landslide, forest fires or insect infestation.
In the Philippines, typhoons and floods result to major damages and loss of life. Damage to livelihoods and
agriculture has caused economic losses in millions of pesos to entrepreneurs and farmers. With climate
change, PAGASA forecasts an increased frequency and intensity of these hydro-meteorological hazard events.

At the end of this module, you will be able to:


1. interpret different hydro-meteorological hazard maps; and,
2. use available tools for monitoring hydro- meteorological hazards.

Topics covered in this Module:


1. Hydro-meteorological hazard maps
2. Tools for monitoring hydro- meteorological hazards.

Let us continue with a brief review:


The Philippines is highly prone to hydro-meteorological hazards. These hazards include typhoons,
floods, heavy rain and drought. These hazards are climate and water related. If left unprepared, the
population in the many villages of the country may be highly vulnerable as these hazards may become
disasters. In its therefore essential that to be prepared and to mitigate disasters, the nature of these hazards
be understood. This would include recognizing early signs of the hazard and knowing measures to reduce
impacts of the hazard.

Hydro-meteorological hazard maps


Course Module
Hazard maps are visual representation of a specific location highlighting the affected or vulnerable
areas of a hazard. These maps are created to show a specific hazard or multiple hazards affecting a specific
location. A hazard map may display hydro-meteorological hazards such as flooding, storm surge, landslide and
others. Hazard maps are used to inform people about the risk and dangers they are exposed to from natural
disasters.

In the Philippines, Project NOAH took the challenge of mapping the Philippine landscape showing
specific hazards. The task was to create detailed maps that show hazards at the barangay level. These hazard
mapping activities simulated floods and landslides to identify hazardous areas. It was also able to identify safe
areas evacuation centers and future development of areas not prone to natural hazards. Maps produced by
Project NOAH are multiple hazard maps that show flood hazards, landslide hazards, and storm surge hazards.
These maps are available at this website: https://lipad.dream.upd.edu.ph/.
[Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction]
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[Hydro-meteorological Hazards]

How do we interpret a hazard map? Maps are usually polygons providing a visual representation of the
landscape of an area in a flat surface. The maps basically show land forms (mountains, hills, etc), natural
resources (water bodies, land area, etc), and land uses (agriculture, industrial, residential, roads and bridges,
etc) of a given community. A map legend showing these map components in symbols and colors complete a
village resource map.
Given the village resource map, identified hazards are super-imposed to the map to indicate specific
hazards such as flooding, storm surge, etc. Mapping experts call this technique as map over laying. Areas in
the map where it is identified to be vulnerable to a hazard are shaded with specific colors as indicated in the
map legend. With the use of GIS, map overlaying is done with the use of computers and
the maps are further digitized for accuracy. GIS technology is important particularly with
the high volume of data to produce a hazard map.
Basically, hazard maps include the following information:
(1) a base map showing topography and land uses of a community

(2) areas vulnerable or affected by a hazard


(3) safe areas and location of evacuation centers and evacuation routes

Course Module
Tools for monitoring hydro- meteorological hazards

PAGASA is one weather bureau in the Southeast Asian region that has established a regional network
of monitoring stations for tropical typhoons and other hydro-meteorological events. This regional network is
equipped with equipment to provide weather advisories particularly about tropical typhoons.
While the science of forecasting hydro-meteorological hazards has advanced significantly and the use
of weather satellites, land-based radars and other equipment are
routine climate research activities, the following are basic tools
for monitoring:

1. Rain gauge. Rainfall is measured in millimeters


through a raingauge. One millimeter of rainfall is
equivalent to 1 liter of water per square meter.
Rainfall intensity is measured in terms of volume of
water rain that falls for a given time (mm/hr) for a
specific place. An increased rainfall over a short time
are indications of an impending stormy weather and
probability of floods. A continuing decline in rainfall
over the normal range may mean an onset of a dry
spell.
[Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction]
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[Hydro-meteorological Hazards]

2. Wind vane. Wind direction is provided by a wind vane. It tells us from what direction the wind is
blowing.

3. Anemometer. Wind speed is measured by an anemometer. Increasing wind speeds are


manifestations of stormy weather. Super typhoons have a wind speed of over 220 kph.

4. Barometer. Atmospheric or air pressure is measured by a


barometer. A rising barometer means sunny and dry
conditions, while a falling barometer means stormy and
wet conditions. As such, a low pressure area may result to
a typhoon. Atmospheric pressure is measured in millibars
(mb) or in kilo Pascals (kPa)

Course Module
5. Thermometer. A thermometer measures air temperature. Temperature affects pressure fronts.
An increase in temperature in the sea surface may result to a low pressure. Temperature is
measured in Celsius or Farenheit. An increase in temperature is also an indicator to measure
drought

6. River water level gauges or sensors. Gauges used to measure the rise of water levels in bodies of
water. The gauges are early warning devices for flood.
[Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction]
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[Hydro-meteorological Hazards]

References and supplementary reading materials


Reference.com
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/rain/heavy-rain-infographic
http://blog.noah.dost.gov.ph/2016/12/25/25-december-2016-2-pm-typhoon-nina-nock-ten-storm-surge-
advisory/
www.getprepared.gc.ca/
https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/hzd/strmsrgs-drng-en.aspx
USGS/ American Geosciences
Sciencing.com
Floodsite.net
PAGASA
Course Module
http://www1.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/index.php/20-weather
http://www1.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/index.php/26-hydromet/1582-flood-forecast-terms-and-symbols#flood-info-
warnings
National Drought Mitigation Center, Uni of Nebraska
www.reference.com
Sciencing.com
http://escooped.com/2006/things-to-do-before-during-after-typhoon/
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/surge/StormSurgeCanBeDeadly10tips-single.pdf

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