How Typhoon Sendong Made the Cagayan De Oro Overwhelming Shock

and Devastated.

NARRATIVE REPORT

Presented Engr. Dharyl Gibbs Cubillas

In Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirement in Hydrology

DEGUINON, JOFEL B.

APRIL 2024
1.1 Introduction

Tropical Storm Washi, also referred to as Typhoon Sendong, was a severe tropical

storm that made landfall in the southern Philippines on December 16, 2011, leaving behind

significant damage and casualties. The storm delivered heavy precipitation and caused

extensive flooding and mass waste when it made landfall in the province of Surigao del

Sur, close to Hinatuan. Although the storm was mild, with wind gusts reaching 80 km/h

and average wind speeds of 55 to 65 km/h, the excessive precipitation levels caused

extensive flooding and mass waste. A total of 131,618 households, or about 700,000

people, were impacted by the storm in 57 municipalities, 8 cities, and 13 provinces. An

estimated 430,900 people were also displaced, the majority of them were in Cagayan de

Oro and the neighboring city of Iligan City. In addition, 51,144 homes were destroyed by

the typhoon in a number of provinces. The damage to property cost over PhP 2 billion,

with Region 10 bearing the brunt of over 90% of the losses (Typhoon Sendong - Chronicle

of a Disaster Foretold, 2011b).

1.2 Background of Cagayan De Oro City

Hazard map of the Cagayan de Oro area from 2011 (before Tropical Storm Sendong occurred) showing areas with high susceptibility to flooding and landslides

Situated in the Misamis Oriental province, Cagayan de Oro is a seaside city in the

Philippines' Northern Mindanao area. The location of the island lies on Mindanao, about

around 8° 29' North, 124° 39' East. The Cagayan de Oro River borders the city on the west,

Macajalar Bay borders it on the north, and hills and mountains border it on the north and

west. With an average temperature of 28°C (82°F), Cagayan de Oro enjoys a tropical

environment. The months of June through November are wet, while December through

May are dry. Although it is not inside the typhoon belt, the Intertropical Convergence Zone

has an impact on it (Cagayan De Oro City Profile - PhilAtlas, 1990). The Philippine Mines

and Geosciences Bureau had created hazard maps that the city could view, showing that a

large portion of Cagayan de Oro was in an area susceptible to flooding. A few of the most

vulnerable locations, including the communities of Cala-Cala and Isla de Oro, were settled

under the city's shared housing ("piso-piso") initiative. As a result, city planning may not

have made advantage of the hazard risk information that was available at the time of

Tropical Storm Sendong.

 Map of the Cagayan de Oro area, including the relevant watersheds.

Data Sources: SRTM version 4 (February 2000), NASA, USGS, NSO, NSCB. GIS data: MO, NAMRIA, NSO. Map Production: Geomatics for Environment and Development.

Poverty and wealth inequality have long been problems in the Philippines, where

over 25% of people live below the national poverty threshold. This also applies to Cagayan

de Oro. The city's poverty figures are quite different. According to government authorities

between 15% and 20% of the city's population, or around 100,000 people, live in informal

settlements, sometimes known as shantytowns. These unofficial communities, which are

mostly found along the banks of the Cagayan River, are among the city's most densely

inhabited areas, with around 373 persons per hectare (37,000 persons per square kilometer),

which is comparable to Mumbai, Hong Kong, Manhattan, and other major cities

(Quickstat: Northern Mindanao) . The poverty rate in the surrounding area is over 40%,

which is considerably greater than in the city (Hirano, 2012).

 Map of Cagayan de Oro city showing densely populated areas next to the Cagayan River. Data sources: NSO, NAMRIA,
Google Earth. Map Production: Geomatics for Environment and Development

There were 602,088 people living in Cagayan de Oro in 2011—that is, 1,765 people

per square kilometer. There were 100 men for every 100 females in the population,

meaning that women made up 50.1% of the total. With the largest population group in the

20–24 age bracket, the median age was 24.2 years. Regarding education, 14.9% of people

were in college and 35.0% had completed high school (PSA, 2011). The Philippine Mines

and Geosciences Bureau had created hazard maps that the city could view, showing that a

large portion of Cagayan de Oro was in an area susceptible to flooding. A few of the most

vulnerable locations, such the communities of Isla de Oro and Cala-Cala, were settled

under the city's communal housing initiative known as "piso-piso." As a result, city

planning may not have made advantage of the hazard risk information that was available

at the time of Tropical Storm Sendong.

1.3 Typhoon Sendong

On December 16, 2011, Typhoon Sendong, sometimes called Tropical

Storm Washi, made landfall in the Southern Philippines, wreaking havoc and taking

many lives. One of the worst-hit places was Cagayan de Oro, when severe floods

raced across the city, killing around 957 people and injuring at least 1,582 others

(UMCOR Responds to Typhoon Sendong - Philippines, 2011). Tens of thousands

of people were left homeless and in need of aid after the storm damaged or

completely destroyed thousands of houses.

Typhoon Sendong left Cagayan de Oro in ruins; four schools were

discovered to be totally buried in water, while towns suffered severe losses to crops,

livestock, and fisheries (UMCOR Responds to Typhoon Sendong - Philippines,

2011). The hurricane impacted 342,000 people and cost 16.89 billion pesos (US$

34.39 million) in damages. In the city alone, 46 deaths were reported as a result of

the storm. According to Tsumita et al., the floods caused significant damage to

infrastructure and residential properties in places where the water level was over

5.0 meters.

A significant number of people were displaced by the disaster; in Region X

alone, nearly 34,000 families, or about 170,000 people, were affected (Sendong at

10 Years: Looking Back at the Disaster That Changed Cagayan De Oro | Heinrich

Böll Foundation | Southeast Asia Regional Office, 2022b). In order to lessen the

effects of future catastrophes, the catastrophe made clear the necessity of

comprehensive disaster risk reduction and management strategies. In response to

the catastrophe, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) supplied aid
 and relief materials to the impacted populations in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and

Iligan. (Philippines: UMCOR Reacts to Typhoon Sendong, 2011)

According to NDRRMC (2011), the disaster's material costs were assessed

to be PHP 3.3 billion ($76 million), which included damages to agriculture,

infrastructure, and other economic operations. Access to social services and

business was hampered by damage to major road networks, educational facilities,

medical facilities, and water supply systems, all of which varied in severity

(NDRRMC, 2011). Concerns about food security following the catastrophe were

exacerbated by the destruction of fisheries and agricultural fields (Vicente &

Amparo, 2014).

Flood footprint map showing Cagayan de Oro (right) and nearby Iligan city (left), along with socialized housing locations. Data sources: JAXA, ALOS, includes

material (c) CNES 2011, December 20. Distribution SPOT Image S.A. All Rights Reserved. Map Production: Geomatics for Environment and Development.
1.4 Images Showing the Extent of Devastation of Typhoon Sendong in Cagayan De Oro City

Photo of Isla de Oro sited on a sandbar in CDO City before (left) and after (right) the disaster. Source: Fano et al, 2012, DPWH Report: Assessment of the

Flashflood Damage in Cagayan de Oro & Iligan City

Photo of Barangay Macasandig, CDO City before (left) and after (right) the disaster. (Source: Fano et al, 2012, DPWH Report: Assessment of the Flashflood

Damage in Cagayan de Oro & Iligan City)

Barangay Macasandig’s Sitio Cala-Cala was left in rubbles after Tropical Storm Sendong devastated Cagayan de Oro on December 16, 2011 — PHOTO BY
SAMUEL YAP (Inquirer.Net)

Rescue workers gather the dead in Barangay Consolacion the morning after “Sendong” hit Northern Mindanao. MindaNews photo by BOBBY TIMONERA
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