Resilience Live Episode 4: Tropical Cyclones and Water-related Disasters Â
Date: November 30, 2023
Speaker: Dr. Lea Dasallas‬
Bionote: Dr. Dasallas is a researcher under the Water Resources and Environmental Research Center, K-Water Research Institute. She earned her Ph.D. Degree in hydrology from Chungnam National University in Korea, and MSc degree in Meteorology from the University of the Philippines, Diliman. She specializes in atmospheric and hydrological interaction; urban flood modelling; climate change projection; and tropical cyclone intensification. She has also presented and published hydro-meteorological extreme event case studies including Habagat 2012, Typhoon Yolanda 2013, and Typhoon Ulysses 2020.
Presentation Abstract:
Due to its vulnerable position in the Western North Pacific Basin, the Philippines is highly susceptible to tropical cyclones, and its associated water-related hazards. These cyclones bring heavy rainfall and strong winds, resulting in devastating floods, landslides, and storm surges. The intensity and frequency of tropical storms are exacerbated by the negative impact of the changing climate, leading to rising trend in these types of disasters. The consequences of these events are far-reaching, affecting millions of Filipinos, leading to loss of life, displacement of communities, and extensive damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and the environment.
In order to mitigate these disasters, comprehensive research analyses of these events are conducted, shedding light on the driving mechanisms that trigger these disasters. Hydrometeorological data are crucial for the investigation of extreme weather events that are used for disaster analysis, preparation, and mitigation. However, obtaining this information is challenging in developing countries due to limited monitoring infrastructures, data quality issues, restrictions in data sharing and access, shortage in skilled personnel, challenges in balancing public access with the interest of private sector, and more. As researchers, we have to be persistent and resourceful in gathering these data, and find out alternative data sources, in order to perform quality research that can be used to fully understand and mitigate their associated hazards. This presentation provides information on the sources of hydro-meteorological data for typhoon and water-related disaster research in the Philippines, as well as alternative sources and solutions for the data collection.