Risk index for natural disasters Philippines 2024, by type

Due to the geographical context of the Philippines, the country is vulnerable to numerous natural disasters ranging from earthquakes, tropical cyclones, and flooding. As of December 2024, earthquakes in the country have 9.7 out of 10 risk index points, while tsunamis had 9.4 risk index points. 

Disasters in the Philippines

Besides earthquakes, volcanic eruptions within the “Ring of Fire,” coupled with coastal hazards such as typhoons, flooding, and rising sea levels constantly threaten the population with over 100 million inhabitants. In 2022, about 25 million Philippine pesos worth of damage was caused by tropical cyclones, which occur regularly.

Fatalities

The fatalities caused by natural disasters in the Philippines, however, have been on the decline since, having peaked in 2013 due to typhoon Haiyan. The death toll in 2016 was much lower, with 70 deaths due to natural disasters recorded. Meanwhile, the government’s risk reduction expenditure gradually increased since 2015, with the highest spending recorded in 2021.