Typhoon Odette
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Typhoon Rai, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Odette, was a deadly and extremely destructive super typhoon, which was the second costliest typhoon in Philippine history behind
Typhoon Haiyan Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was an extremely powerful and catastrophic tropical cyclone that is among List of the most intense tropical cyclones, the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. Upon ...
in 2013. Rai was a powerful rare
tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...
that struck the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
in mid-December 2021. Rai became the first Category 5-equivalent super typhoon to develop in the month of December since Nock-ten in 2016, and the third of four Category 5 super typhoons recorded in the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
, along with Pamela in
1954 Events January * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown–IBM experiment: The first public demonstration of a machine translation system is held in New York, at the head ...
, Rammasun in
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
and Yagi in
2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...
. Rai, named after an artifact called ''
Rai stones A rai stone (), or fei stone, is one of many large artifacts that were manufactured and treasured by the native inhabitants of the Yap islands in Federated States of Micronesia, Micronesia. They are also known as Yapese stone money or similar nam ...
'', is the 22nd and final named tropical storm, the ninth
typhoon A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...
, and the fifth super typhoon of the
2021 Pacific typhoon season The 2021 Pacific typhoon season was the second consecutive season to have below average tropical cyclone activity, with twenty-two tropical cyclone naming, named storms, and was the least active since 2011 Pacific typhoon season, 2011. Nine beca ...
. The system originated from a tropical disturbance near the equator on December 10, forming near the site of another
low-pressure area In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with incle ...
that had dissipated on the previous day. Conditions around the system were favorable for further development, and it slowly developed into a tropical depression on December 12. On the same day, the United States
Joint Typhoon Warning Center The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The JTWC is responsible for the issuing of tropical cyclone warnings in the North-West Pacific Ocean, South P ...
(JTWC) issued a
Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) is a bulletin released by the U.S. Navy-operated Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Honolulu, Hawaii or the Fleet Weather Center in Norfolk, Virginia, warning of the possibility of a tropical cyclone formi ...
(TCFA) on the consolidating depression. Further intensification ensued, and Rai was upgraded to a tropical storm the next day, before passing south of
Ngulu Atoll Ngulu Atoll is a coral atoll of three islands in the Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia. Ngulu extends for by with 18 reef segments enclosing a deep centr ...
. After passing near
Palau Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the western Pacific Ocean. The Republic of Palau consists of approximately 340 islands and is the western part of the Caroline Islands ...
and impacting the island nation, Rai entered the
Philippine Area of Responsibility The Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) is an area in the Northwestern Pacific where PAGASA, the Philippines' national meteorological agency, monitors weather occurrences. Significant weather disturbances, specifically typhoons that enter o ...
(PAR) by the night of December 14, where the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (
PAGASA The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (, abbreviated as PAGASA , which means "hope" as in the Tagalog language, Tagalog word ''pag-asa'') is the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS ...
) named it "Odette". On the next day, both the JMA and JTWC raised the system's intensity to a low-end Category 1-equivalent typhoon, as an eye continued to appear. While approaching the Philippines, Rai rapidly intensified into a Category 5 super typhoon just before its first landfall across
Siargao Siargao is a tear-drop shaped island in the Philippine Sea situated 196 kilometers southeast of Tacloban. It has a land area of approximately . The east coast is relatively straight with one deep inlet, Port Pilar. The coastline is marked by a s ...
. It then slowly but steadily weakened as it traversed the
Visayas The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; Filipino language, Filipino: ''Kabisayaan'' ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, a ...
, exiting into the
Sulu Sea The Sulu Sea (; Tausug: ''Dagat sin Sūg''; ; ) is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipela ...
. After making its last landfall over Palawan, Rai continued to weaken before unexpectedly re-intensifying into a Category 5-equivalent typhoon by December 18, while nearing Vietnam. On the next day, Rai entered yet another weakening phase, dissipating on December 21, southeast of
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
. As Rai pounded the Philippines, heavy rainfall and strong and gusty winds impacted several areas around the storm's path. Many areas across the Visayas and Mindanao lost electricity with several provinces and areas being deprived further of communication services. Downed trees obstructed many roadways, and flooding was a major problem across the affected regions, particularly
Bohol Bohol (), officially the Province of Bohol (; ), is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region, consisting of the island itself and 75 minor surrounding islands. It is home to Bohola ...
, where the storm was described as "one of the worst for the province". Rivers also overflowed across
Cagayan de Oro Cagayan de Oro (abbreviated CDO and officially the City of Cagayan de Oro; ; Bukid language, Binukid: ''Ciudad ta Cagayan de Oro''; ; ) is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Regions of the Philippi ...
, while numerous buildings sustained damage.
Surigao City Surigao City, officially the City of Surigao ( Surigaonon: ''Siyudad nan Surigao''; ; ), is a component city and capital of the province of Surigao del Norte, Philippines. It is the most populous in the province with a population of 171,107 peop ...
was reported to be completely damaged, and appealed for aid. Bohol also pleaded for help from the government due to the damages Rai brought to the area. A state of calamity has been placed in the province and Cebu. So far, 410 people have died, a large portion of which were from the severely affected island of Bohol. Damages was finalized at
The Philippine peso sign (₱) is the currency symbol used for the Philippine peso, the official currency of the Philippines. The symbol resembles a Latin script, Latin letter P with two horizontal strokes. It differs from the currency symbol u ...
47.6 billion (US$951 million), including ₱29.8 billion (US$596 million) of infrastructural damage.


Meteorological history

At 06:00 UTC on December 9, the
Joint Typhoon Warning Center The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The JTWC is responsible for the issuing of tropical cyclone warnings in the North-West Pacific Ocean, South P ...
(JTWC) started to monitor a low-latitude area of convection in the Pacific Ocean at , located about to
Palau Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the western Pacific Ocean. The Republic of Palau consists of approximately 340 islands and is the western part of the Caroline Islands ...
's east-southeast. A broad circulation was identified by the agency, with flaring convection over it. The circulation had a marginal environment with low to moderate
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
, fair
outflow Outflow may refer to: *Capital outflow, the capital leaving a particular economy *Bipolar outflow, in astronomy, two continuous flows of gas from the poles of a star * Outflow (hydrology), the discharge of a lake or other reservoir system *Outflow ...
, and warm
sea surface temperatures Sea surface temperature (or ocean surface temperature) is the ocean temperature, temperature of ocean water close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies in the literature and in practice. It is usually between and below the sea ...
. Despite its given environment, however, the disturbance failed to intensify and dissipated by 06:00 UTC the next day. Another new
area of low pressure In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclem ...
formed on December 10, near the location of the previous disturbance. Analysis on the system revealed a degraded and disorganized
low-level circulation center The eye is a region of mostly calm weather at the center of a tropical cyclone. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area, typically in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the most severe weath ...
. Position fixes by 02:30 UTC on December 11 determined that its center had shifted to the north over a developing surface trough, while convective bursts occurred around the system. An advanced
scatterometer A scatterometer or diffusionmeter is a scientific instrument to measure the return of a beam of light or radar waves scattered by diffusion in a medium such as air. Diffusionmeters using visible light are found in airports or along roads to measur ...
pass featured below gale-force winds on its northwest quadrant. The
Japan Meteorological Agency The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA; ''気象庁, Kishō-chō'') is a division of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism dedicated to the Scientific, scientific observation and research of natural phenomena. Headquartered ...
(JMA) (the official
Regional Specialized Meteorological Center A Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) is responsible for the distribution of information, advisories, and warnings regarding the specific program they have a part of, agreed by consensus at the World Meteorological Organization as ...
for the western Pacific Ocean) first upgraded the system to a tropical depression with winds of , at 00:00 UTC the next day, followed by the JTWC upgrading the storm's chances of developing to "high" and subsequently issuing a
Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) is a bulletin released by the U.S. Navy-operated Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Honolulu, Hawaii or the Fleet Weather Center in Norfolk, Virginia, warning of the possibility of a tropical cyclone formi ...
. By 03:00 UTC on December 13, the JTWC upgraded the system to a weak tropical depression, highly based on Dvorak ratings of T1.5. Nine hours later, the JMA classified the system as a tropical storm based on Dvorak ratings and named the storm ''Rai''. It was not until 15:00 UTC that day when the JTWC upgraded Rai to a tropical storm, as it began tracking northwestward. Three hours later, Rai began to pass south of Ngulu State, while continuing to intensify and organize. By December 14 in the early morning, the system was upgraded to a severe tropical storm by the JMA. By 09:00 UTC, the JTWC noted that the system's cloud tops became warm; however, it further organized while tracking towards the small island country of Palau. The storm entered the
Philippine Area of Responsibility The Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) is an area in the Northwestern Pacific where PAGASA, the Philippines' national meteorological agency, monitors weather occurrences. Significant weather disturbances, specifically typhoons that enter o ...
around 11:00 UTC (19:00 PHT), and was named ''Odette'' by the PAGASA.Alt URL
/ref> Four hours later, Rai began to exhibit an
eye An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system. In higher organisms, the ey ...
which was first seen on microwave images. The JMA further upgraded the system to a typhoon by the next day, followed by the JTWC three hours later as Rai began to take a westward motion under the influence of a
subtropical ridge The horse latitudes are the latitudes about 30 degrees north and south of the Equator. They are characterized by sunny skies, calm winds, and very little precipitation. They are also known as subtropical ridges or highs. It is a high-pressur ...
to its north. Steady intensification occurred on Rai while moving near the country, reaching high-end Category 1-equivalent typhoon intensity by 15:00 UTC. At this time, the JTWC only forecasted a landfall equivalent to a Category 2 storm. Rai unexpectedly underwent
rapid intensification Rapid intensification (RI) is any process wherein a tropical cyclone strengthens very dramatically in a short period of time. Tropical cyclone forecasting agencies utilize differing thresholds for designating rapid intensification events, th ...
on December 15, from by December 16, while nearing landfall. At this time, a small eye was seen along with strong convection. The storm began an
eyewall replacement cycle In meteorology, eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds greater than , or hurricane-force, and particularly in major hurricanes of Saffir–Simps ...
(ERC) shortly after reaching peak intensity. On December 16, the typhoon made landfall over
Siargao Island Siargao is a tear-drop shaped island in the Philippine Sea situated 196 kilometers southeast of Tacloban. It has a land area of approximately . The east coast is relatively straight with one deep inlet, Port Pilar. The coastline is marked by a s ...
in the province of
Surigao del Norte Surigao del Norte ( Surigaonon: ''Probinsya nan Surigao del Norte''; ; Tagalog: ''Hilagang Surigao''), officially the Province of Surigao del Norte, is a province in the Philippines located in the Caraga region of Mindanao. The province was fo ...
around 1:30 PM local time (05:30
UTC Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard globally used to regulate clocks and time. It establishes a reference for the current time, forming the basis for civil time and time zones. UTC facilitates international communica ...
) and a second landfall over
Dinagat Islands Dinagat Islands ( Cebuano: ''Mga Pulo sa Dinagat''; Surigaonon: ''Mga Puyo nan Dinagat''; Kabalian: ''Mga Puyo san Dinagat''; Waray: ''Mga Purô han Dinagat''; Filipino: ''Mga Islang Dinagat''), officially the Province of Dinagat Islands, is ...
around 3:10 PM local time (07:10 UTC). A third landfall occurred in
Liloan, Southern Leyte Liloan, officially the Municipality of Liloan (; ), is a municipality in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 24,800 people. Liloan's town center is located at the northern part of P ...
at 3:40 PM local time (7:40 UTC). A fourth landfall occurred at
Panaon Island Panaon Island is a small island in the Philippines, in the province of Southern Leyte. It lies south of Leyte, separated from Dinagat to the east, and Mindanao to the southeast by Surigao Strait. The Mindanao Sea lies to the southwest. Panao ...
, also at Liloan, at around 4:50 PM (8:50 UTC).
Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte Padre Burgos, officially the Municipality of Padre Burgos (; ), is a municipality in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 11,159 people. Padre Burgos is named after Fr. José Burgos, ...
was the fifth at 5:40 PM (09:40 UTC), followed nearly one-hour later at President Carlos P. Garcia, Bohol and approximately another hour at
Bien Unido Bien Unido, officially the Municipality of Bien Unido (; ), is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 26,666 people. Bien ...
, still at Bohol. The eighth landfall occurred at
Carcar Carcar, officially the City of Carcar (; ), is a component city in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 136,453 people. History Before Spanish colonization,Carcar was known as "Kabkad" and ...
, Cebu by 10:00 PM (14:00 UTC) and the ninth over
La Libertad, Negros Oriental La Libertad, officially the Municipality of La Libertad (; ), is a municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. As of the 2020 census, the city has a population of 41,089 people. History Before and during the Spanish Conquest ...
, two hours later. The JMA estimated a minimum
central pressure Atmospheric pressure, also known as air pressure or barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1,013.2 ...
of by 03:00 UTC, earlier that day, two hours before its landfall. The same situation slightly weakened the system into a Category 4-equivalent super typhoon by 09:00 UTC, and its intensity continued to degrade, six hours later while crossing
Visayas The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; Filipino language, Filipino: ''Kabisayaan'' ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, a ...
. As Rai entered
Panay Gulf Panay Gulf is an extension of the Sulu Sea, reaching between the islands of Panay and Negros in the Philippines. The gulf contains the island-province of Guimaras and extends into the Iloilo Strait, between Panay and Guimaras, and into Guimara ...
, its eye further weakened and its convective signature becoming disorganized as the JTWC further downgraded it to a Category 3 system six hours later. It continued to weaken while tracking towards the
Sulu Sea The Sulu Sea (; Tausug: ''Dagat sin Sūg''; ; ) is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipela ...
by the next day at 03:00 UTC. A new eye also struggled to form as the system was nearing landfall. By 07:10 UTC (15:10 PHT), the system made another and last landfall over
Roxas, Palawan Roxas, officially the Municipality of Roxas (), is a municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 69,624 people. History Roxas was created under Republic Act No. 615 in 1951 from the ...
as it continued to lose intensity. It then entered the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
with more organization but its intensity remaining the same. Rai then started to slightly strengthen as it turned northwestward, away from the Philippine archipelago. The system then left the PAR by 12:40 PHT (04:40 UTC). For the first time since
Typhoon Rammasun Typhoon Rammasun, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Glenda, was one of the only four Category 5 Tropical cyclone scales#Western Pacific, super typhoons on record in the South China Sea, with the other ones being Typhoon Pamela (1954), Pamela i ...
in 2014 and the third after Pamela of 1954 and the aforementioned storm, Rai unexpectedly attained Category 5-equivalent super typhoon status in the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
, due to the favorable environment in that region, at 21:00 UTC on December 18, as it underwent a secondary period of rapid intensification, attaining maximum speeds of 270 km/h (165 mph). By 03:00 UTC the next day, Rai again weakened below Category 5-equivalent super typhoon intensity, while turning in a west-northwesterly direction. Its eye was cloud-filled by this time, with the storm rapidly weakening afterward. The storm was still rapidly weakening as of 12:00 UTC on December 20, being forecasted to dissipate off the coast of
Guangdong ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name "''Guang''" ultimately came from Guangxin ( zh, labels=no, first=t, t= , s=广信), an outpost established in Han dynasty ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
. As forecasted, Rai dissipated a day later off the coast of
Guangdong Province ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name "''Guang''" ultimately came from Guangxin ( zh, labels=no, first=t, t= , s=广信), an outpost established in Han dynasty ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
. On March 23, 2022, as
PAGASA The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (, abbreviated as PAGASA , which means "hope" as in the Tagalog language, Tagalog word ''pag-asa'') is the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS ...
issued their revised tropical cyclone scale, Rai (Odette) was considered as a super typhoon.


Preparations


Federated States of Micronesia

Upon the system's intensification into a tropical depression, a typhoon watch was issued by the US National Weather Service in Tiyan, Guam, in
Koror Koror is the state comprising the main commercial centre of the Republic of Palau. It consists of several islands, the most prominent being Koror Island (also ''Oreor Island''). It is Palau’s most populous state. History In the oral tradition of ...
and
Kayangel Kayangel (Ngcheangel) is the northernmost state of Palau north of Koror. The land area is about . The population is 54 (2015 census). There is one hamlet in the state - Orukei, which is also its capital. In 2020, Richard Ngiraked was elected gove ...
while a tropical storm warning was placed for
Ngulu Atoll Ngulu Atoll is a coral atoll of three islands in the Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia. Ngulu extends for by with 18 reef segments enclosing a deep centr ...
. The island of
Yap Yap (, sometimes written as , or ) traditionally refers to an island group located in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, a part of Yap State. The name "Yap" in recent years has come to also refer to the state within the Federate ...
was placed also under tropical storm watch. This was further upgraded into a typhoon warning for Palau as Rai further intensifies. The alerts for Ngulu and Yap were first canceled by 09:00 UTC of December 14 and six hours later, the typhoon warning were also canceled for Palau.


Philippines

PAGASA The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (, abbreviated as PAGASA , which means "hope" as in the Tagalog language, Tagalog word ''pag-asa'') is the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS ...
began issuing Tropical Cyclone Advisories as early as December 12 given the forecasted track of the storm. In its first advisory, PAGASA forecasted the possibility of Signal #4 being raised over the Visayas and Mindanao regions, later lowered to Signal #3. The PAGASA also forecasted winds of up to prior to landfall. On December 14, storm signals were raised in
Caraga Caraga, officially the Caraga Administrative Region (or simply known as Caraga region) and designated as Region XIII, is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines occupying the northeastern section of Mindanao. Th ...
and
Eastern Visayas Eastern Visayas (; ; ; ) is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region VIII. It consists of three main islands: Samar, Leyte, and Biliran. The region has six provinces: Biliran, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, Easte ...
as the storm entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility.Alt URL
/ref> Starting on the night of December 13, land travel on bound to
Visayas The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; Filipino language, Filipino: ''Kabisayaan'' ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, a ...
,
Mindanao Mindanao ( ) is the List of islands of the Philippines, second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and List of islands by population, seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the ...
, the province of
Masbate Masbate, officially the Province of Masbate (Masbateño language, Masbateño: ''Probinsya san Masbate''; ), is an island Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located near the midsection of the nation's archipelago. Its provi ...
and
Catanduanes Catanduanes (; ), officially the Province of Catanduanes (), is an island province located in the Bicol Region of Luzon in the Philippines. It is the 12th-largest island in the Philippines, and lies to the east of Camarines Sur, across the M ...
were canceled according to an approved request of the Office of the Civil Defense in the country. The
Land Transportation Office The Land Transportation Office (LTO; ) is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Transportation (Philippines), Department of Transportation responsible for all land transportation in the Philippines. Functions of the LTO ...
also placed the same travel restrictions in Mindanao and
Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...
as a precaution. All types of vessels are also prohibited to leave the country's ports if there are any storm signals raised. Fishermen living near coastal areas were also urged by the country's coast guard to leave their homes "as soon as possible". Other Philippine provinces like
Bohol Bohol (), officially the Province of Bohol (; ), is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region, consisting of the island itself and 75 minor surrounding islands. It is home to Bohola ...
and
Aklan Aklan, officially the Province of Aklan, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Its capital and largest town is Kalibo. The province is situated in the northwest portion of Panay, Panay Islan ...
were also prepared for possible work cancelations and evacuation premises in regards to the storm. Floating cottages in
General Santos General Santos, officially the City of General Santos and abbreviated as GenSan, is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Regions of the Philippines, region of Soccsksargen, Philippines. According to ...
, as well as fishing boats were brought to shore and safety. The vaccination operations across the possible affected areas were earlier suspended by December 20–22. Over 23,642 food packs for evacuees were also readied by the country's
Department of Social Welfare and Development The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD; ) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the protection of the social welfare of rights of Filipinos and to promote social development. History In 1915, ...
(DSWD), over 18,665 non-edible items as well as over ₱752,250 (US$15,040) worth of standby funds. The airline carrier
Cebu Pacific Cebu Air, Inc. (), operating as Cebu Pacific (stylized in lowercase), is a Philippine low-cost airline based in Pasay, Metro Manila. Founded in 1988, the airline was the first low-cost carrier in Asia and is also the largest airline in the Phi ...
also suspended three flights in the country. Over 12,000 individuals in barangays across Mindanao, Visayas, and further north into
Southern Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, a ...
were also urged by the
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), formerly known as the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) until August 2011, is a working group of various government, non-government, civil sector and private sect ...
(NDRRMC) to immediately leave their homes. The whole of
Bicol Region The Bicol Region, designated as Region V, is an administrative region of the Philippines. It comprises six Provinces of the Philippines, provinces, four on the Bicol Peninsula (the luzon#Southeastern Luzon, southeastern end of Luzon): Albay, Ca ...
was also under red alert starting on December 14. The higher authorities there also warned its people of possible landslides and lahar flow from the
Mayon Volcano Mayon (; , ), also known as Mount Mayon and Mayon Volcano is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay in Bicol, Philippines. A popular tourist spot, it is renowned for its "perfect cone" because of its symmetric conical shape, and i ...
.
Cebu Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...
was also under a "state of preparedness" due to the storm. Furthermore, many individuals, of which the majority are going into the Bicol Region in the
Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange The Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX, ) is a public transport terminal in Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. PITX is built and operated by Megawide Construction Corporation and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) under the ...
(PITX) were also stranded due to ferry suspensions.
Capiz Capiz (), officially the Province of Capiz (Capiznon language, Capiznon/Hiligaynon language, Hiligaynon: ''Kapuoran sang Capiz''; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the central part of the Western Visayas Regions of the Philippines ...
already started voluntary evacuations at this time, first focused on people living in coastal areas.
Liloan, Cebu Liloan, officially the Municipality of Liloan (; ), is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 153,197 people. Making it t ...
also initiated forced evacuations by the afternoon of December 15. Several flights into Visayas and Mindanao from
Ninoy Aquino International Airport Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA ; ; ), also known as Manila International Airport (MIA), is the main international airport serving Metro Manila in the Philippines. Located between the cities of Pasay and Parañaque, about south of ...
were also delayed, rescheduled, and/or canceled, mainly from the earlier Cebu Pacific,
Philippine Airlines Philippine Airlines (PAL) is the flag carrier of the Philippines. Headquartered at the Philippine National Bank, PNB Financial Center in Pasay, the airline was founded in 1941 and is the oldest operating commercial airline in Asia. Philippine ...
and
Airasia Capital A Berhad (), operating as AirAsia (stylised as ''airasia'') is a Malaysian multinational low-cost airline headquartered near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Established in 1993 and commencing operations in 1996, the airline is the largest in M ...
. Some face-to-face classes in the affected areas were also halted. Many
billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
s in Bohol were also removed and the annual
Binirayan festival The Binirayan Festival is an annual month-long cultural festival in the province of Antique, Philippines, held every December. The festival commemorates the arrival of Malay migrants prior to the Spanish conquest, as documented in Maragtas, a c ...
in
Antique An antique () is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely to describe any object that i ...
was canceled due to Rai. The city of Surigao was already soaked by the rains of Odette by the afternoon of December 15, including the whole of Eastern Visayas. Thousands of evacuees rushed into safety shelters in the area whereas in one case, they became full. Sandbags were also placed over some houses in
Tacloban City Tacloban ( ; ), officially the City of Tacloban (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city on Leyte island in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, Tacloban has a popu ...
in Leyte and many individuals rushed into a grocery store in
Alangalang Alangalang (IPA: ɐlɐŋ'ʔalɐŋ, officially the Municipality of Alangalang (; ; ), is a First Class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 57,185 people. It is a landlocked t ...
to stock up on essential supplies. Four hours after, Rai entered the PAR, PAGASA started to hoist Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal #1 for southeastern
Eastern Samar Eastern Samar ( Waray-Waray: ''Sinirangan Samar''; ), officially the Province of Eastern Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Borongan, which is the most populous. Eastern Samar ...
and over the Surigao provinces, including the Dinagat Islands. This was further extended into some provinces in the
Central Visayas Central Visayas (; or ) is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VII. With only two Provinces of the Philippines, provinces: Cebu and Bohol, as well as three Cities of the Phi ...
and further south of Mindanao, until
Agusan del Sur Agusan del Sur, officially the Province of Agusan del Sur (; Butuanon: ''Probinsya hong Agusan del Sur''; ), is a province in Caraga region, Mindanao, Philippines. Its capital is the municipality of Prosperidad. It is bordered on the northwest ...
. Signal #2 were further placed for the Surigao provinces and further into some parts of Visayas as Odette further intensified into a typhoon, with Signal #1 spreading further into the remaining part of the region and Mimaropa and Southern Tagalog provinces. The storm's further intensification led to PAGASA raising the Signal #3 warning in some portions of Caraga and as Rai underwent rapid intensification, into eastern Visayas before Signal #4 was raised in those areas. On December 15, militants of the
New People's Army The New People's Army (; abbreviated NPA or BHB) is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). It acts as the CPP's principal organization, aiming to consolidate political power from what it sees as the present "bourgeo ...
attacked troops evacuating residents in
Surigao del Sur Surigao del Sur (Surigaonon language, Surigaonon: ''Probinsya nan Surigao del Sur''; ; ), officially the Province of Surigao del Sur, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Caraga Regions of the Philippines ...
prior to the storm, killing three civilians. On December 16, the PAGASA raised the signal in western Bohol,
Dinagat Islands Dinagat Islands ( Cebuano: ''Mga Pulo sa Dinagat''; Surigaonon: ''Mga Puyo nan Dinagat''; Kabalian: ''Mga Puyo san Dinagat''; Waray: ''Mga Purô han Dinagat''; Filipino: ''Mga Islang Dinagat''), officially the Province of Dinagat Islands, is ...
, and Surigao to Signal #4. 9,720 thousand were evacuated as Typhoon Rai made landfall. Following Rai's impact, around 332,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in total as of December 17.


Highest Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal


Vietnam

As Rai approached Vietnam after clearing the Philippines, officials held a meeting in which more than 243,254 houses across eight Vietnamese provinces were identified as "unsafe", while rice crops were harvested by farmers in preparation for the storm.
Vietnam Airlines Vietnam Airlines () is the flag carrier of Vietnam. The airline was founded in 1956 and later established as a Government-owned corporation, state-owned enterprise in April 1989. Vietnam Airlines is headquartered in Long Biên district, Hanoi ...
' flight operations were also halted due to the typhoon, while marine equipment, particularly fishing boats, were moved onto shores as a precautionary measure. Lý Sơn Island also prepared to evacuate over 7,800 individuals. Towing vessels were also readied in case of marine emergencies over the South China Sea. Medicine and food packs were also prepared while houses over the areas that are foreseen to be affected by Rai were secured. 305,000 individuals were also readied to be evacuated from Quảng Bình to Bình Thuận. Heavy rainfall, strong winds and rough waves were also forecasted.


Macau and Hong Kong

In Macau, the
Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau The Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG, ; ) is a department of the Macao Government. It provides weather forecasts and issues warnings on weather-related hazards. It also provides geophysical-related services to meet the needs of the pub ...
(SMG) hoisted the typhoon warning signal number one in the early hours at 3AM on 20 December 2021 (MST). In Hong Kong, the
Hong Kong Observatory The Hong Kong Observatory is a weather forecast agency of the government of Hong Kong. The Observatory forecasts the weather and issues warnings on weather-related hazards. It also monitors and makes assessments on radiation levels in Hong ...
issued the number 1 tropical cyclone signal at 11:20AM (HKT) on 20 December 2021, as Typhoon Rai approached the territory. Rai is the first typhoon on record to neccistate the issuance of typhoon warning signal in the territory in mid-December, on 20 December 2021, and the second on record in December. The last time such a signal warning was issued in Hong Kong in December was in 1974 as a response to Typhoon Irma. and was cancelled at 12:20PM HKT the following day.


Elsewhere

In China, Blue Typhoon warnings were issued in
Hainan Hainan is an island provinces of China, province and the southernmost province of China. It consists of the eponymous Hainan Island and various smaller islands in the South China Sea under the province's administration. The name literally mean ...
and
Guangdong ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name "''Guang''" ultimately came from Guangxin ( zh, labels=no, first=t, t= , s=广信), an outpost established in Han dynasty ...
Provinces by the
China Meteorological Administration The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) is the national weather service of the People's Republic of China. The institution is located in Beijing. History The agency was originally established in December 1949 as the Central Military Comm ...
.


Impact


Philippines

Rai caused severe and widespread damage throughout the Southern Philippines, killing at least 409. The NDRRMC confirmed the damage in infrastructure to be
The Philippine peso sign (₱) is the currency symbol used for the Philippine peso, the official currency of the Philippines. The symbol resembles a Latin script, Latin letter P with two horizontal strokes. It differs from the currency symbol u ...
29.8 billion (US$596 million), along with ₱17.7 billion (US$354 million) of agricultural damage and ₱62.7 million (US$1.25 million) worth of damages to houses, with a combined total of ₱47.6 billion (US$951 million). Over 100,000 people were moved to higher ground as flooding occurred. Strong winds and heavy rainfall also impacted
Guiuan, Eastern Samar Guiuan (Help:IPA/Tagalog, giˌwan; , ), officially the Municipality of Guiuan, is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Eastern Samar, Philippines. It constitutes the southeastern extremity ...
, with rough waves bashing the shores of the province, according to a news correspondent of ''
24 Oras (pronounced as bente kwatro oras / ) is a Philippine television news broadcasting show broadcast by GMA Network. Originally anchored by Mel Tiangco and Mike Enriquez, it premiered on March 15, 2004, on the network's Telebabad line up. Ti ...
''. The same situation was also felt across the entirety of
Western Visayas Western Visayas (; ; ) is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VI. The region comprises the islands of Panay and Guimaras Island, Guimaras. It consists of five Provinces of the ...
. As Rai impacted Liloan in Southern Leyte, an area there was described as "cut-off", indicating that there was no electricity or means of communications in the place. A
GMA News GMA Integrated News (simply known as GMA News; formerly known as RBS News Department, GMA Radio-Television News and GMA Rainbow Satellite News; and later GMA News and Public Affairs) is the news division of the Philippine media company GMA Networ ...
reporter recalling his experience inside the storm reported that the building where his team was sustained considerable damage, comparing it to Typhoon Haiyan in terms of ferocity. Their vehicles also received damage from the storm. After the storm passed over the area, the whole municipality was reported to be isolated. Many provinces in Mindanao also were severely affected by the typhoon. In
Cagayan de Oro Cagayan de Oro (abbreviated CDO and officially the City of Cagayan de Oro; ; Bukid language, Binukid: ''Ciudad ta Cagayan de Oro''; ; ) is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Regions of the Philippi ...
, despite rushing water, rescue teams continued to save many people in their houses from the floods. A house was heavily destroyed by Odette's strong winds in
Agusan del Norte Agusan del Norte, officially the Province of Agusan del Norte (; Butuanon: ''Probinsya hong Agusan del Norte''; ), is a province in the Caraga region of the Philippines. Its ''de jure'' capital is the city of Cabadbaran with several government o ...
while a barge of unknown origins was left stranded by the storm's waves on a shore, still in the province. Storm surge also impacted the coast boulevards of Surigao del Norte while
Iligan Iligan, officially the City of Iligan (; Bukid: ''Ciudad ta Iligan''; Maranao: ''Bandar a Iligan''; ), is a highly urbanized city in the region of Northern Mindanao, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 363,115 ...
's Mandulog River overflowed. The incident was a horror to many residents there, due to the same effect
Tropical Storm Washi Severe Tropical Storm Washi, known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Sendong, was a late-season tropical cyclone that caused around 1,200 to 2,500 deaths and catastrophic damage in the Philippines in late 2011. Washi made landfall o ...
in 2011 brought. Further south, it also caused rough waves over
Cateel Cateel (), officially the Municipality of Cateel (; ), is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Davao Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 44,207 people. ...
. The
Cagayan de Oro River The Cagayan River, also known as the Cagayan de Oro River, is one of the rivers draining the northern central part of the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. The river has its headwaters in the Kalatungan Mountain Range and Kitanglad Mounta ...
also overflowed, causing several homes to be near-completely inundated. The first fatality from the storm was reported at
Iloilo Iloilo ( ; ), officially the Province of Iloilo (; ; ; ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital and largest city is Iloilo City, the regional center of Western Visayas and politically independen ...
, where a woman was crushed to death in her house by a bamboo tree. Surigao City was deprived of electricity and communications due to downed power lines while scores of trees left many roads impassable. Many buildings in the area were also devastated and the overall impact of Rai in the area were described as "widespread". Clean water supply became a problem in the city while almost all coastal houses were destroyed by the typhoon's storm surge. The main wet market of the area was also closed, still due to the effects of the system. Authorities are verifying a possible second death due to Rai in the city and a third elsewhere in southern Mindanao. The mayor of Surigao City, Ernesto Matugas also estimated that 100% of the area was devastated due to Odette, also appealing for aid to the government. Aid was also requested by the province of Bohol, where a chief of the area's Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) described Rai as "one of the worst ever for the province". Many areas in the island were severely inundated, including
Loboc Loboc, officially the Municipality of Loboc (; ), is a municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 17,418 people. Located east of Tagbilaran, Loboc is widely known for its lunch c ...
, among the worst hit. The whole province also lost power services. The governor of the province, Arthur Yap estimated the damages at (). A terminal in Siargao Airport was also totally destroyed; the overall island was also wrecked according to the first district representative of Surigao del Norte, Francisco Jose Matugas II. Southern Surigao confirmed a death, while two people died in
Bukidnon Bukidnon (), officially the Province of Bukidnon (; ; ; Bukid language, Binukid and Higaonon language, Higaonon: ''Probinsya ta Bukidnon''), is a landlocked Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Northern Mindan ...
. Three individuals were killed due to various reasons across
Negros Occidental Negros Occidental (; ), officially the Province of Negros Occidental (; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Negros, Negros Island. Its capital is the city of Bacolod, of which it is geographically s ...
. Numerous houses there were also destroyed by downed trees, with a triage of the Ignacio Locsin Arroyo Memorial District Hospital being wrecked. Some areas in
Kabankalan Kabankalan, officially the City of Kabankalan (; ; , Spanish: ''Ciudad de Cabancalán''), is a component city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2025 census, it has a population of 330,378 people making it th ...
were also inundated due to a river overflowing there. The
Philippine National Police The Philippine National Police (PNP; ) is the national police force of the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Currently, it has approximately 228,000 personnel to police a pop ...
(PNP) also listed two people to be unaccounted for from
Western Visayas Western Visayas (; ; ) is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VI. The region comprises the islands of Panay and Guimaras Island, Guimaras. It consists of five Provinces of the ...
. Further assessments of the NDRRMC reported at least 12 killed due to the typhoon across the affected areas, while seven people were missing. A briefing with the
Philippine President The president of the Philippines (, sometimes referred to as ) is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in- ...
Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the first Philippine president from Mindanao, and is the oldest person to assum ...
occurred on the night of December 17, where the agency noted that many provinces were also pleading for help, especially Cebu. The governor of Surigao also observed that over 99 percent of individuals of Surigao were affected. Aerial operations were also conducted by the Philippine Coast Guard, where they saw the total devastation of the island. The area were also reported to have been isolated from any means of transportations except for air. The government there also estimated damages to be (). The Dinagat Islands were also wrecked due to Rai, with their governor Arlene Bag-ao also requesting aid from the government, and saying the islands was "levelled to the ground". 95 percent of houses were estimated to have lost their roofs, and emergency shelters were destroyed. Almost all of Visayas have been left without electricity, according to the
Department of Energy A ministry of energy or department of energy is a government department in some countries that typically oversees the production of fuel and electricity; in the United States, however, it manages nuclear weapons development and conducts energy-rela ...
(DOE). In Negros Occidental, the agricultural damage is estimated at (), and it rose up to () from the Department of Agriculture and Department of Public Works and Highways. At least 332,000 people were evacuated from their homes. The storm affected areas that were still rebuilding from storms late last year. At least 140,000 people were severely affected, with the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
estimating 13 million were affected in some way. Military-released aerial photos showed General Luna was destroyed by the typhoon. As the ravaged areas were examined, the death toll rose to 75, the majority of which were from Bohol. 12 were further reported by December 19, making the casualty toll at 87 as of that day. A landslide also caused the deaths of five people and left six missing, out of 11, further raising the toll to 92. The
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
, however indicated that over 112 were killed during the storm. 78 marine vessels in Cebu also experienced sea mishaps, according to the PCG, while over 4,000 houses in Southern Leyte were destroyed due to the storm-induced storm surge. In northern
Palawan Palawan (, ), officially the Province of Palawan (; ), is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of . The capital and largest c ...
, where Rai made its last landfall before clearing the country, many houses were downed and trees obstructed several roadways. Many locations in the province, including the major city
Puerto Princesa Puerto Princesa (, American Spanish: , European Spanish: ), officially the City of Puerto Princesa (Cuyonon language, Cuyonon: ''Siyudad i'ang Puerto Princesa''; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in th ...
were left without electricity, water supply and communication signals. 630,000 people were displaced, 438,000 were in 2,841 evacuation centers. At least 41 areas were flooded, 227 municipalities experienced power outages, and 135 saw telecommunication issues. Three days after the storm, 9% were estimated to have their outages fixed, and 70% communication restored. 139,000 houses were damaged, with 54,000 being totally damaged and 82,000 partially. On Pag-asa Island of the
Spratly Islands The Spratly Islands (; zh, s=南沙群岛, t=南沙群島, p=Nánshā Qúndǎo; ; ) are a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. Composed of islands, islets, cays, and more than 100 reefs, sometimes grouped in submerged old atoll ...
, some residential houses, schools, and government facilities including the new coast guard station were severely damaged by the typhoon.


Vietnam

Rai wreaked havoc across Vietnamese-held isles in the Spratly Islands. An observation tower in
Southwest Cay Southwest Cay, also known as ; Pugad Island (); Mandarin , is an island on the northwestern edge of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. It is part of the atoll North Danger Reef, and just southwest of Northeast Cay. With an area o ...
recorded sustained winds up to and a gust of during the afternoon of December 18 before being knocked down. The storm destroyed of civilian house tiles, 27 solar batteries, of farmland, and knocked down 90% of the trees on the island; no casualties were reported there. Rai began to batter the Central Vietnamese coast at night, with winds in several provinces averaging . Heavy rainfall was unleashed on Thừa Thiên – Huế to Khánh Hòa, with reports showing an average of of rainfall; some places recorded up to of rain. In Nghệ An province, two crew members of a fishing vessel were reported missing in the waters off
Bạch Long Vĩ Island Bạch is a Vietnamese language surname, which means "white".''Behind the Name''"Surname Bạch" Retrieved on 26 January 2016. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese, and as Baek (also often spelled Baik, Paek or Paik) in Korean. Bach may ...
. On December 19, one person (fisherman) was reported dead in Tuy Phong, five ships were capsized and three others were damaged off the coast of Bình Thuận. Rough storm waves damaged and destroyed 90 lobster herds on Bình Hưng Island,
Cam Ranh Cam Ranh () is a port-city in Southern Khánh Hòa Province, in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam. History Cam Ranh, known in the ancient Ede language as Kăm Mran, is a land closely associated with the development of the Champa cult ...
, where losses was estimated to be more than 384 billion đồng (US$16.7 million).


Aftermath


Philippines

Social media coverage of the typhoon was much less than expected the day after Rai. Possible effects from the newly emerged COVID-19
Omicron variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) is a Variants of SARS-CoV-2, variant of SARS-CoV-2 first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Network for Genomics Surveillance in South Africa on 24 November 2021. It was first detected in Botswana and has ...
were feared to be worsened by the typhoon's effects. The DSWD further elaborated that over ₱900 million (US$18 million) worth of standby funds were already prepared for the people affected by Odette. Food and water was sparse for those impacted by the storm. The storage of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine kits were also feared to be disrupted due to power outages. While there were reports of vaccine wastage due to the typhoon, the Department of Health assured that the impact of the typhoon was minimal. Immediately after the storm, presidential aspirants for the
2022 elections The following elections were scheduled to occur in 2022. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calendar of elections around the world. * 2022 United Nations Security Council election * 2022 national electoral calendar * 2022 local e ...
set up relief and recovery operations for the victims of the storm, particularly in
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
and
Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has been ...
provinces. Major telecommunication networks in the country reported communication disruptions in Visayas and Mindanao but assured that their respective teams are trying to restore services. Other
local government units The Philippines is divided into four levels of administrative divisions, with the lower three being defined in the Local Government Code of 1991 as local government units (LGUs). They are, from the highest to the lowest: # Regions () are mostly u ...
sent aid to the areas severely affected by the typhoon. On December 17, the provinces of Cebu and Bohol were placed into a
state of calamity A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state before, during, o ...
due to widespread damages.
Philippine president The president of the Philippines (, sometimes referred to as ) is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in- ...
Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the first Philippine president from Mindanao, and is the oldest person to assum ...
announced that he will tour Leyte, Surigao, Bohol and Cebu to check the situation there. Recovery funds up to ₱2 billion (US$40 million) were promised by the national government for the affected areas of the storm. Duterte started to tour Surigao City, Siargao, Maasin, and Dinagat Islands on December 18. Aid teams were not able to enter into certain affected areas due to waterlogging, debris, and other obstacles. Thousands of emergency personnel were deployed. 2 people died of dehydration after Rai passed. Catholic Bishops in the country declared
Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Chri ...
and December 26 as national days of prayer and mourning for Rai's victims. The government's promise for 35,000 food packs took longer than expected to arrive, and was found to not be enough for people affected. Days later in Bohol, power outages still ranged in the millions. The provinces governor,
Arthur Yap Arthur Yap Chioh Hiong (; 1943 – 19 June 2006) was a Singaporean poet, writer and painter. Biography Arthur Yap was born in Singapore, the sixth child of a carpenter and a housewife. Yap attended St Andrew's School and the University of S ...
, feared the situation could worsen due to a lack of a contingency fund, with supplies of necessities running dry.
Looting Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting. ...
as a potential problem also rose among affected populations.


Lack of media coverage capacity

News coverage regarding the impacts of Rai was limited in the days after the typhoon struck, a fact partly attributed to the shutdown of the regional news stations of media network ABS-CBN, which had earlier been denied a renewal of its congressional franchise. With internet service knocked out and mobile phone networks brought down in the wake of the typhoon, news from the typhoon-hit areas was very limited in the critical first days after the disaster.


International response

After Rai hit the Philippines, the governments of
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
,
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
,
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
,
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
,
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
and the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
had so far announced their intention to assist the country. * : Provided 20,000 food rations to affected areas, 19 trucks for relief operations, and logistics assistance. * : Sent 20,000 food packs worth and 4.725 million kilograms of rice to typhoon-stricken areas in the country. * : Provided an initial €1.7 million (₱95 million) for the victims of Typhoon Rai. *: Provided US$2 million in immediate funds to support people affected. *: Provided US$50,000 via the
Singapore Red Cross Society The Singapore Red Cross (SRC), formally the Singapore Red Cross Society, is a humanitarian aid and community services charity in Singapore. The SRC is a national member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IF ...
, with the Singaporean government contributing another US$60,000 (which also went towards relief efforts on the floods in Malaysia). *: Provided emergency assistance packs consisting of generators, sleeping mattresses and pads, and dome tents via the
Japan International Cooperation Agency The Japan International Cooperation Agency (), also known as JICA'','' is a governmental agency that delivers the bulk of Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the government of Japan. It is chartered with assisting economic and social gr ...
. *: Provided core relief products including solar lamps, hygiene kits and mosquito nets to the severely impacted islands via the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency mandated to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary repatriation, l ...
.
Apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...
CEO
Tim Cook Timothy Donald Cook (born November 1, 1960) is an American business executive who is the current chief executive officer of Apple Inc. Cook had previously been the company's chief operating officer under its co-founder Steve Jobs. Cook joined ...
has pledged to commit itself to rebuilding communities in both
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
and the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
while also providing short term relief and recovery efforts.


Retirement

Due to the extensive damage and high death toll in Visayas and Mindanao, the PAGASA announced that ''Odette'' will be stricken from the rotating list of typhoon names, and will never again be used for another typhoon name within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). On March 21, 2022, the PAGASA chose the name ''Opong'' as its replacement for the 2025 season. In early 2023, the Typhoon Committee announced that the name ''Rai'', along with two others will be removed from the naming lists. In the spring of 2024, the name was replaced with ''Sarbul'' which refers to "
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...
" in the
Yapese language Yapese is an Austronesian language in the Oceanic branch spoken on the island of Yap, in the Federated States of Micronesia. It has been difficult to classify the language further, but Yapese may prove to be one of the Admiralty Islands langu ...
.


Notes


See also

*
Weather of 2021 The following is a list of weather events that occurred in 2021. The year began with La Niña conditions. There were several natural disasters around the world from various types of weather, including blizzards, cold waves, droughts, heat wave ...
*
Tropical cyclones in 2021 During 2021, tropical cyclones formed in seven major bodies of water, commonly known as tropical cyclone basins. Tropical cyclones will be assigned names by various weather agencies if they attain maximum sustained winds of . During the year, 136 ...
*
List of super typhoons Since 1947, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) has classified all typhoons in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean with wind speeds of at least —the equivalent of a strong Category 4 on the Saffir–Simpson scale, as ''super typhoons''. Si ...
* Typhoon Louise (Ining, 1964) – took a similar path and also attained Category 5 intensity at a low latitude like Rai * Typhoon Nelson (Bising, 1982) – another destructive typhoon that took a similar path * Typhoon Ike (Nitang, 1984) – deadliest typhoon to hit the Caraga region * Typhoon Mike (Ruping, 1990) – another Category 5-equivalent typhoon that took an identical track in November 1990 * Typhoon Utor (Seniang, 2006) – Also had a similar path with a second peak in the South China Sea * Tropical Storm Washi (Sendong, 2011) – a very deadly tropical storm that took a similar path which cause devastating flashfloods in Mindanao. * Typhoon Bopha (Pablo, 2012) – strongest typhoon to hit Mindanao which took a similar path and attained Category 5 intensity at a low latitude like Rai * Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda, 2013) – deadliest typhoon to strike the Philippines in modern history and affected the same areas as Rai * Typhoon Rammasun (Glenda, 2014) – violent typhoon that also strengthen into Category-5 typhoon in the South China Sea after ravaged over Luzon. * Tropical Storm Megi (Agaton, 2022) – a weak but deadly tropical storm that impacted the same areas 4 months later


References


External links


JMA General Information
of Typhoon Rai (2122) from Digital Typhoon
JMA Best Track Data (Graphics)
of Typhoon Rai (2122)
JMA Best Track Data
(PDF) of Typhoon Rai (2122) (in Japanese)
JTWC Best Track Data
of Super Typhoon 28W (Rai)
28W.RAI
from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rai 2021 disasters in the Philippines 2021 disasters in Vietnam 2021 meteorology 2021 Pacific typhoon season December 2021 in Asia Tropical cyclones in 2021 Retired Philippine typhoon names Typhoons in the Federated States of Micronesia Typhoons in the Philippines Typhoons in Vietnam Typhoons in Guam Retired Pacific typhoons