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The measurement of disaster risk: An example from tropical cyclones in the Philippines

Author

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  • Rio Yonson
  • Ilan Noy
  • JC Gaillard

Abstract

What determines disaster fatalities? We develop a tool to estimate tropical cyclone†induced fatalities in the Philippine provinces, and to explain the variability of these fatalities across provinces using an evidence†based approach. We construct a new provincial†level panel dataset, and use statistical methods to assess the influence of socioeconomic vulnerability (i.e., levels of economic and social development, urbanization, governance), exposure (i.e., population, topography, and geography), and hazard characteristics (i.e., rainfall volume and wind speed) on the resulting fatalities from tropical cyclones. We find strong evidence that socioeconomic development and good local governance reduces disaster fatalities, while unplanned urbanization is associated with more fatalities. Exposure, including topography, and tropical cyclone strength are likewise important determinants of fatalities. However, disaster fatalities appear to be influenced much more by socioeconomic vulnerability and exposure, than by the hazard itself. We quantify this difference in order to contribute to policy planning at national and subnational scales.

Suggested Citation

  • Rio Yonson & Ilan Noy & JC Gaillard, 2018. "The measurement of disaster risk: An example from tropical cyclones in the Philippines," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(2), pages 736-765, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:rdevec:v:22:y:2018:i:2:p:736-765
    DOI: 10.1111/rode.12365
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    Cited by:

    1. Ruiling Sun & Zaiwu Gong & Weiwei Guo & Ashfaq Ahmad Shah & Jie Wu & Haiying Xu, 2022. "Flood disaster risk assessment of and countermeasures toward Yangtze River Delta by considering index interaction," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 112(1), pages 475-500, May.
    2. Richard S. J. Tol, 2021. "The Economic Impact of Climate in the Long Run," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Anil Markandya & Dirk Rübbelke (ed.), CLIMATE AND DEVELOPMENT, chapter 1, pages 3-36, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    3. Richard S. J. Tol, 2022. "State capacity and vulnerability to natural disasters," Chapters, in: Mark Skidmore (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Disasters, chapter 20, pages 434-457, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. David J. Frame & Michael F. Wehner & Ilan Noy & Suzanne M. Rosier, 2020. "The economic costs of Hurricane Harvey attributable to climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 271-281, May.
    5. Jeroen Klomp & John Sseruyange, 2021. "Earthquakes and Economic Outcomes: Does Central Bank Independence Matter?," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 335-359, April.
    6. Avril, Pauline & Levieuge, Grégory & Turcu, Camelia, 2025. "Natural disasters and financial stress: can macroprudential regulation tame green swans?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    7. Hitesh Gupta & Rahul Deogharia & Sourav Sil & Vivek Singh & Arkaprava Ray, 2025. "On the interconnection of marine heatwaves and the extremely severe cyclonic storms Mocha and Biparjoy in the Northern Indian Ocean," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 121(15), pages 18205-18225, August.
    8. Klomp, Jeroen, 2019. "Does government ideology shake or shape the public finances? Empirical evidence of disaster assistance," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 118-127.
    9. Shuxian Liu & Yang Liu & Zhigang Chu & Kun Yang & Guanlan Wang & Lisheng Zhang & Yuanda Zhang, 2023. "Evaluation of Tropical Cyclone Disaster Loss Using Machine Learning Algorithms with an eXplainable Artificial Intelligence Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-17, August.
    10. John Gibson & Yi Jiang & Xiaoxuan Zhang & Geua Boe-Gibson, 2024. "Are Disaster Impact Estimates Distorted by Errors in Popular Night-Time Lights Data?," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 8(3), pages 391-416, November.
    11. Ruiling Sun & Ge Gao & Zaiwu Gong & Jie Wu, 2020. "A review of risk analysis methods for natural disasters," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 100(2), pages 571-593, January.
    12. Jessie Ruth Schleypen & Charlotte Plinke & Tobias Geiger, 2024. "The Impacts of Multiple Tropical Cyclone Events and Associated Precipitation on Household Income and Expenditures," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 8(2), pages 197-233, July.
    13. Karim, Azreen & Noy, Ilan, 2020. "Risk, poverty or politics? The determinants of subnational public spending allocation for adaptive disaster risk reduction in Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    14. Ilan Noy & Rio Yonson, 2018. "Economic Vulnerability and Resilience to Natural Hazards: A Survey of Concepts and Measurements," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-16, August.
    15. Brian Walsh & Stéphane Hallegatte, 2020. "Measuring Natural Risks in the Philippines: Socioeconomic Resilience and Wellbeing Losses," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 249-293, July.
    16. Cavallo, Eduardo A. & Gómez, Santiago & Noy, Ilan & Strobl, Eric, 2024. "Climate Change, Hurricanes, and Sovereign Debt in the Caribbean Basin," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 13351, Inter-American Development Bank.

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