Typhoon Rai hits Philippines
On December 16, 2021, Typhoon Rai hit the south-eastern part of the Philippines, bringing heavy rains and flooding causing displacement of thousands over a large area.
Key Points
- Rai typhoon was the 15th major weather disturbance that hit the country in year 2021.
- It intensified rapidly and classified as a super typhoon, with sustained winds of 120 miles per hour. It had the gusts of up to 168 miles per hour.
- This designation is similar to a Category 5 hurricane in United States.
About Typhoon Rai
Typhoon Rai is called as Typhoon Odette in the Philippines. It is currently a powerful tropical cyclone, which impacted the Philippines after passing near the island of Palau. It became the first Category 5 super typhoon in December month. It later weakened steadily, as it traversed Visayas and exited into the Sulu Sea.
The Sulu Sea
Sulu Sea is a water body in south-western area of the Philippines. The sea comprises of a number of islands, namely:
- Cuyo Islands
- Cagayan Islands
- Mapun Islands
- Turtle Islands
The Philippines
Philippines is an archipelagic country, located in Southeast Asia. It is situated in western Pacific Ocean. It comprises of around 7,640 islands. These islands are broadly categorized into three main geographical divisions- Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The Philippines shares boundaries with South China Sea, Philippine Sea and Celebes Sea as well as shares maritime borders with Taiwan, Japan, Palau, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
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Month: Current Affairs - December, 2021