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Super Typhoon Rai

One Month On: In Numbers

Por UN Humanitarian

11 de January de 2022

Super Typhoon Rai, (local name Odette) which struck the Philippines on 16 and 17 December, was 2021’s second-deadliest disaster following the Haiti earthquake. The storm swept through 11 of the country’s 17 regions, leaving a swathe of destruction. It damaged houses and roads, tore down power lines, destroyed trees and crops, and smashed fishing boats to pieces. The Government declared a state of calamity in six regions.

Rai hit just as the world was tuning out and shutting down for the holidays, following an exhausting year battling COVID-19 and climate-related disasters. One month on, families are still reeling from the storm’s effects and struggling to pick up the pieces of their lives. Meanwhile, a country-wide COVID-19 surge and heavy rains linked to La Niña are severely hampering the response in the Caraga region in north-eastern Mindanao, and the Leyte and Southern Leyte provinces of the Visayas islands.

Here is the story of Super Typhoon Rai in numbers.

8 million

The number of people affected by Rai. Southern Leyte was one of the worst-affected provinces, with 18 towns and cities suffering damage, and its capital Maasin city, utterly devastated. These areas desperately need more personnel and aid supplies.

US $107.2 million

This is how much humanitarian agencies estimate they need to respond in two of the worst-affected regions, Caraga and Eastern Visayas, through the Humanitarian Needs and Priorities Plan. As of 13 January the plan is 39 per cent funded. It was developed by the Humanitarian Country Team under the leadership of the UN chief in the Philippines and in support of the Government. The Government, which is leading the response has provided $12 million in assistance to six regions.

©IOM

198,652

This many people remain displaced across five regions, with most in Southern Leyte, Cebu and Bohol, as of 13 January. Over 156,551 of these people are still in evacuation centres, mostly because their homes have been destroyed. Aid agencies are distributing shelter repair kits as quickly as possible to enable returns. Cash vouchers will also help families rebuild their homes. The Government has announced it will also provide $100 to each family with a damaged house.

©IOM

12 million

Rai disrupted schooling for approximately 12 million children across 29,671 schools, with 4,200 classrooms damaged in 2,000 schools. This followed two years of intermittent pandemic-related school closures. Temporary learning spaces have been set up in Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur, while learning kits have been distributed in Dinagat Island, Siargao Island and Southern Leyte.

Bitaog Municipality, 10 January 2022. Alecs Ongcal/IFRC

1.4 million

The number of houses destroyed or damaged by Super Typhoon Rai. This is more than the 1.1 million houses destroyed in Typhoon Haiyan, which was the strongest typhoon to ever hit the Philippines.

Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, 12 December 2021. ©ADRA/NEMM Hope

514

This many towns and cities suffered destruction including power outages, and damaged houses, roads, bridges, schools, health clinics, water and sanitation systems. One month on, 100 of these towns and cities still have power outages or no power at all. Restoring power is a priority, as 80 per cent of water systems cannot function without it, and relief efforts are having a difficult time responding without power or telecomms.

Cebu City, 17 December 2021. UNICEF/Retz Pol Pacalioga

405

The number of people who died in Super Typhoon Rai. Compare this to the 6,300 people who died in Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. The number is significantly lower because the Government and local community groups evacuated hundreds of thousands of people before Rai hit, and temporarily housed them in evacuation centres.

Super Typhoon Rai

530,000

The number of people food aid agencies will target with food and cash transfers over the next six months. The Government is also distributing food packages to families. Some 117,600 people have already received support. People are struggling to access food, as markets are disrupted, food prices are rising, and their agricultural land has been destroyed, with coconut, sugarcane, rice and corn the worst affected. The Government estimates the storm caused $224 million in agricultural damage.

Surigao City, 12 December 2021. ©ADRA

8,700

Water supply has been cut off in dozens of locations. The Government and aid agencies are trucking in water and distributing water purification tablets, as well as family hygiene kits, with 8,700 distributed so far in Caraga and VIII regions. Continued rains and COVID-19 restrictions are creating difficulties in transporting supplies. On Palawan Island, hit hard by the typhoon, the UN Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator and OCHA have provided $100,000 to local NGO A Single Drop for Safe Water to provide cash vouchers, water treatment supplies and emergency shelter to families, in partnership with local authorities. This is just one of dozens of local NGOs on the front lines of the response.

Surigao City, Carega Region, 22 December 2021. UNOCHA/Iris Lapid

© 2026 UN Humanitarian

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