Recovery Efforts Continue in Wake of Deadly Asia Pacific Storms

In the southern Philippines, the death toll from Typhoon Bopha has exceeded 1,000 as rescue workers continue to search for hundreds of missing. The storm, which hit December 4, has displaced more than 1.2 million people. The country experiences about 20 major storms each year, usually between June and October. Bopha, known locally as Pablo, is expected to be recorded as the second deadliest storm to hit the Philippines since it began keeping records in 1947. The worst was Typhoon Thelma, which killed at least 5,101 people in 1991.

Meanwhile, recovery efforts continue in the South Pacific islands of Fiji and Samoa after Tropical Cyclone Evan ripped through the area December 13-17, with storm surges of four meters (13.1 feet). At least five people are confirmed dead, with approximately a dozen still missing. More than 5,000 people remain in evacuation centers, their homes damaged or destroyed. 

The Dart Center has a host of resources for journalists covering natural disasters in the Asia Pacific region here. Recent additions provided in the wake of North America's Superstorm Sandy can be found here.