THE death toll from recent typhoons is becoming scandalous considering we have a weather advisory service — the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) — presumably modern infrastructure and emergency services for storm-affected areas.

We are in climate change conditions where everything is more extreme. With higher temperatures, rising seas and our rampaging destruction of geographical features like forests, hills and rivers, it is not a good idea to live near the coast, or near denuded hills and mountains, silted rivers and garbage-strewn areas, especially during extreme weather events. Add to that drainage-neglected places. When rains, storms or even earthquakes occur, these areas pay dearly in terms of lives and destruction.

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