15/06/2026
Typhoon to the rescue
When Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines erupted with such catastrophic force in 1991, Typhoon Yunya hit almost simultaneously.
During that time, many observers thought: How unlucky could this country be?
However, this typhoon incidentally saved the world from further devastation.
The eruption released large amounts of hydrogen chloride gas along with ash and magma. If this gas had reached the stratosphere, it would have reacted with chlorine from man-made chemicals like CFCs and caused significant damage to the ozone layer, which protects the planet from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.
Fortunately, these worst-case outcomes were avoided because of the typhoon’s timing. As the typhoon moved through the eruption’s plume, its rains removed most of the hydrogen chloride before it could reach the upper atmosphere and harm the ozone layer.
Sunlight includes a variety of light waves, but much of the ultraviolet or UV radiation is blocked by our atmosphere before it reaches the Earth’s surface. However, two types of UV rays do make it through: UVA and UVB.
Although UVB makes up only a small fraction of the UV radiation that reaches us, it poses the greatest risk to living organisms.
Now, going back to our main question: What would have happened if the ozone layer had significantly thinned due to the eruption of Mount Pinatubo.
The straightforward answer is that more UVB radiation would have reached the Earth’s surface.
High levels of UVB radiation can be very dangerous for people. Research has shown that it is a key cause of skin cancer, including malignant melanoma, the most serious type. It also raises the likelihood of developing cataracts, which can cause blindness.
But, the impact wouldn’t just be on humans. UVB can harm crop yields that could result in food shortages.
Higher levels of UVB radiation can harm crops by damaging their cells and interfering with photosynthesis. This reduces how efficiently plants convert sunlight into energy and slows their growth, resulting in less overall plant mass and lower yields.
UVB exposure can also weaken plants, making them more vulnerable to diseases and environmental challenges. Together, these effects can reduce crop production and increase the risk of food shortages.
But, the danger of UVB radiation isn’t limited to life on land. It reaches the oceans too. It begins with phytoplankton, the microscopic plants that form the foundation of the entire marine ecosystem.
Living on the sunlit surface of the ocean, they would have been the first to face the strong UVB rays if the ozone layer had thinned.
Intense UVB can damage their cellular structures, impairing their ability to photosynthesize and reproduce.
A decline in their numbers ripples through the marine food chain, starving zooplankton and fish larvae, and eventually impacting top predators like fish, seabirds, and marine mammals.
This in turn would put both our food supply and the livelihoods of millions who depend on the ocean at risk.
And if you think that’s the end of its impact, think again.
Phytoplankton also help keep our planet’s balance in check. A steep drop in their numbers would disrupt the Earth’s carbon cycle.
These microscopic lifeforms serve as potent carbon sponges, removing vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Without them, this essential defense against climate change would crumble, amplifying its already severe impacts.
All things considered, if not for Typhoon Yunya, we might still be feeling the scars of Pinatubo’s fury even 36 years later. What seemed like a cruel twist of fate in 1991, was, in truth, an unexpected act of salvation.
Hence, we can confidently say that a typhoon just saved the day.
