Pacific Ocean
surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and
earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of
Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east
Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October);
tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike
Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in
August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in
the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western
Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure
icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the
northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December
Pakistan
frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in
north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and
August)
Palau
typhoons (June to December)
Panama
occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area
Papua New Guinea
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring
of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe
earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis
volcanism: Papua New Guinea experiences severe volcanic activity;
Ulawun (elev. 2,334 m, 7,657 ft), one of Papua New Guinea's
potentially most dangerous volcanoes, has been deemed a "Decade
Volcano" by the International Association of Volcanology and
Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its
explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Rabaul
(elev. 688 m, 2,257 ft) destroyed the city of Rabaul in 1937 and
1994; Lamington erupted in 1951 killing 3,000 people; Manam's 2004
eruption forced the island's abandonment; other historically active
volcanoes include Bam, Bagana, Garbuna, Karkar, Langila, Lolobau,
Long Island, Pago, St. Andrew Strait, Victory, and Waiowa
Paracel Islands
typhoons
Paraguay
local flooding in southeast (early September to June);
poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Peru
earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic
activity
volcanism: Peru experiences volcanic activity in the Andes
Mountains; Ubinas (elev. 5,672 m, 18,609 ft), which last erupted in
2009, is the country's most active volcano; other historically
active volcanoes include El Misti, Huaynaputina, Sabancaya, and
Yucamane
Philippines
astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck
by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active
volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis
volcanism: the Philippines experience significant volcanic activity;
Taal (elev. 311 m, 1,020 ft), which has shown recent unrest and may
erupt in the near future, has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the
International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the
Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and
close proximity to human populations; Mayon (elev. 2,462 m, 8,077
ft), the country's most active volcano, erupted in 2009 forcing over
33,000 to be evacuated; other historically active volcanoes include
Biliran, Babuyan Claro, Bulusan, Camiguin, Camiguin de Babuyanes,
Didicas, Iraya, Jolo, Kanlaon, Makaturing, Musuan, Parker, Pinatubo
and Ragang
Pitcairn Islands
typhoons (especially November to March)