Final answer:
The highest occurrence of tropical cyclones is around the equatorial regions, notably in the Western Pacific's major typhoon belt where the Philippines are highly susceptible. Warm ocean waters and specific atmospheric conditions contribute to their formation, with these systems often causing significant damage and loss of life when making landfall.
Step-by-step explanation:
The highest occurrence of tropical cyclones is found within the hurricane belt around the equatorial regions, particularly in the Western Pacific, where the Philippines are located. These tropical cyclones, which include hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones, develop over warm ocean water with temperatures above 80 °F and require a combination of high humidity, low wind shear, and oceanic heat content to intensify. The rapid upward movement of warm air is replaced by cooler air, which induces a cyclonic motion due to Earth's rotation – counterclockwise north of the equator and clockwise south of the equator.
The Philippines, situated in the center of the Western Pacific's major typhoon belt, experiences up to 20 typhoons yearly, with about half of them making landfall with devastating impacts, such as the 1991 typhoon Thelma/Uring that killed nearly 8,000 people and the 1911 typhoon that brought over 46 inches of rain within 24 hours. These severe weather systems are notorious for the likelihood of extensive damage to infrastructure, ecosystems, and pose a significant threat to human safety with strong winds, heavy rainfall, and flood potentials.