Hurricane Pauline
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
-
This article is about the Pacific hurricane of 1997; for other storms of the same name, see Hurricane Pauline (disambiguation).
| Category 4 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 Hurricane Pauline off the Mexican coast on October 7, 1997. |
||
| Formed | October 5, 1997 | |
| Dissipated | October 10, 1997 | |
| Highest winds |
|
|
| Lowest pressure | 948 mbar (hPa) | |
| Damage | $7.5 billion [1] (1997 USD) $8.84 billion (2005 USD) |
|
| Fatalities | 230-400 | |
| Areas affected |
Southern and western Mexico, especially Acapulco | |
| Part of the 1997 Pacific hurricane season |
||
Hurricane Pauline was the 16th tropical storm, 8th hurricane, and 7th major hurricane of the 1997 Pacific hurricane season. Making landfall as a Category 2 hurricane, Pauline produced torrential rainfall along the Mexican coastline up to 16 inches. Intense flooding and mudslides in some of the poorest areas of Mexico killed between 230 to 400 people, making it one of the deadliest Eastern Pacific storms in recorded history.
Contents |
[edit] Storm history
A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on September 16, traveled across the Atlantic, and reached the Eastern Pacific basin on September 26. The wave, combined with a trough of low pressure, slowly began to organize, and on October 5, the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, designated it as Tropical Depression 18-E, while 200 nautical miles south of the Oaxaca coast. The depression drifted eastward under favorable conditions, and Tropical Depression 18-E became Tropical Storm Pauline on October 6.[2]
Pauline turned northward late that day, and with well defined outflow, warm water temperatures, and the absence of vertical shear, it began to strengthen rapidly. Pauline became a hurricane early on the 7th, and 12 hours later, it reached its peak intensity, with 135-mph winds. A strong high pressure area over the southeastern United States turned Pauline to the northwest, where conditions for tropical development were not quite as favorable. It weakened to a Сategory 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds on the 8th, but that night, it again re-intensified back to its peak intensity of 135 mph, which made it a Category 4 cyclone as it neared the Mexican coast.[2]
After it turned to the northwest, Pauline began to parallel the Mexican coastline late on October 9. Interaction with land weakened Pauline to a 105 mph Category 2 hurricane before its landfall near Puerto Escondido early on the 9th. It continued to weaken over land, and paralleled the coastline for 24 hours before dissipating on October 10 over the state of Jalisco.[2]
[edit] Impact
| Deadliest Pacific hurricanes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Hurricane | Season | Fatalities |
| 1 | "Mexico" | 1959 | 1800+ |
| 2 | Paul | 1982 | 1000+ |
| 3 | Liza | 1976 | 630–990 |
| 4 | Tara | 1961 | 430–500 |
| 5 | Pauline | 1997 | 230–400 |
| Main article: List of notable Pacific hurricanes | |||
While paralleling the southern Mexican coastline, Pauline dropped torrential rainfall across southern Mexico, producing widespread mudslides across the mountainous area. Damage totaled to $7.5 billion (1997 USD, $8.84 billion (2005 USD). [3]
[edit] Oaxaca
The National Hurricane Center issued hurricane warnings for the landfall area 39 hours before landfall, giving the light population ample time to prepare for the storm. Though it didn't make landfall, Pauline came within 50 miles of the coastline, with much of its circulation over land. Though there were no reports of extreme winds, rainfall amounted to a maximum of 9.1 inches in Juchitán de Zaragoza. In addition, though not reported, intense storm surge likely occurred on the sparsely populated coastline. [2]
Extensive rainfall resulted in overflown rivers on the River Los Perros flooded around 50 municipalities. This, in turn, resulted in severe mudslides, causing power outages, cutting communication lines, and most severely polluting the drinking water from debris. [4] In addition, two bridges were destroyed, while 12 bridges were damaged. In Oaxaca, Hurricane Pauline killed 15 people, with 22 missing. [5] Pauline destroyed thousands of acres of crops, destroyed thousands of cattle, and killed many in the state. [6] International aid focused on the wealthier Acapulco initially, though weeks later food and aid were delivered to the stricken areas.
[edit] Guerrero
Upon making landfall, strong winds were not a factor for damage. Heavy rains dropped by Pauline amounted to over 6 inches on various locations on the southern Mexican coastline. Acapulco recorded over 16 inches, and the city of Las Vigas reported a rainfall total of 11.9 inches. [2] Like in Oaxaca, rainfall and mudslides damaged electric lines, the communications network, and polluted the drinking water. In addition, there was moderate property and transporational damage. [4] Hundreds of thousands were left homeless in the area.
[edit] Acapulco
The hardest hit city by Pauline was Acapulco. There, rainfall peaked at 16.2 inches, causing extensive flooding and mudslides. [2] Mud-filled streets contaminated the drinking water, while no electricity or telephones isolated the area from the outside world. The hill-side outskirts of Acapulco were particularly hard hit by flooding, where 5,000 destroyed houses left over 10,000 homeless. [7] Directly along the coastline, luxury high-rise hotels experienced little damage, in direct contrast to the poorer parts of the city who lost everything. Tourists who remained in the wealthier parts of Acapulco were advised to use as little water as possible, helping to provide for the 70% of the city without fresh water. [8]
Due to polluted water and many puddles around the city, health workers vaccinated thousands against typhoid fever and tetanus. [8] Lack of sanitation led to an outbreak of cholera, while dengue fever spread through mosquitoes. Strong winds spread the polluted mud, covering the city in a foul-smelling, deadly cloud of dust.[9]
Initially, aid was slow and inefficient, forcing the afflicted citizens to wait and hope. Water trucks quickly ran out in the water-parched city. Authorities sent food and set up soup kitchens, yet they remained closed. A week after the hurricane, most buildings were closed. Hotel employees had to walk for two hours across the damaged city, due to lack of drivable roads. [10] International aid assisted the area within weeks, though, bringing building supplies and relief kits. [11]
The death toll is uncertain, but totals to at least 230. The Mexican Red Cross estimated the death toll at 400 with as many as 1,900 missing. Most of the deaths occurred in the Acapulco area from the extreme rainfall and mudslides. [12]
[edit] Retirement
The name Pauline was retired in the spring of 1998 and replaced by Patricia for the 2003 Pacific hurricane season.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Damage totals
- ^ a b c d e f Lawrence, Miles B. (November 7, 1997). Preliminary Report: Hurricane Pauline. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2006-06-11.
- ^ http://www.cofemermir.gob.mx/uploadtests/4054.66.59.1.STAD%C3%8DSTICAS-RIESGOS-ATENUAR.DOC
- ^ a b Oaxaca and Guerrero Damage
- ^ Oaxaca Damage
- ^ Oaxaca Impact
- ^ Acapulco Effects
- ^ a b Acapulco Effects 2
- ^ Cholera outbreak
- ^ Acapulco Effects 3
- ^ Acapulco Effects 4
- ^ Overall Damage
