Tropical Storm Thelma
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- This article is about the 1991 tropical storm in the Philippines. For other storms of the same name, see Tropical Storm Thelma (disambiguation).
| Tropical storm (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 Tropical Storm Thelma off the Philippines. |
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| Formed | November 1, 1991 | |
| Dissipated | November 8, 1991 | |
| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 991 millibars | |
| Damage | $19 million (1991 USD, $26.9 million 2005 USD) | |
| Fatalities | 5,101-8,000+ direct | |
| Areas affected |
Philippines, Vietnam | |
| Part of the 1991 Pacific typhoon season |
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Tropical Storm Thelma (Pagasa name: Uring) was the deadliest tropical storm of the 1991 Pacific typhoon season, killing more than 6,000 people as it crossed the Philippines.
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[edit] Storm history
A tropical disturbance developed over the eastern Caroline Islands in late October. The disturbance was in a line of future storms, including what would become Super Typhoon Seth and Tropical Storm Verne. The disturbance that would become Thelma tracked to the west-northwest, slowly organizing to become Tropical Depression 27W on November 1. Its convection increased as it turned westward, and after another few days of developing it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Thelma on the 4th.
Early in its track, Thelma was forecasted to move northward in response to a break in the subtropical ridge. However, the ridge remained strong, and Thelma began a west-southwest track on November 4. There, Thelma reached a peak of 50 mph winds before land interaction with the Philippines's weakened it. The storm made landfall on the island of Samar in the eastern Philippines on the 5th. Thelma continued to the west, and weakened to a 40 mph tropical storm over the archipelago. In the South China Sea, strong vertical shear kept Thelma a minimal storm. It weakened to a tropical depression on the 7th, hit eastern Vietnam on the 8th, and dissipated shortly thereafter.
[edit] Impact
Tropical Storm Thelma caused an estimated 6,000 casualties in the Philippines, making it the deadliest tropical cyclone in Philippine history. Its estimated death toll ranges from 5,101 to over 8,000. This disproves the idea that tropical storms are weak and can't cause much damage compared to full-blown hurricanes and typhoons. In addition, tens of thousands were left homeless in the aftermath of the storm.
In the time Thelma crossed the Philippines, it dropped over 6 inches of rain in some areas. The city hardest hit was Ormoc City on Leyte Island, where increased logging in recent years stripped the hills above the city. Most of the storm's death toll occurred here. 3/4 of the city was destroyed in the flooding.
Because of its effects, both Thelma and its Pagasa name Uring were retired.
