| Typhoon (JMA) | |
|---|---|
| Category 5 super typhoon (SSHS) | |
| Typhoon Muifa on August 1, 2011. | |
| Formed | July 25, 2011 |
| Dissipated | August 9, 2011 |
| Highest winds | 10-minute sustained: 175 km/h (110 mph) 1-minute sustained: 260 km/h (160 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 930 mbar (hPa; 27.46 inHg) |
| Fatalities | 22 dead; 42 injured; 6 missing |
| Damage | $480 million (2011 USD) |
| Areas affected | Micronesia, Philippines, Japan, China, South Korea, North Korea |
| Part of the 2011 Pacific typhoon season | |
Typhoon Muifa (International designation: 1109, JTWC designation: 11W, PAGASA name: Kabayan) was a large, strong and persistent typhoon that affected multiple countries in the Pacific, killing 22 and causing widespread damage worth US$480 million. It was the ninth named storm, third typhoon and the second super typhoon of the 2011 Pacific typhoon season.
The low pressure area that became the typhoon originally formed on July 23. It gradually drifted to the west and became a tropical depression. It soon turned north and, on nearing the Philippines, rapidly strengthened and became a Category 5 typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale (SSHS). There, the system claimed eight lives and caused a considerable amount of damage. The system brought down trees with the northeast Philippines experiencing strong winds and heavy rains leaving several roads and expressways jammed. The major typhoon also sank a Malay ship carrying 178 passengers. Then, the system then drifted straight north and weakened steadily until it curved to the west again, threatening Micronesia. The typhoon hit Okinawa, Japan, pouring 41 inches of rain, flooding the small island and injuring 37 people in 30 hours. The system disrupted the airways, leaving 13,630 people stranded on the island. The system then steadily drifted west, nearing Taiwan, prompting emergency warnings and high alerts. However, the system simply passed by. The system moved further west, towards mainland China, causing thousands to flee from their homes. A level 4 high wave warning system issued, and some 11,000 rescue workers in 120 teams mobilized.
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Late on July 23, an area of low pressure formed to the southeast of Chuuk.[1] The system drifted to the west and on July 25, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) upgraded the low pressure area to a tropical depression. At that time, it was located approximately 505 nautical miles (935 km; 581 mi) to the west of Guam.[2] At midnight, that day, the JMA started monitoring the system as a tropical depression.[3] Early on July 28, the JTWC upgraded the system into a Tropical Storm.[4] A few hours later, the JMA also upgraded the system to a tropical storm, naming it Muifa.[5] Also on July 28, the storm entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) named it Kabayan.[6] The storm gradually drifted north over the next day while maintaining tropical storm strength. On the night of July 29, Muifa was upgraded into a Severe Tropical Storm.[7] Overnight, the storm strengthened rapidly and was upgraded into a Typhoon the next morning.[8] According to the JTWC, Muifa had strengthened from a tropical storm to a super typhoon in less than 24 hours and reported that the storms sustained winds were reaching 140 knots (260 km/h; 160 mph) (1-min sustained). However, the typhoon weakened later in the day. According to the JTWC, On July 31, the typhoon interacted with an upper level trough and weakened into a Category 4 Typhoon on the SSHS.[9] The system gradually moved north, then turned west and drifted towards Okinawa, before turning northwest again, when it was finally downgraded into a Tropical Storm by the JTWC.[10] Soon afterwards, the JMA too downgraded Muifa to a Severe Tropical storm.[11] After weakening to a tropical storm, Muifa made landfall at the estuary of the Yalu River on August 8, and the JTWC issued the final warning. Early on August 9, Muifa weakened to a tropical depression in Northeast China and became a low pressure area later.
Japanese officials have canceled several flights towards Okinawa, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.[12] On August 5, China Airlines cancelled several flights towards Okinawa, Japan. At that time, the eye of the system was just over Okinawa.[13]
Light rain with moderate winds were reported throughout Taiwan as the outer rainbands of the system brushed the Island nation.[14] The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) announced that heavy rains and strong winds would impact the Republic of China from midnight, that day.[15] On August 6, The Central Weather Bureau lifted the sea warning for Taiwan as the system turned northwest and was no longer expected to cause any damage to Taiwan.[16]
As the system steered towards mainland China, PRC authorities have begun ordering fishing boats back to shore. The residents of Shanghai were also warned strictly about the system as it was expected to be as strong as Typhoon Matsa of 2005.[12] In order to prevent any railway accident during the storm, the Shanghai railway authorities have set up a team to inspect high-speed railway facilities.[17] The Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) issued a circular on August 4, ordering civil affairs agencies in the municipality of Shanghai and the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi and Shandong to carry out disaster relief operations, preventing as many casualties as possible.[18] An Orange alert, the second highest in the four-level sea wave alert system, was issued on the East China Sea as the destructive system neared land.[19] On August 5, the Port of Ningbo, one of the most important and busiest ports nationwide, was partially shut down in fear of the Typhoon.[20] On that day, PRC officials have declared that the system is the strongest in the year to directly impact the nation as it passes Taiwan maintaining Typhoon strength.[21] As a result, PRC Officials suspended several oil, dry bulk and container ports.[22] Millions of people living along the coast were ordered to stay indoors and several 100s of flights were cancelled as the Typhoon was expected to be the worst to affect China's commercial centre since 2005.[23] Initially, Landfall was expected over the Zhejiang Province on Saturday, August 6, 2011. The storm was expected to bring rainfall to more than ten provinces over an area of 1 million square kilometers.[24]
On August 6, as the typhoon came closer, some 206,000 people were evacuated from low lying areas to safer places. It was reported that some 140 more flights would be cancelled and the typhoon was no longer expected to directly impact the nation.[25] The Meteorological Agency announced that heavy rain and strong winds would affect the nation for three continuous days, starting August 7.[26] Some 11,000 rescue workers in 120 teams have been mobilized to carefully respond to the event and protect as many people as possible.[27] Later, the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center issued a red alert, the highest alert in the four-level high wave warning system, as the system was sweeping across the East China Sea maintaining Typhoon strength. Oceanic waves as high as 9 to 11 meters were expected throughout east china sea.[28] Shanghai railway authorities have established an emergency response plan, according to which, if Muifa's winds are less than that of 62 km/h in Shanghai, the subway would be manually operated with a low speed. If the winds are greater than that of 89 km/h, the trains would be cancelled.[29] Both the airports in Shanghai were shut down and all outdoor events were also called off or delayed indefinitely.[30] As the system got closer and closer to land, The Shanghai government urged residents to stay indoors with all the medical kits and emergency supplements available.[31] A message from the Federal government of the United States to the Americans living in China said "stock up on emergency supplies of food, water, and cash in case of storm-related power outages."[32]
As the system merely skipped Shanghai, causing no more than disruption, the residents of Qingdao started their preparations for the system. Albeit weak, the storm's heavy surf battered Qingdao's waterfront leaving the beaches closed.[33] As reported on August 9, some 1.35 million people were evacuated, as the system approached its final landfall in northern China.[34]
| Country | Casualties | Damage (USD) | ||
| Deaths | Injuries | Missing | ||
| Mainland China | 0 | 0 | 1 | ~$480 million |
| Japan | 0 | 37 | 0 | N/A |
| Philippines | 8 | 5 | 3 | $59,428 |
| South Korea | 4 | 0 | 2 | N/A |
| North Korea | 10 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| Taiwan | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| Total | 22 | 42 | 6 | ~$480 million |
Though the storm did no direct impact to the Philippines, the rainbands caused a considerable amount of damage to the nation. According to the situation report by National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council(NDCC), the typhoon claimed four fatalities, causing damage worth US$ 59,203.[35] On August 2, Thousands of people living near the Marikina River of Metro Manila started fleeing as Alert Level 2 was issued after water raised to dangerously high levels.[36] Minutes before the announcement was made, the Malacañang Palace released a circular ordering the suspension of schools, colleges and offices.[37] Authorities mobilized emergency personnel to ready evacuations for the capital region's rivers and canals where floodwaters were rising.[38] On August 4, the NDRRMC raised the death toll to 8 and the total damage to agriculture and infrastructure to US$ 59,428. It was reported that CGAC Iloilo coordinated with commercial vessels rescuing 178 passengers, as their vessel, MV Malaysia Asia sank near Calabazas Island, Ajuy, Iloilo.[39]
Okinawa suffered minor damage leaving no fatalities. Overall, 41 inches of rain fell over the island leaving major roads closed for days. Thirty seven people were injured and six were critically injured. 277 flights were cancelled leaving 13,630 stranded.[40]
Offshore, ten fishing vessels with roughly 200 people aboard collectively went missing; however, there is uncertainty in whether or not Muifa was the cause.[41]
On August 7, as the typhoon brushed the coasts of Shanghai, a major sea bridge linking the urban area to an outlying island was closed.[42] Heavy rains and strong winds battered the city, and some 400,000 people were rushed to evacuation centers. Some tens of thousands of fishing boats were parked along the coast.[43] Just as announced on August 6, hundreds of flights were cancelled leaving thousands of passengers stranded. One person was reported missing as a boat sank off Zhejiang in storm surge associated with Muifa.[44] Later that day, the strong winds knocked down billboards and outed power in two of the residential areas of Shanghai. The typhoon well weakened before it reached the city, leaving many shops open.[45]
Albeit weak, the system wreaked havoc in Zhejiang province, leaving some 169 houses and 3,500 tonnes of crops and 121,300 tonnes of aquatic products completely destroyed. Direct economic losses were estimated to be at US$ 289.9 million.[46] The system caused threat to the chemical plant in Dalian. Chinese authorities reported that loads of rocks were dumped at the coasts to prevent any possible damage to the plant from the Twenty-Five meter high waves spawned by the system.[47]
On August 9, as the system approached its final landfall, a total of 183 counties in China's coastal provinces were reported to be battered by the system, with the direct economic losses raised to about US$ 480 million.[48] It was reported that the system battered the provinces of Liaoning, Zhejiang and Jiangsu, affecting the lives of more than 1.74 million local residents and damaging some 101,000 hectares of farmland.[49]
In South Korea, the system felled trees, outed power and cased the cancellations of many Seoul bound flights. [50] Heavy rain and strong winds were experienced throughout west Korean coasts.[51] Four people were killed and two others were left missing across South Korea due to the storm.[52] In North Korea, the storm destroyed than 2,400 acres of crops, 100 housing units and 10 public buildings, leaving 10 people dead.[53]
A Chemical spill was feared after the typhoon made landfall in the Mainland China's Liaoning Province's Fujia Dahua Petrochemical plant, which produces Paraxylene, a deadly, flammable and carcinogenic liquid chemical.[54]
