Typhoon Haikui

Typhoon Haikui

Typhoon (JMA scale)
Category 1 (Saffir–Simpson scale)
Typhoon Haikui, reaching peak intensity, and nearing landfall over eastern China on August 7, 2012.
Formed	August 1, 2012
Dissipated	August 11, 2012
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 120 km/h (75 mph) 1-minute sustained: 120 km/h (75 mph)
Lowest pressure	965 mbar (hPa); 28.5 inHg
Fatalities	105 total
Damage	$2.09 billion (2012 USD)
Areas affected	Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, China
Part of the 2012 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Haikui was the third tropical cyclone in the span of a week to impact Mainland China during late July and early August 2012.^[1] The name Haikui, which replaces Longwang, means sea anemone in Chinese.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the track and intensity of the storm according to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale

Late on July 31, a tropical disturbance formed within a large monsoon trough. On August 1, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) mentioned the system as a tropical depression southeast of Iwo Jima, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert late on the same day.^[2][3] Late on August 2, the JTWC upgraded it to a tropical depression, before the JMA upgraded the system to a tropical storm and named it Haikui early on the next day.^[4][5] Early on August 4, the JTWC upgraded Haikui to a tropical storm.^[6] On August 5, the JMA upgraded Haikui to a severe tropical storm when it was located north-northeast of Kume Island.^[7] The JTWC upgraded Haikui to a category 1 typhoon Late on August 6, as it developed an eye. At 12Z on August 7, the JMA upgraded Haikui to a typhoon, but the JTWC downgraded it to a tropical storm simultaneously. Later, Typhoon Haikui made landfall over Xiangshan County in Zhejiang, China at 19:20 UTC (03:20 CST on August 8).^[8] Early on August 8, the JMA downgraded Haikui to a severe tropical storm, when the JTWC issued the final warning. Soon, the JMA downgraded Haikui to a tropical storm.

Preparations and impact

Japan

Slowly moving through the Ryukyu Islands for several days, Haikui brought a prolonged period of heavy rain and high winds to several islands. On Okinawa, sustained winds peaked at 72 km/h (45 mph) and gusts were recorded up to 122 km/h (76 mph). Rainfall amounted to about 9 in (230 mm), bringing several dams to full or near-full capacity. No reports of major damage were received on Okinawa, though numerous tree limbs were downed across the island. A total of 353 flights to and from Naha International Airport were canceled, affecting more than 70,000 passengers.^[9]

China

Tropical Storm Haikui over Eastern China on August 9

On August 7, officials in Shanghai closed all parks, banned outdoor activities, canceled summer classes, and suspended outdoor construction. At least 200,000 in the city alone were evacuated and another 256,000 were relocated in neighboring Zhejiang Province. Port officials also called 30,000 ships back to shore to ride out the storm.^[10][11] Throughout the country, an estimated one million people were evacuated ahead of the storm's arrival.^[1] In Anhui Province, officials temporarily closed access to the Huangshan mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Approximately 19,000 people in the area were also evacuated due to the threat of high winds and heavy rain.^[12]

Across Zhejiang Province, Haikui caused widespread and severe damage. According to the local flood and drought relief headquarters, 4,452 homes were destroyed and 184,800 hectares were submerged in flood waters.^[13] In Sanmen County, where the storm made landfall, nearly 100 villages lost power.^[1] In the province alone, economic losses were estimated in excess of ¥10 billion (US$1.57 billion). Additionally, an estimated 4.03 million people were affected by the storm.^[14] In Shanghai, two people were killed and seven others were injured in storm-related accidents.^[14] Around 4:00 a.m. local time on the morning of August 10, the Shenjiakeng Reservoir in Zhoushan collapsed, destroying one-third of Zhangtu township and killing at least ten people. Authorities stated that an unknown number of people are missing; however, locals estimated that at least 200 people are unaccounted for. Additionally, residents stated that 30–40 were known dead.^[15] Local officials "vowed to make all-out efforts to locate the missing" according to the Xinhua News Agency.^[16] Local residents feared the death toll could rise significantly as many people living in the area were undocumented migrant workers from other provinces. There has also been criticism over the effectiveness of the rescue effort, with one resident stating that it took an hour for rescue personnel to arrive in the area after the dam collapsed. Hospitals around the disaster area were reportedly overwhelmed with an influx of casualties stemming from the collapse, though no number was stated.^[17] Following the collapse, officials blocked off the area where the dam used to be and denied reporters access to the area.^[15]

Heavy rains, in excess of 600 mm (24 in) in Anhui Province triggered severe flooding that destroyed 4,473 homes and affected 3 million people.^[18][19] Authorities evacuated approximately 156,000 people in the province.^[20] High winds, measured up to 117 km/h (73 mph) on Mount Guangming in the Huangshan mountain range,^[20] left 962,000 households without power.^[21] At least three people were killed in the province and economic losses amounted to ¥3.28 billion (US$515.69 million).^[19] One person was also killed in Jiangsu Province.^[13] In Jiangxi Province, heavy rains, measured up to 328 mm (12.9 in) in Jingdezhen, triggered significant floods that affected more than one million people. More than 145,000 people were relocated as homes became submerged in water.^[22][23] Flooding along the Wuhu-Guixi Railway line stranded 12 trains and trapped thousands of people. In one train, more than 1,000 people were trapped for 10 hours as repairs were conducted.^[24]

In the wake of widespread flooding brought about by the typhoon, the National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs activated level four emergency plans in Anhui, Jiangxi, Shanghai, and Zhejiang Provinces. Relief teams were dispatched to the four provinces to assist in relief efforts.^[23]

Philippines

Although located hundreds of kilometres away from the Philippines, the southerly flow from Typhoon Haikui enhanced the southwest monsoon across much of Luzon.^[25] As a result, widespread heavy rains impacted regions still recovering from deadly floods triggered by Typhoon Saola less than a week earlier.^[11] During a 72‑hour span from 6–8 August, 1,007 mm (39.6 in) of rain fell in parts of Metro Manila, leading local media to compare the event to Typhoon Ketsana in 2009, which killed 464 in the city.^[26] Some of the most severe flooding took place along the Marikina River, which swelled to near-record levels. During the afternoon of 7 August, the river reached a height of 20.6 m (68 ft), well beyond the flood level of 16 m (52 ft) and about 3 m (9.8 ft) below the record level set during Typhoon Ketsana. About 70 percent of Metro Manila were affected by flooding.^[27] Some areas were submerged in up to 3 m (9.8 ft).^[28] Due to the expanding floods, officials in the city evacuated more than 23,000 residents from flood-prone areas and relocated them to shelters set up across the area.^[27] According to a reporter from the British Broadcasting Corporation, many residents were reluctant to leave their belongings behind, and some traveled back through flood waters to retrieve their belongings. Officials feared the flooding could worsen as the La Mesa Dam continued to overflow by then.^[29] At least nine people were killed and four others were injured in a landslide in Quezon City.^[30]

Numerous schools in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and CALABARZON had suspended classes.^[30] As a precautionary measure, officials cut power to some areas of National Capital Region (NCR).^[29] At least 250,000 people left their homes as flooding covered more than a third of the city. The head of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) compared the deluge to the Kevin Costner film Waterworld.^[31]

In response to the flooding, the NDRRMC allocated approximately ₱13 million (US$311,000) worth of relief funds and deployed 202 personnel to assist in search and rescue missions.^[25] The search and rescue missions were hampered by strong currents in flooded streets.^[29] Philippine President Benigno Aquino ordered officials to maximize the effort on rescuing and aiding affected residents.^[28]

On 8 August, more than 1 million families were already affected. The NCR and nine nearby provinces were already placed under a state of calamity, with some areas were flooded up to 2 storeys. 90 percent of Metro Manila were already submerged in flooding. Communications were affected badly, though distress calls and SMS from thousands of Metro Manila residents and their worried relatives flooded television and radio stations as most power and water connections were lost. Red warning was already downed to yellow during morning but turned back into red warning during afternoon after another set of continuous heavy rain falls again in Metro Manila until midnight of August 9, 2012. Some schools extended their suspension of classes until Saturday. Airports also had severe flooding, forcing some flights to land at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga and other airports nationwide or altogether rebooking.^{[32][33][34][35]}

Throughout the Philippines, a total of 109 people have been confirmed dead as of August 2012 and 14 people were injured. In terms of damage, a total of 12,962 homes were damaged, of which 3,354 were totally destroyed and 9,608 were partially damaged. Losses throughout the country in agriculture amounted to ₱2,404,483,051.72 while infrastructure damage reached ₱651,362,230.00.^[36]

See also

• 2012 Philippines flooding
• Typhoon Longwang
• Typhoon Ketsana
• Typhoon Rananim
• Typhoon Saomai
• Tropical Storm Trami (2013)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Typhoon Haikui.

• JMA General Information of Typhoon Haikui (1211) from Digital Typhoon
• JMA Best Track Data of Typhoon Haikui (1211) (Japanese)
• JTWC Best Track Data of Typhoon 12W (Haikui)
• 12W.HAIKUI from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

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