Typhoon Thelma (1987)

Super Typhoon Thelma (Katring)
Typhoon (JMA scale)
Category 4 (Saffir–Simpson scale)

Thelma at peak intensity
Formed July 6, 1987
Dissipated July 16, 1987
Highest winds 10-minute sustained: 185 km/h (115 mph)
1-minute sustained: 240 km/h (150 mph)
Lowest pressure 915 mbar (hPa); 27.02 inHg
Fatalities Over 300 total
Damage $124 million (1987 USD)
Areas affected Philippines, Korea, Japan
Part of the 1987 Pacific typhoon season

Super Typhoon Thelma was a very powerful and intense super typhoon that formed in the 1987 Pacific typhoon season. Forming on July 6, Thelma steadily intensified to a peak of 150 mph (240 km/h) winds on the 11th while east of the northern Philippines.[1] It turned sharply northward in response to a break in the ridge, slowly weakening as it remained east of any major landmass. On the 15th, 80 mph (130 km/h) Typhoon Thelma hit the south coast of South Korea, causing massive flooding amounting to 123 casualties (with 212 missing) and $124 million (1987 USD) in crop and structural damage. In addition, Thelma brought heavy wind and rough seas to the Philippines that killed 12 people.[2]

Meteorological history

Map plotting the track and intensity of the storm according to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale
Typhoon Thelma on July 10, 1987.

Typhoon Thelma formed as a tropical depression about 270 kilometers east-northeast of Guam on July 8. Moving in a west-northwest direction, Thelma attained typhoon intensity two days later. On July 12, when it was about 730 kilometers east-northeast of Manila, Thelma took on a north-northwestward course. [3]

For the next three days, Thelma traversed the East China Sea and finally made landfall over southern Korea about 180 kilometers west-southwest of Pusan on the evening of July 15. It then weakened rapidly while moving northeastwards across Korea. Early on July 16, Thelma entered the Sea of Japan and dissipated near Vladivostok. [3]

Impact

Although Thelma did not cross any of the Philippine islands, storm surge associated with its circulation swept away some 500 houses in the southern islands of the Philippines, killing a man and leaving over 3,500 people homeless.[3]

In South Korea, 111 people were killed while 257 others missing. Over 6,500 houses were destroyed leaving over 20,000 people homeless. In addition, about 62,000 hectares of farmland were inundated and more than 2,800 boats damaged. The total damage was estimated at $140 million (1987 USD). Torrential rain associated with Thelma also resulted in three deaths, three injuries and three people missing in Japan. [3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Thelma wind speed track Digital Typhoon. Retrieved 12-01-07.
  2. ↑ Super Typhoon Thelma. Retrieved on 2007-01-19.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Tropical Cyclones of the 1987 Typhoon Season" (PDF). Hong Kong Observatory. Retrieved 01-07-12. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)