Typhoon Haiyan

This article is about the 2013 typhoon. For other uses, see Haiyan. For other storms named Yolanda, see Tropical Storm Yolanda.
Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)
Typhoon (JMA scale)
Category 5 (Saffir–Simpson scale)

Typhoon Haiyan at peak intensity on November 7
Formed November 3, 2013
Dissipated November 11, 2013
Highest winds 10-minute sustained: 230 km/h (145 mph)
1-minute sustained: 315 km/h (195 mph)
Lowest pressure 895 hPa (mbar); 26.43 inHg
Fatalities 6,340 confirmed, 1,061 missing
Damage $2.86 billion (2013 USD)
(Preliminary total)
Areas affected
Part of the 2013 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Haiyan, known as Super Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded, which devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, on November 8, 2013.[1] It is the deadliest Philippine typhoon on record,[2] killing at least 6,300 people in that country alone.[3] Haiyan is also the strongest storm recorded at landfall. In January 2014, bodies were still being found.[4]

The thirtieth named storm of the 2013 Pacific typhoon season, Haiyan originated from an area of low pressure several hundred kilometers east-southeast of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia on November 2, 2013. Tracking generally westward, environmental conditions favored tropical cyclogenesis and the system developed into a tropical depression the following day. After becoming a tropical storm and attaining the name Haiyan at 0000 UTC on November 4, the system began a period of rapid intensification that brought it to typhoon intensity by 1800 UTC on November 5. By November 6, the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC) assessed the system as a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale; the storm passed over the island of Kayangel in Palau shortly after attaining this strength.

Thereafter, it continued to intensify; at 1200 UTC on November 7, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) upgraded the storm's maximum ten-minute sustained winds to 230 km/h (145 mph), the highest in relation to the cyclone. The Hong Kong Observatory put the storm's maximum ten-minute sustained winds at 285 km/h (180 mph)[5] prior to landfall in the central Philippines, while the China Meteorological Administration estimated the maximum two-minute sustained winds at the time to be around 78 m/s (280 km/h or 175 mph). At the same time, the JTWC estimated the system's one-minute sustained winds to 315 km/h (195 mph), unofficially making Haiyan the second-strongest tropical cyclone ever observed based on wind speed, and the strongest in the Eastern Hemisphere; several others have recorded lower central pressure readings. Several hours later, the eye of the cyclone made its first landfall in the Philippines at Guiuan, Eastern Samar. Gradually weakening, the storm made five additional landfalls in the country before emerging over the South China Sea. Turning northwestward, the typhoon eventually struck northern Vietnam as a severe tropical storm on November 10. Haiyan was last noted as a tropical depression by the JMA the following day.

The cyclone caused catastrophic destruction in the Visayas, particularly on Samar and Leyte. According to UN officials, about 11 million people have been affected – many have been left homeless.[6]

Meteorological history

Map showing the path of a storm as represented by colored dots connected by a white line; the position of the dots indicates the storm's position at six-hour intervals, while color denotes the storm's intensity at that point.

On November 2, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) began monitoring a broad low-pressure area about 425 kilometers (265 miles) east-southeast of Pohnpei, one of the states in the Federated States of Micronesia.[nb 1] Moving through a region favoring tropical cyclogenesis,[8] the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) classified the developing system as a tropical depression early on November 3.[9][nb 2] Subsequent intensification resulted in the JMA upgrading the system to a tropical storm and assigning it the name Haiyan (Chinese: 海燕; literally: "petrel") at 0000 UTC on November 4.[9] Tracking generally westward along the southern periphery of a subtropical ridge,[11] rapid intensification ensued by November 5 as a central dense overcast with an embedded eye began developing; the JMA classified Haiyan as a typhoon later that day.[9] By November 6, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigned the storm the local name Yolanda as it approached their area of responsibility.[12] Intensification slowed somewhat during the day, though the JTWC estimated the storm to have attained Category 5-equivalent super typhoon status on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale around 1200 UTC.[nb 3][14] Later, the eye of the typhoon passed over the island of Kayangel in Palau.[15]

Comparison between Haiyan and Katrina

Around 1200 UTC on November 7, Haiyan attained ten-minute sustained winds of 230 km/h (145 mph) and a maximum intensity (lowest barometric pressure) of 895 mbar (hPa; 26.43 inHg).[9] Six hours later, the JTWC estimated Haiyan to have attained one-minute sustained winds of 315 km/h (195 mph) and gusts up to 378 km/h (235 mph), according to preliminary track data.[16]

PAGASA Cebu City weather radar reflectivity loop from November 8, 2013
Weather radar reflectivity loop of Haiyan's landfall on Leyte Island. Tacloban City was struck by the northern eyewall, the most powerful part of the storm.[17]

The storm displayed some characteristics of an annular tropical cyclone, though a strong convective band remained present along the western side of the system.[16] At 2040 UTC on November 7, Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in Guiuan, Eastern Samar at peak intensity with ten-minute sustained winds of 230 km/h (145 mph) as measured by PAGASA.[18] The JTWC's unofficial estimate of one-minute sustained winds of 315 km/h (195 mph) would, by that measure, make Haiyan the most powerful storm ever recorded to strike land.[19] Interaction with land caused slight degradation of the storm's structure, though it remained an exceptionally powerful storm when it struck Tolosa, Leyte around 2300 UTC.[20] The typhoon made four additional landfalls as it traversed the Visayas:[21] Daanbantayan, Bantayan Island, Concepcion, and Busuanga Island. A weakened Haiyan, with its core disrupted by interaction with the Philippines, emerged over the South China Sea late on November 8.[22] Environmental conditions ahead of the storm soon became less favorable, as cool stable air began wrapping into the western side of the circulation.[23] Continuing across the South China Sea, Haiyan turned more northwesterly late on November 9 and through November 10 as it moved around the southwestern edge of the subtropical ridge previously steering it westward.[24] Rapid weakening ensued as Haiyan approached its final landfall in Vietnam,[25] ultimately striking the country near Haiphong around 2100 UTC as a severe tropical storm.[9] Once onshore, the storm quickly diminished and was last noted as it dissipated over Guangxi Province, China during November 11.[9]

Preparations

Micronesia and Palau

Upon JTWC's declaration of Tropical Depression 31W on November 3, a tropical storm warning was issued for Chuuk Lagoon, Losap, and Poluwat in the Federated States of Micronesia. Further west, Faraulep, Satawal, and Woleai, were placed under a typhoon watch while Fananu and Ulul were placed under a tropical storm watch.[26] The following day, the tropical storm warning expanded to include Satawal while a typhoon warning was issued for Woleai.[27] Much of Yap State and the islands of Koror and Kayangel in Palau were placed under a typhoon watch.[28] The government issued a mandatory evacuation for Kayangel, and although most residents ignored the warning, they all survived the storm.[15] As Haiyan progressed westward, the easternmost advisories were gradually discontinued.[28] As Haiyan intensified into a typhoon on November 5, warnings were raised across Palau and Yap State.[29][30] Government offices in Melekeok were used as an evacuation building for Palau.[31] Despite mandatory evacuation orders, most residents on Kayangel remained on the island and rode out the typhoon.[32]

Philippines

PAGASA raised rainfall warning advisory in the Central and Eastern Visayas during the passage of Haiyan (Yolanda).
PSWS Map in the Philippines during the passage of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).

Shortly before Typhoon Haiyan entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on November 6, PAGASA raised Public Storm Warning Signal (PSWS) No.1, the lowest of four levels, for much of the Visayas and Mindanao.[33] As the storm continued to approach the country, warnings expanded into Luzon and increased in severity for eastern areas.[34] By the evening of November 7, PSWS No. 4, the highest level of warning which indicates winds in excess of 185 km/h (115 mph) are expected, was raised for Biliran Island, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Cebu, Metro Cebu, Samar, and Southern Leyte.[35][36] Through November 8, the coverage of PSWS No. 4 continued to expand, with areas in southern Luzon being included.[37]

Officials placed police officers in the Bicol Region ahead of the storm.[38] In the provinces of Samar and Leyte, classes were canceled, and residents in flood- and landslide-prone areas were required to evacuate.[39] Some of the storm-threatened areas were affected by an earlier earthquake in Bohol.[40] The Philippine President requested the military to deploy planes and helicopters to the region expected to be affected.[41] As Haiyan was moving very fast, PAGASA issued warnings at different levels to about 60 of the 80 provinces, including the capital Metro Manila.[42] On November 8, the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters was activated, providing widespread charitable satellite coverage to relief organizations.[43]

Southern China

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters hoisted a level three emergency response in the provinces of Hainan, Guangdong and Guangxi. All fishing vessels were urged to return to ports by noon on 9 November.[44] The Hong Kong Observatory issued the Strong Monsoon Signal at 19:10 HKT on 9 November,[45] and it was still in place on 13 November.[46]

Vietnam

On November 8, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung activated the highest state of preparedness in the country.[47] Approximately 600,000 people across southern and central provinces were evacuated while a further 200,000 were evacuated in northern provinces. Alerts were sent to 85,328 seagoing vessels, with a collective crew of 385,372 people, to sail to safer waters away from the storm. Requests were sent to China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines to aid any fishermen who needed immediate shelter from the typhoon.[48] Threatening Vietnam after two other typhoons, Wutip and Nari, there were concerns that the storm would cause significant damage to homes with makeshift repairs.[49] Roughly 460,000 military personnel and other authorities were mobilized to assist in evacuation efforts.[48] Hundreds of flights were canceled across the country while schools were closed on November 11. On the small island of Cồn Cỏ, all residents were moved to underground shelters with enough supplies for several days.[50] The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) branches in Vietnam prepared relief stockpiles, consisting of food, water, housing material, and 6.6 billion (US$310,000) in funds.[48] The local United Nations Resident Coordinator, Pratibha Mehta, praised the government's actions and credited them with saving numerous lives.[47] However, there were complaints by many residents that the warnings came too late.[50]

Impact

Micronesia and Palau

On Kayangel in Palau, a high storm surge damaged several houses,[31] while strong winds downed trees.[15] Despite residents' refusal to evacuate, no fatalities or major injuries took place on the island. Helicopters were flown to the island to survey damage and provide relief supplies. The government planned to evacuate those who were left homeless from the island.[32] Koror, Babeldaob and Kayangel each lost access to water and power.[15] In Koror, winds reaching as high as 120 km/h (75 mph) blew out rooftops and downed trees and power lines. A causeway linking an offshore hospital to the main island was temporarily shut down after being inundated by water.[51] On the northern end of Babeldaob, Haiyan damaged schools and buildings.[31] Lying closest to Haiyan at the time of the typhoon's passage, Kayangel was flooded in its entirety, and all homes were destroyed. Though no people were killed there, 69 others were displaced by the storm.[51]

Philippines

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