Typhoon Emma
Encyclopedia
Super Typhoon Emmawas a powerful typhoon that brought 140 mi/h winds and 22 inches (558.8 mm) of rain to Okinawa and South Korea
. Emma left 77 people dead and over $8 million dollars (1956 USD
) in damage. Emma was one of several typhoons to cause significant damage to Okinawa during the mid 1950s.
, Emma churned southwest before gaining typhoon status on September 3. Emma then recurved after reaching Category 3 status. Moving west-northwest, Emma reached a peak intensity of 155 mi/h as it bypassed Okinawa. Emma then brushed South Korea
and Kyūshū
as a strong Category 3 typhoon before swinging to the northwest and hitting China
or southern Russia
..
. During the preparations, bread
and milk
were stocked and U.S. installations in Okinawa were placed on alert. An army hospital in Ryūkyū
was evacuated as patients were transferred to storm shelters where they had pie and beans.
.
had overwhelmed the soldiers and all eleven marines drowned.
When the storm struck, it brought 143 mi/h gusts that ripped apart runways and smashed hangars. Heavy rains brought flashfloods that damaged homes and buildings. By the time Emma left the battered island, there was $8 million (1956 US dollars) in damage.
The U.S. held island of Okinawa was hard hit by Emma. Numerous planes, runways and barracks were ether damaged or destroyed. The island was in the recovering phases when in 1957, Typhoon Faye, another powerful typhoon did the same damage ($11.3 million dollars (1957 dollars). Later the island was struck again Typhoon Charlotte of 1959.
, Emma brought 22 inches of rain that caused extensive flooding which left 34 people dead and thousands homeless. At its landfall near South Korea. Emma sank dozens of ships and wrecked homes and buildings. In all 42 people were dead and 35 missing, most of them fishermen.
in 1955.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Emma left 77 people dead and over $8 million dollars (1956 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
) in damage. Emma was one of several typhoons to cause significant damage to Okinawa during the mid 1950s.
Meteorological history
Forming from a tropical disturbance near the Mariana IslandsMariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
, Emma churned southwest before gaining typhoon status on September 3. Emma then recurved after reaching Category 3 status. Moving west-northwest, Emma reached a peak intensity of 155 mi/h as it bypassed Okinawa. Emma then brushed South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
as a strong Category 3 typhoon before swinging to the northwest and hitting China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
or southern Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
..
Preparations
The Tokyo Weather Center began to issue warnings when Emma was spotted on September 3, east-southeast of Iwo JimaIwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
. During the preparations, bread
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
and milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
were stocked and U.S. installations in Okinawa were placed on alert. An army hospital in Ryūkyū
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...
was evacuated as patients were transferred to storm shelters where they had pie and beans.
Impact
Emma killed 77 people and caused $8–12 million dollars (1956 dollars) in damage across Okinawa and South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
Okinawa
Most heeded typhoon watches, either evacuating or bolting storm shutters and stowing away light equipment. On Okinawa's eastern beaches however, more than a dozen marines who were unaware of the danger came to the beaches eager to surf in the thundering waves. Eleven of the Marines had already paddled out into open water when they realized the danger, but it was too late. A strong rip currentRip current
A rip current, commonly referred to by the misnomer rip tide, is a strong channel of water flowing seaward from near the shore, typically through the surf line. Typical flow is at 0.5 metres per second , and can be as fast as 2.5 metres per second...
had overwhelmed the soldiers and all eleven marines drowned.
When the storm struck, it brought 143 mi/h gusts that ripped apart runways and smashed hangars. Heavy rains brought flashfloods that damaged homes and buildings. By the time Emma left the battered island, there was $8 million (1956 US dollars) in damage.
The U.S. held island of Okinawa was hard hit by Emma. Numerous planes, runways and barracks were ether damaged or destroyed. The island was in the recovering phases when in 1957, Typhoon Faye, another powerful typhoon did the same damage ($11.3 million dollars (1957 dollars). Later the island was struck again Typhoon Charlotte of 1959.
Elsewhere
On KyūshūKyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, Emma brought 22 inches of rain that caused extensive flooding which left 34 people dead and thousands homeless. At its landfall near South Korea. Emma sank dozens of ships and wrecked homes and buildings. In all 42 people were dead and 35 missing, most of them fishermen.
Loss of a hurricane hunter
Emma was also one of the few tropical cyclones to down a plane. It was a Boeing RB-50 hurricane hunter plane, which was sent up to study wind velocities in the storm's right front quadrant. The plane went down in the storm, taking all 16 crew members with it. Although no direct cause was stated, it was speculated that the winds of the typhoon caused the airplane to go into a tailspin. Another theory was that the low pressures caused the plane's altimeters to give a false reading, and that caused the pilots to assume that they were flying much higher than they actually were, causing them to continue flying on their assumed altitude until they crashed. The theory was also applied to what happened to a hurricane hunter which crashed during Hurricane JanetHurricane Janet
Hurricane Janet was the most powerful hurricane of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season and one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. It made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, causing catastrophic damage and at least 687 deaths in the Lesser...
in 1955.
Book
- David Longshore. "Typhoon Emma." Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons and Cyclones. David Longshore. New York: Facts on File, 1998, Pg; 113-114.
World Wide Web
- Typhoon Emma Report at the United States Army Center of Military History
- Digital Typhoon(Typhoon Emma Best track data)
- Digital Typhoon(Typhoon Emma disaster information)
- Unisys(Typhoon Emma track)
