Typhoon Muifa (2011)
Encyclopedia
Typhoon Muifa 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.
. 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 (935.3 km) to the west of Guam
. At midnight, that day, the JMA started monitoring the system as a tropical depression. Early on July 28, the JTWC upgraded the system into a Tropical Storm. A few hours later, the JMA also upgraded the system to a tropical storm, naming it Muifa. 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. 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. Overnight, the storm strengthened rapidly and was upgraded into a Typhoon the next morning. 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 (76.2 m/s) (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. 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. Soon afterwards, the JMA too downgraded Muifa to a Severe Tropical storm. 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.
cancelled several flights towards Okinawa, Japan
. At that time, the eye of the system was just over Okinawa.
as the outer rainbands of the system brushed the Island nation. The Central Weather Bureau
(CWB) announced that heavy rains and strong winds would impact the Republic of China
from midnight, that day. 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.
of 2005. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. As a result, PRC Officials suspended several oil, dry bulk and container ports. 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. 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.
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. The Meteorological Agency announced that heavy rain and strong winds would affect the nation for three continuous days, starting August 7. Some 11,000 rescue workers in 120 teams have been mobilized to carefully respond to the event and protect as many people as possible. 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. 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. Both the airports in Shanghai were shut down and all outdoor events were also called off or delayed indefinitely. 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. 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."
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. As reported on August 9, some 1.35 million people were evacuated, as the system approached its final landfall in northern China.
, 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. 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. Minutes before the announcement was made, the Malacañang Palace
released a circular ordering the suspension of schools, colleges and offices. Authorities mobilized emergency personnel to ready evacuations for the capital region's rivers and canals where floodwaters were rising. 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
.
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. 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. 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. 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.
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. 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.
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. 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.
, the system felled trees, outed power and cased the cancellations of many Seoul bound flights. Heavy rain and strong winds were experienced throughout west Korean coasts. Four people were killed and two others were left missing across South Korea due to the storm. In North Korea
, the storm destroyed than 2,400 acres of crops, 100 housing units and 10 public buildings, leaving 10 people dead.
's Liaoning
Province's Fujia Dahua Petrochemical plant, which produces Paraxylene, a deadly, flammable and carcinogenic liquid chemical.
2011 Pacific typhoon season
The 2011 Pacific typhoon season was the time of the year in which tropical cyclones form in the Western Pacific Ocean. The season ran throughout 2011 with most tropical cyclones forming between May and November. The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean to the north of the equator...
.
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
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, rapidly strengthened and became a Category 5 typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
(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
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, 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
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, prompting emergency warnings and high alerts. However, the system simply passed by. The system moved further west, towards mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
, 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.
Meteorological history
Late on July 23, an area of low pressure formed to the southeast of ChuukChuuk
Chuuk — formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus — is an island group in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia , along with Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap. Chuuk is the most populous of the FSM's...
. The system drifted to the west and on July 25, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
(JTWC) upgraded the low pressure area to a tropical depression. At that time, it was located approximately 505 nautical miles (935.3 km) to the west of Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. At midnight, that day, the JMA started monitoring the system as a tropical depression. Early on July 28, the JTWC upgraded the system into a Tropical Storm. A few hours later, the JMA also upgraded the system to a tropical storm, naming it Muifa. Also on July 28, the storm entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is a Philippine national institution dedicated to provide flood and typhoon warnings, public weather forecasts and advisories, meteorological, astronomical, climatological, and other specialized information and...
(PAGASA) named it Kabayan. 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. Overnight, the storm strengthened rapidly and was upgraded into a Typhoon the next morning. 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 (76.2 m/s) (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. 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. Soon afterwards, the JMA too downgraded Muifa to a Severe Tropical storm. After weakening to a tropical storm, Muifa made landfall at the estuary of the Yalu River
Yalu River
The Yalu River or the Amnok River is a river on the border between North Korea and the People's Republic of China....
on August 8, and the JTWC issued the final warning. Early on August 9, Muifa weakened to a tropical depression in Northeast China
Northeast China
Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...
and became a low pressure area later.
Okinawa
Japanese officials have canceled several flights towards Okinawa, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. On August 5, China AirlinesChina Airlines
China Airlines is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of Republic of China . Although not directly state-owned, the airline is owned by China Airlines Group, which is owned by the China Aviation Development Foundation...
cancelled several flights towards Okinawa, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. At that time, the eye of the system was just over Okinawa.
Taiwan
Light rain with moderate winds were reported throughout TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
as the outer rainbands of the system brushed the Island nation. The Central Weather Bureau
Central Weather Bureau
The Central Weather Bureau is the government meteorological research and forecasting institution of the Republic of China . In addition to meteorology, the Central Weather Bureau also makes astronomical observations, reports on sea conditions, and conducts research into seismology and provides...
(CWB) announced that heavy rains and strong winds would impact the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
from midnight, that day. 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.
Mainland China
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 MatsaTyphoon Matsa
Typhoon Matsa was the second of eight Pacific tropical cyclones to make landfall on China during the 2005 Pacific typhoon season. The ninth tropical storm and fifth typhoon of the season, Matsa developed on July 30 to the east of the Philippines...
of 2005. 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. The Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) issued a circular on August 4, ordering civil affairs agencies in the municipality of Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and the provinces of Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
, Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
, Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
and Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
to carry out disaster relief operations, preventing as many casualties as possible. An Orange alert, the second highest in the four-level sea wave alert system, was issued on the East China Sea
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
as the destructive system neared land. On August 5, the Port of Ningbo
Port of Ningbo
Port of Ningbo is one of the most important and busiest ports in mainland China. It is located on the rich coastal province of Zhejiang. The port is at the crossroad of the north-south shipping route and the important waterway of the Yangtze River...
, one of the most important and busiest ports nationwide, was partially shut down in fear of the Typhoon. 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. As a result, PRC Officials suspended several oil, dry bulk and container ports. 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. 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.
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. The Meteorological Agency announced that heavy rain and strong winds would affect the nation for three continuous days, starting August 7. Some 11,000 rescue workers in 120 teams have been mobilized to carefully respond to the event and protect as many people as possible. 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
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
maintaining Typhoon strength. Oceanic waves as high as 9 to 11 meters were expected throughout east china sea. 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. Both the airports in Shanghai were shut down and all outdoor events were also called off or delayed indefinitely. 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. A message from the Federal government of the United States
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
to the Americans living in China said "stock up on emergency supplies of food, water, and cash in case of storm-related power outages."
As the system merely skipped Shanghai, causing no more than disruption, the residents of Qingdao
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
started their preparations for the system. Albeit weak, the storm's heavy surf battered Qingdao's waterfront leaving the beaches closed. As reported on August 9, some 1.35 million people were evacuated, as the system approached its final landfall in northern China.
Impact
| 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 | ~$480 million |
Philippines
Though the storm did no direct impact to the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, the rainbands caused a considerable amount of damage to the nation. According to the situation report by National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council(NDCC), the typhoon claimed four fatalities, causing damage worth US$ 59,203. On August 2, Thousands of people living near the Marikina River
Marikina River
The San Mateo - Marikina River is a main river system in Eastern Metro Manila, Philippines. A river stretching from Rodriguez, Rizal, to Pasig City that connects to Pasig River as major tributary near Napindan Area in Pasig City.San Mateo - Marikina River used to be an important transport route...
of Metro Manila
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
started fleeing as Alert Level 2 was issued after water raised to dangerously high levels. Minutes before the announcement was made, the Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace
The Malacañan Palace, commonly known simply as Malacañang, is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines. Located at 1000 J. P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Manila, the house was built in 1750 in Spanish Colonial style. It has been the residence of every...
released a circular ordering the suspension of schools, colleges and offices. Authorities mobilized emergency personnel to ready evacuations for the capital region's rivers and canals where floodwaters were rising. 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
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
.
Okinawa
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.China
Offshore, ten fishing vessels with roughly 200 people aboard collectively went missing; however, there is uncertainty in whether or not Muifa was the cause.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. 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. 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
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
in storm surge associated with Muifa. 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.
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. The system caused threat to the chemical plant in Dalian
Dalian
Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...
. 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.
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. It was reported that the system battered the provinces of Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
, Zhejiang and Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
, affecting the lives of more than 1.74 million local residents and damaging some 101,000 hectares of farmland.
Korean Peninsula
In 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...
, the system felled trees, outed power and cased the cancellations of many Seoul bound flights. Heavy rain and strong winds were experienced throughout west Korean coasts. Four people were killed and two others were left missing across South Korea due to the storm. In North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, the storm destroyed than 2,400 acres of crops, 100 housing units and 10 public buildings, leaving 10 people dead.
Aftermath
A Chemical spill was feared after the typhoon made landfall in the Mainland ChinaMainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
's Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
Province's Fujia Dahua Petrochemical plant, which produces Paraxylene, a deadly, flammable and carcinogenic liquid chemical.
External links
- The JMA's Best Track Data on Typhoon Muifa (1109)
- The JMA's RSMC Best Track Data (Graphics) on Typhoon Muifa (1109)
- The JMA's RSMC Best Track Data (Text)
