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Typhoon Soudelor (2003)
Encyclopedia
Typhoon Soudelor is the sixth tropical storm and third typhoon of the 2003 Pacific typhoon season
. The JTWC
recognized Soudelor as the seventh tropical cyclone, sixth tropical storm, and third typhoon of the season. The name "Soudelor" was submitted by Micronesia
, and it is the name of a legendary Pohnpei chieftain, and the name "Egay" is a Filipino male nickname.
named Soudelor as Egay. On the 15th, Soudelor was moving toward the north at 12 mi/h in response to a weakness in the subtropical ridge. During the 15th and into the 16th, Soudelor was stair-stepping its way north-northwestward at 12 mi/h parallel to the Philippines' northeastern coastline and towards Hong Kong. Soudelor finally became a typhoon by late on the 17th. A trough to the west dragged Soudelor north-northeast towards the southern Japanese archipelago. By the 18th, Typhoon Soudelor bypassed Taiwan to the east. The cyclone reached its peak intensity of 115 kts/130 mph later that day. Weakening ensued as it began its extratropical transition as it passed the southeastern coast of South Korea and entered the Sea of Japan. The cyclone became an extratropical low by the 20th about 160 miles (257.5 km) northwest of Wajima
, Japan
. The extratropical low turned eastward, then crossed northern Japan.
has raised storm signal number 3 for Batanes group of islands, Cagayan, and Isabela Provinces; storm signal number 2 for Apayao, Kalinga, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Northern Aurora, and Polilio island; and storm signal number 1 was raised for Northern Luzon, Nueva Ecija, the rest of Aurora, northern Quezon, and Camarines Norte.
issued sea and land warnings in Taiwan as Soudelor was anticipated to produce torrential rains, gale-force winds, and rough seas. All fishermen in the area were urged to return to port before the onset of the typhoon.
began advising residents in Okinawa to closely monitor the storm. One of the major airlines in Japan, All Nippon Airways
, cancelled 66 domestic flights the same day, stranding an estimated 6,000 people.
131 million (US$
2.7 million).
. One of the mudslides covered a 10 km (6.2 mi) section of the Yenhsi Highway between Hsitou and Luku. Road crews were quickly dispatched to the area but had to suspend clean up efforts due to continuing impacts from Soudelor. Dozens of tour buses carrying tourist who were being evacuated from the mountains were blocked several times by mudslides covering roads. The Sungshan Airport in Taipei
was shut down during the morning of June 19 due to unsettled weather produced by the typhoon.
Iriomotejima
experienced sustained gale-force winds for eight hours early on the 18th except during the eye passage. As the eyewall passed over the island, a wind gust of 205 km/h (125 mph) was recorded; as the eye passed over, a minimum pressure of 968.1 mbar (28.59 inHg) was recorded. A North Korean ship cargo loaded with industrial magnesium was stranded off the northwest coast of Japan after being refused entry into the Japanese port of Toyama
. Twenty-one storm-related injuries were reported in Japan as a result of Soudelor, mostly people struck by falling objects. Nearly 10,000 households were left without power. Twenty-six homes sustained damage due to Soudelor, ranging from tiles being blown off to windows shattered.
2003 Pacific typhoon season
The 2003 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2003, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November...
. The JTWC
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...
recognized Soudelor as the seventh tropical cyclone, sixth tropical storm, and third typhoon of the season. The name "Soudelor" was submitted by Micronesia
Micronesia
Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
, and it is the name of a legendary Pohnpei chieftain, and the name "Egay" is a Filipino male nickname.
History
By June 10, a circulation was noted 270 miles (434.5 km) south of Guam moving west at 12 mi/h. Tropical Depression 07W formed from this low on the 12th about 50 miles (80.5 km) west of Yap as it moved at a faster clip to the west. About 24 hours later, Fujiwara interaction with a circulation to the west led to a more northwest motion. By the 14th, the cyclone had strengthened into a tropical storm. As it approached the Philippines, PAGASAPhilippine 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...
named Soudelor as Egay. On the 15th, Soudelor was moving toward the north at 12 mi/h in response to a weakness in the subtropical ridge. During the 15th and into the 16th, Soudelor was stair-stepping its way north-northwestward at 12 mi/h parallel to the Philippines' northeastern coastline and towards Hong Kong. Soudelor finally became a typhoon by late on the 17th. A trough to the west dragged Soudelor north-northeast towards the southern Japanese archipelago. By the 18th, Typhoon Soudelor bypassed Taiwan to the east. The cyclone reached its peak intensity of 115 kts/130 mph later that day. Weakening ensued as it began its extratropical transition as it passed the southeastern coast of South Korea and entered the Sea of Japan. The cyclone became an extratropical low by the 20th about 160 miles (257.5 km) northwest of Wajima
Wajima, Ishikawa
is a city located in Ishikawa, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 31,532 and the density of 74 persons per km². The total area is 426.25 km².The city was founded on March 31, 1954....
, 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...
. The extratropical low turned eastward, then crossed northern Japan.
Philippines
By June 16, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services AdministrationPhilippine 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...
has raised storm signal number 3 for Batanes group of islands, Cagayan, and Isabela Provinces; storm signal number 2 for Apayao, Kalinga, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Northern Aurora, and Polilio island; and storm signal number 1 was raised for Northern Luzon, Nueva Ecija, the rest of Aurora, northern Quezon, and Camarines Norte.
Taiwan
On June 16, the Central Weather BureauCentral 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...
issued sea and land warnings in Taiwan as Soudelor was anticipated to produce torrential rains, gale-force winds, and rough seas. All fishermen in the area were urged to return to port before the onset of the typhoon.
Japan
As the typhoon tracked near Taiwan, the Japan Meteorological AgencyJapan Meteorological Agency
The or JMA, is the Japanese government's weather service. Charged with gathering and reporting weather data and forecasts in Japan, it is a semi-autonomous part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport...
began advising residents in Okinawa to closely monitor the storm. One of the major airlines in Japan, All Nippon Airways
All Nippon Airways
, also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009...
, cancelled 66 domestic flights the same day, stranding an estimated 6,000 people.
South Korea
On June 17, the Korean Meteorological Agency issued rain warnings for Jeju Island and coastal areas of South Korea. They also urged residents to take all precautions for the storm. The Korea Airports Corporation reported that 111 flights to southern areas of the country were cancelled due to the typhoon.Impact and aftermath
Philippines
Catarman in the Philippines received 330 mm of rain between the 14th and 15th. The lowest recorded sea level pressure was 997.3 mb at Casiguran late on the 16th. Heavy rains unleashed by Typhoon Soudelor caused 12 deaths and left two others missing. An estimated 45,400 people were affected by Soudelor. A total of 94 homes were destroyed and 157 others were damaged. Total damages amounted to PHPPhilippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
131 million (US$
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....
2.7 million).
Taiwan
Heavy rains also caused flooding, landslides, and mudflows in 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...
. One of the mudslides covered a 10 km (6.2 mi) section of the Yenhsi Highway between Hsitou and Luku. Road crews were quickly dispatched to the area but had to suspend clean up efforts due to continuing impacts from Soudelor. Dozens of tour buses carrying tourist who were being evacuated from the mountains were blocked several times by mudslides covering roads. The Sungshan Airport in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
was shut down during the morning of June 19 due to unsettled weather produced by the typhoon.
Japan
Iriomote
Iriomote is the largest of the Yaeyama Islands and the second largest in Okinawa Prefecture after Okinawa Island itself....
experienced sustained gale-force winds for eight hours early on the 18th except during the eye passage. As the eyewall passed over the island, a wind gust of 205 km/h (125 mph) was recorded; as the eye passed over, a minimum pressure of 968.1 mbar (28.59 inHg) was recorded. A North Korean ship cargo loaded with industrial magnesium was stranded off the northwest coast of Japan after being refused entry into the Japanese port of Toyama
Toyama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Toyama.Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity due to abundant water resources....
. Twenty-one storm-related injuries were reported in Japan as a result of Soudelor, mostly people struck by falling objects. Nearly 10,000 households were left without power. Twenty-six homes sustained damage due to Soudelor, ranging from tiles being blown off to windows shattered.
