Typhoon Winnie (1997)
Encyclopedia
Typhoon Winnie was regarded as the worst tropical cyclone
to impact the Chinese
provinces of Zhenjiang
, Fujian
, Jiangsu
and Shandong
in 200 years. Originating from an area of low pressure over the Pacific Ocean
on August 5, the system began as a depression . It headed northwestward, slowly strengthening to a tropical storm on the 9th. Intensification became more rapid as conditions became more favorable, and Winnie reached typhoon strength on the 10th. On 12th August 1997, it attained Super Typhoon status with peak winds of 160 mph. Winnie then weakened and passed north of Taiwan
and made a landfall in Eastern China
at minimal strength on 18th. It dissipated over land on 23rd binging heavy rain.
. It headed northwestward, slowly strengthening to a tropical storm on the 9th. Intensification became more rapid as conditions became more favorable, and Winnie reached typhoon strength on the 10th. 2 days later, it became the 4th Super Typhoon of the season with peak winds of 160 mph. Soon after, the eye became ragged and large, with an outer eyewall reaching 200 miles in diameter. On the 18th, a minimal Typhoon Winnie passed north of Taiwan
and hit eastern China, where it winded down until dissipating on the 19th. The remnant continued northeastward, bringing heavy rain and damage across China until the 23rd.
, rainfall from Typhoon Winnie killed at least 17 people in the northern Philippines
on August 18. A total of 810,105 people were affected by the storm in the country, of which 53,654 were evacuated. A total of 204 homes were destroyed and 5,885 others were damaged. Preliminary damage was estimated at 60.188 million pesos
($2.2 million USD).
and Kyūshū
, Typhoon Winnie produced torrential rainfall, peaking at 450 mm (17.7 in) in Mikado, Miyazaki
.
, six people were killed in a landslide, including two children. Three more drowned amidst flood waters near the city; another died after being blown off a roof while trying to break into a home; and a sixth died from unknown causes. Flooding in suburban Taipei left the entire first floor of buildings underwater, sending debris across streets turned into rivers. Large swells produced by the storm also eroded coastal highways along the eastern shores. Additionally, an estimated 68,000 people lost power in northern Taiwan. Overall, damage from Winnie was estimated at $10 million across the island.
). Additionally, over 3,000 people were injured by the typhoon.
Prior to the typhoon's arrival in mainland China, officials evacuated an estimated 1 million people from coastal areas. Along coastal Zhejiang
, large swells produced by Winnie breached dikes at several towns, prompting the evacuation of 30,000 people. Across the province, heavy rains flooded at least 20,000 homes and killed at least 241 of people. Thousands of homes were destroyed by the storm, which accounted for a majority of the fatalities. In Shanghai
, the Huangpu River
broke its banks and inundated 400 homes with 1.5 m (4.9 ft) of water and knocked out power to thousands of residents. An estimated 1.45 million people were isolated during the storm after thousands of towns were surrounded by flood waters. In Zhenjiang province alone, damage was estimated at 8.3 billion yuan
($1 billion USD). Additionally, roughly 1.6 million acres of farmland was damaged, leaving $2.2 billion in losses. In nearby Jiangsu
and Anhui
provinces, a more than 69 people were killed by the storm.
In response to the widespread damage and flooding in the Philippines, the National Disaster Coordinating Council deployed disaster teams on August 20 to the affected regions to evacuate residents and begin relief efforts. The Philippine National Red Cross reported that it had enough food in store to serve 4,106 families in the wake of the storm.
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
to impact the Chinese
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
provinces of Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Jiangsu province in the eastern People's Republic of China . Sitting on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Changzhou to the east, and Yangzhou across the river to the north.Once...
, 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...
, 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...
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...
in 200 years. Originating from an area of low pressure over the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
on August 5, the system began as a depression . It headed northwestward, slowly strengthening to a tropical storm on the 9th. Intensification became more rapid as conditions became more favorable, and Winnie reached typhoon strength on the 10th. On 12th August 1997, it attained Super Typhoon status with peak winds of 160 mph. Winnie then weakened and passed north of 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...
and made a landfall in Eastern China
Eastern China
Eastern China or East China may mean:* East China* East China Township, Michigan - East China Charter Township in Michigan, USA* ECNU - East China Normal University* Northeast China* Northeast China Plain* Southeast China-See also:...
at minimal strength on 18th. It dissipated over land on 23rd binging heavy rain.
Meteorological history
On August 5, a tropical depression formed near the Marshall IslandsMarshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
. It headed northwestward, slowly strengthening to a tropical storm on the 9th. Intensification became more rapid as conditions became more favorable, and Winnie reached typhoon strength on the 10th. 2 days later, it became the 4th Super Typhoon of the season with peak winds of 160 mph. Soon after, the eye became ragged and large, with an outer eyewall reaching 200 miles in diameter. On the 18th, a minimal Typhoon Winnie passed north of 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...
and hit eastern China, where it winded down until dissipating on the 19th. The remnant continued northeastward, bringing heavy rain and damage across China until the 23rd.
Impact
Philippines
In combination with the seasonal monsoonMonsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
, rainfall from Typhoon Winnie killed at least 17 people in the northern 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...
on August 18. A total of 810,105 people were affected by the storm in the country, of which 53,654 were evacuated. A total of 204 homes were destroyed and 5,885 others were damaged. Preliminary damage was estimated at 60.188 million pesos
Philippine 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...
($2.2 million USD).
Japan
Throughout the Ryukyu IslandsRyukyu 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...
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....
, Typhoon Winnie produced torrential rainfall, peaking at 450 mm (17.7 in) in Mikado, Miyazaki
Miyazaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Miyazaki.- History :Historically, after the Meiji Restoration, Hyūga Province was renamed Miyazaki Prefecture....
.
Taiwan
Across Taiwan, Typhoon Winnie produced enormous amounts of rainfall, with some areas recording over 710 mm (28 in) over a 13 hour span. At least 46 people were killed by the storm throughout the island, 20 of whom were crushed by an apartment building which buckled and collapsed after the hillside it was on gave way near the town of Hsichi. Nine other people were trapped underneath the rubble and likely perished. Near TaipeiTaipei
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...
, six people were killed in a landslide, including two children. Three more drowned amidst flood waters near the city; another died after being blown off a roof while trying to break into a home; and a sixth died from unknown causes. Flooding in suburban Taipei left the entire first floor of buildings underwater, sending debris across streets turned into rivers. Large swells produced by the storm also eroded coastal highways along the eastern shores. Additionally, an estimated 68,000 people lost power in northern Taiwan. Overall, damage from Winnie was estimated at $10 million across the island.
People's Republic of China
In the People's Republic of China, Typhoon Winnie was regarded as one of the worst storms to strike the country in over a decade. At least 310 people were confirmed to have been killed and damage exceeded $3.2 billion (1997 USDUnited 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....
). Additionally, over 3,000 people were injured by the typhoon.
Prior to the typhoon's arrival in mainland China, officials evacuated an estimated 1 million people from coastal areas. Along coastal 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...
, large swells produced by Winnie breached dikes at several towns, prompting the evacuation of 30,000 people. Across the province, heavy rains flooded at least 20,000 homes and killed at least 241 of people. Thousands of homes were destroyed by the storm, which accounted for a majority of the fatalities. In 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...
, the Huangpu River
Huangpu River
The Huangpu River is a -long river in China flowing through Shanghai...
broke its banks and inundated 400 homes with 1.5 m (4.9 ft) of water and knocked out power to thousands of residents. An estimated 1.45 million people were isolated during the storm after thousands of towns were surrounded by flood waters. In Zhenjiang province alone, damage was estimated at 8.3 billion yuan
Chinese yuan
The yuan is the base unit of a number of modern Chinese currencies. The yuan is the primary unit of account of the Renminbi.A yuán is also known colloquially as a kuài . One yuán is divided into 10 jiǎo or colloquially máo...
($1 billion USD). Additionally, roughly 1.6 million acres of farmland was damaged, leaving $2.2 billion in losses. In nearby 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...
and 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...
provinces, a more than 69 people were killed by the storm.
Taiwan and the Philippines
In the wake of the typhoon, rescue crews were deployed throughout Taiwan, especially to the hard-hit areas around Taipei. At the site of the apartment collapse, rescue attempts were taken out for three days and after finding no additional survivors on the third, the remaining nine trapped within the rubble were presumed dead.In response to the widespread damage and flooding in the Philippines, the National Disaster Coordinating Council deployed disaster teams on August 20 to the affected regions to evacuate residents and begin relief efforts. The Philippine National Red Cross reported that it had enough food in store to serve 4,106 families in the wake of the storm.