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Heat wave - United States, Canada
Typhoon Saomai - Mariana Islands,
Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, China
Flood - Ethiopia
Severe storms, Tornadoes and torrential
rains - United States
Typhoon Xangsane - Philippines, Vietnam,
Thailand
Snowstorm - United States
Wildfire - United States
Other events
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Catastrophe Report 10
July 25th - November 8th 2006 |
Typhoon Saomai - Mariana Islands, Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, China
| Territory: |
|
Mariana Islands, Philippines, Japan, Taiwan,
China |
| Region: |
|
Northern Philippines, northern Taiwan,
Okinawa, South East China – Zhejiang, Fujian, and Jiangxi
provinces. |
| Date: |
|
4 – 11 August 2006 |
| Event: |
|
Typhoon Saomai |
| Impact: |
|
Saomai brought heavy rains to the Marianas, but
no deaths or significant damage were reported. The Philippines
fared less well, with over 400 homes destroyed by storm surge
and nine people killed or missing. In Okinawa, the typhoon brought
Japan’s heaviest rain for a century and took a further
seven lives as a result of flooding and landslides. In Taiwan,
torrential rains disrupted traffic and led to flight cancellations.
Typhoon Saomai was the most powerful typhoon to strike China
in half a century, causing massive disruption in the country’s
south-east province of Zhejiang. Despite the precautionary evacuation
of around one million residents, at least 87 lives were reported
lost in the province, with many missing. More than 18,000 buildings
were destroyed, over 200 boats capsized, wharf facilities and
sea defences severely damaged, and 20,000 hectares of farmland
inundated. In neighbouring Fujian province, while over half
a million residents were evacuated before the storm struck,
at least 138 people still lost their lives – mostly by
storm surge - including eight when an evacuation shelter collapsed.
A further 37,000 homes were destroyed by flooding and strong
winds, and 38,000 hectares of farmland flooded. Total economic
losses are estimated at around US$1.5 billio. No data on insured
losses are yet available. |
| Summary: |
|
Super-typhoon Saomai started life as a tropical
disturbance east of the Chuuk Islands in the western Pacific.
The disturbance tracked north-westwards over several days, strengthening
to a tropical depression on August 4th and into a tropical storm
the following day. After crossing the Mariana Islands on the
6th, the storm organised and intensified itself into a tropical
cyclone on August 7th – one of three typhoons active simultaneously
in close proximity. Peak intensity was reached two days later,
with sustained wind speeds of 175 km h, and gusts to 260 km
h.. Saomai passed south of Japan’s southernmost island,
Okinawa, overnight, before brushing the north coast of Taiwan
early on August 10th, and making landfall later in the day,
as a Category 4 storm, in China’s south-east province
of Zhejiang. |
| Data sources: |
|
People’s Daily Online
http://english.people.com.cn/english/200009/15/eng20000915_50597.html
China Daily
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-08/11/content_662220.htm
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| Additional sources:
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NASA Earth Observatory
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13767
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