Typhoon Megi (2010)
Typhoon Megi (pronounced [me̞.ɟi]), known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Juan, was the strongest tropical cyclone of 2010 and is considered one of the most intense ever recorded. Megi, which means catfish in Korean (Hangul: 메기), was the only super typhoon in 2010. Early on October 18, Megi made its first landfall over Luzon.[1] By passing Luzon, Megi weakened but gradually regained strength in the South China Sea, before weakening and losing its eye in the Taiwan Strait. Megi made its second landfall over Zhangpu in Fujian, China on October 23.[2]
Megi killed 31 people and caused $255.1 million (2010 USD) in damage over Luzon, making it top twenty of the costliest typhoons in the Philippines.[3] After moving to the South China Sea, the outflow of Megi and a weather front together brought torrential rainfall, caused $42.2 million (2010 USD) in damage and killed 38 people in Yilan, Taiwan, making Megi the deadliest typhoon of 2010s in Taiwan.[4] Megi also caused $411.7 million (2010 USD) in damage over Fujian, China, although there were no deaths by the storm in the province.[5]
Impact and aftermath[edit]
Philippines[edit]
The centre of the storm made landfall near Divalacan Bay, Luzon, at 11:25 am (local time) on October 18 preceded by torrential rain and flash flooding[66][67] forcing residents of the area to seek shelter.[68] A reported total of 3,687 individuals from the northern Philippines[69] were evacuated to schools, churches, halls and other sturdier structures[70] but over 200,000 people were rendered homeless.[71][72][73] Although at little risk of being struck by the departing typhoon, classes throughout Metro Manila were suspended on October 19 as a precaution.[74]
Initial estimates suggested that Philippine rice farmers could lose over 600,000 metric tons of crops[75][76] as the typhoon swept through some of the biggest agricultural areas, such as Isabela and Cagayan,[77] in the northern Philippines. Official estimates following the passing of the typhoon placed agricultural losses at around US$34 million with tens of thousands of tons of rice and corn lost.[78][79] Fears of a rice shortage in the next few weeks were allayed by the National Food Authority which announced that sufficient food had been stockpiled.[80]
Megi inflicted substantial damage to much of the infrastructure as it crossed Luzon.[81] Communication infrastructure in Cagayan and Isabela suffered extensive damage during the typhoon with an estimated 90% of regional communications lost.[82] Officials believe that it would take five days to restore them.[83] Electricity in the northern provinces of Cagayan, Kalinga, Apayao, Northern Isabela, the Mountain Province, parts of Benguet, Ilocos Norte, la Union, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, parts of Tuguegarao[84] was disrupted by Megi. The National Grid Corp. announced that eleven towers along one transmission line suffered extensive damage, which also affected power supplies to the capital leading to outages of up to 3 hours.[85]
Many domestic and international flights by carriers such as Cebu Pacific[86][87] and Philippine Airlines[88] bound for the northern Philippines were cancelled because of the impact of the typhoon, but as the typhoon left the islands, many flights were restored.[89] Many roads in Luzon remained closed through October 18,[90] and bus operators cancelled trips to Cagayan and Isabela due to the poor weather.[91] The departure of Megi left large quantities of debris, as well as unsanitary conditions.[92]
The Philippine Red Cross dispatched a water search and rescue team to Cagayan to aid rescue operations.[93] UNICEF announced that the organisation was monitoring the event and that relief supplies were being prepared should the Philippines Government request aid.[94] The United Nations Office for the Coordination on Humanitarian Affairs have also committed to helping with disaster relief.[95][96] Reserve military officers, volunteers, and helicopters were on standby in preparation for the storm, with one retired army general describing the operations as "preparing for war".[97] Search and rescue operations for survivors was hampered by winds that were still reaching 210 kilometres (130 mi) throughout the region.[98] According to official reports, the province of Isabela bore the brunt of the storm with the towns of Palanan and Divilacan suffering extensive damage and Maconacon reportedly being completely destroyed.[99]
PAGASA lowered storm signals as the typhoon weakened when it crossed into the mountains in northern Luzon.[100]
Records[edit]
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) analysed that the 10-minute maximum sustained winds of Typhoon Megi in 2010 was 125 knots (232 km/h; 144 mph), making it the second strongest tropical cyclone in the Northwest Pacific Ocean on record along with Bess in 1982 and Haiyan in 2013, only after Tip in 1979.[125] The Hong Kong Observatory analysed that Megi was the strongest tropical cyclone in the Northwest Pacific Ocean since Tip in 1979 by attaining the 10-minute maximum sustained winds at 270 km/h (145 knots, 165 mph).[126] A hurricane hunter aircraft indicated 1-minute maximum sustained surface winds of 165 knots (306 km/h; 190 mph) before peak intensity, which was equivalent to Tip in 1979.[22]
Megi's atmospheric pressure estimated by JMA was 885 hPa (26.13 inHg), the lowest since Vanessa in 1984 and the eighth lowest in the Northwest Pacific Ocean on record; in addition, Megi was the first tropical cyclone in the Northwest Pacific Ocean having the atmospheric pressure below 900 hPa (27 inHg) since Yuri in 1991. When reaching peak intensity at 18:00 UTC on October 17 and 00:00 UTC on October 18, Megi's Current Intensity (CI) number of the Dvorak technique was 8.0, the highest number.[127] According to JMA's advisory, Megi still maintained its peak strength at 03:00 UTC on October 18, making it one of the strongest tropical cyclones to make landfall on record at 03:25 UTC.[128] Moreover, Megi was the latest-forming storm to make landfall over Fujian, China since 1949.[129]