Tropical Storm Bilis
| tropical storm | |
|---|---|
| Formed | July 8, 2006 |
| Dissipated | July 15, 2006 |
Severe Tropical Storm Bilis (designated Typhoon Florita by PAGASA) was the fifth tropical storm of the 2006 Pacific typhoon season recognized by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Bilis was the fourth tropical storm of the season. The storm was also designated a typhoon by PAGASA, but was never officially designated one by the JMA. The word "Bilis", submitted by the Philippines, means speedy or swift in motion.[2]
Storm history
A tropical disturbance developed northeast of Yap on July 7 and slowly increased in organization. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the disturbance later that day as it moved northwestward. By July 8, it had developed sufficient convection to be designated a tropical depression by both the JTWC and the Japan Meteorological Agency. The depression continued to strengthen, and was designated Tropical Storm Bilis by the JMA early on July 9. The JTWC upgraded Bilis to tropical storm status later that day.
Over the next several days, Bilis moved generally northwestward toward Taiwan, slowly strengthening over open waters. Bilis was designated a severe tropical storm by the JMA on July 11. The storm continued to intensify and reached its peak intensity of 55 knots (105 km/h, 65 mph) on July 13. Bilis made its first landfall in northern Taiwan later that day. After moving across northern Taiwan, Bilis made its second landfall in Fujian, China early on July 14[3], weakening into a tropical depression over land the next day. Bilis lingered on as a tropical depression over southeastern China before dissipating on July 15. [4]
Preparations
Officials in Hunan, China evacuated over 800,000 residents from the area prior to Bilis' second landfall in Fujian[5], and 256,000 people were evacuated from Shanghai[6]. Another 70,000 people were evacuated from Zheijang[7].
Impact
Philippines
Bilis' strongest winds and heaviest rains were south and east of its center, and its outer rainbands swept across Luzon in the Philippines, causing heavy rains, wind gusts to tropical storm force, flash flooding, and landslides. Three people were killed in Baguio City, and six more were killed in the Manila area[8].
Taiwan
Bilis made its first landfall in Taiwan and moved quickly across the northern coast of the island, causing 4 deaths, most of them coming after a Chinese fishing boat ran aground off Matsu Island[9].
People's Republic of China
The storm made its second landfall in Fujian, China, and caused 43 deaths[1] and 3 billion Chinese yuan in damage[10], mostly from flooding. Schools and tourist attractions in the province were closed for several days[11]. Flooding in eastern Guangxi killed 30 people, and 63 people were killed in Guangdong province, where $1.1 million (2006 USD) in damage was reported.[1], and eight more people were killed in Yunnan when a flash flood swept away some road workers' huts[12] A weather station in Guangdong reported a 5-hour rainfall total of 360.6 mm (14.1 inches).[13]
In Zhejiang province, strong winds and heavy rain from Bilis caused 693 million yuan ($87 million, 2006 USD) in damage[14], and a wind gust to 43 m/s (155 km/h, 96 mph) was reported[15]. In Shanghai, Bilis mainly caused significant rail and bus delays, and more than 210 flights in and out of the city were canceled[16].
Several sections of the Beijing-Guangzhou railway, a main rail route in China, were blocked by flooding and landslides, causing many delays and diversions. One train was surrounded by floodwaters in Lechang, and passengers had to be evacuated to a nearby school[17]. At least 274 trains were affected and the train company refunded nearly 2 million tickets. After three days of urgent railwork, the rail service returned to normal on July 18.[18]
The most significant damage occurred in Hunan province, where heavy flooding and mudslides destroyed over 31,000 homes and caused at least 345 deaths, with 89 people missing[12]. Most of the damage and fatalities occurred in the village of Zixing, where the local government had underreported damages due to problems in the communications and transportation infrastructure in the area[1]. Local officials reported the flooding in Zixing to be the worst the area had seen in the past 100 years[12], and described the death toll as "unprecedented"[5]. In all, Bilis caused over $2.5 billion (2006 USD) in damage to southeastern China.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4063478.html
- ^ "List of names for tropical cyclones adopted by the Typhoon Committee for the western North Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea". RSMC Tokyo - Typhoon Center. Retrieved May 20.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ http://www.cma.gov.cn/cma_new/tqyb/zhyj/t20060714_140251.phtml
- ^ http://www.jma.go.jp/jp/g3/images/observe/06071706.png
- ^ a b http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/KKEE-6RWRHY?OpenDocument
- ^ http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=qw1152864721789B222
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/2006-07-14-bilas-china_x.htm
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/weather/hurricane/2006-07-12-tropical-storm-bilis_x.htm
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/2006-07-14-bilas-china_x.htm
- ^ http://env.people.com.cn/GB/1074/4598416.html
- ^ http://www.dnzb.cn/gb/content/2006-07/14/content_2151763.htm
- ^ a b c http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__international_news/&articleid=278389
- ^ http://www.nmc.gov.cn/news/viewArticle.do?method=viewArticle&id=ff8080810c669adb010c717746f20017
- ^ http://202.102.135.87/newscenter/2006-07/15/content_1735584.htm
- ^ http://www.cma.gov.cn/cma_new/qxxw/t20060714_140202.phtml
- ^ http://news.163.com/06/0715/16/2M37PN4T0001124J.html
- ^ http://news.sohu.com/20060717/n244293731.shtml
- ^ http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2006-07/18/content_339036.htm
