TYPHOON DOKSURI

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Context

A report on the impact of Typhoon Doksuri in Beijing and Fujian province, China, along with its effects on other northern Chinese provinces.

Details

• More than 31,000 people from Beijing have been evacuated since July 30, 2023, due to Typhoon Doksuri.
• Beijing's average rainfall reached 140.8 mm, and the Fangshan area experienced a maximum of 500.4 mm of rainfall, the highest in the city's history.
• The Beijing hydrological station issued a red rainstorm alert, the highest level, in nine districts of the city.
• The Dashi River was expected to experience floods as per the alert.

Impact on Transportation and Infrastructure

• Hundreds of flights were canceled, and railroads, highways, and schools were closed in Beijing due to the heavy rain and flooding.
• The Beijing Public Transportation Group reported that 358 bus routes were affected, with 261 routes suspending operations.

Doksuri's Path and Impact in Fujian Province

• Doksuri entered the eastern seaboard of China through coastal Fujian province on July 28, 2023.
• It caused heavy flooding in Fujian, affecting more than 880,000 residents in the province, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Northern Chinese Provinces Affected

• Since July 29, Typhoon Doksuri brought intense rainfall to at least five northern Chinese provinces.
• Ninety-five more weather warnings were issued across the country.

Flooding Preparations in Hebei Province

• In Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province, more than 20,500 people were evacuated to prepare for flooding.
• State media estimated direct economic losses of over $430 million due to the typhoon.

Casualties and Continuing Threat

• Two people have died, and two others are missing due to the storm in China.
• Heavy rains are expected to continue as the situation remains critical.

Additional Typhoon Khanun and Climate Observations

• Typhoon Khanun, China's sixth typhoon of 2023, is moving closer to the country.
• Doksuri has been the most powerful typhoon among the six in 2023 and comes after a period of record heat in China.
• Local media noted that this is the first time since 2011 that such a heavy rainfall warning has been issued.

About Typhoon Doksuri

• Typhoon Doksuri was a powerful tropical cyclone that caused extensive damage in the Philippines, Taiwan, and China, in late-July 2023.
• The fifth named storm and third typhoon of the 2023 Pacific typhoon season, Doksuri started as a low-pressure area in the Philippines, far off the coast of Mindanao.
• Tracking northwestward, it rapidly intensified into a typhoon over the Philippines prior to making landfall over the Babuyan Islands.
• Doksuri then made landfall in Taiwan as a Category 5 super typhoon, before making landfall in Fujian, China as a Category 4 typhoon.

About Typhoon

• A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that occurs in the western Pacific Ocean and is equivalent to a hurricane or cyclone in other regions.
• Typhoons are intense, rotating low-pressure weather systems characterized by strong winds and heavy rainfall.

Formation and Life Cycle

• Typhoons form over warm ocean waters (typically at least 26.5°C or 80°F) in tropical and subtropical regions.
• They start as tropical depressions and intensify into tropical storms with sustained wind speeds of 39 to 73 mph.
• If the wind speeds exceed 74 mph, the storm becomes a typhoon.

Naming Conventions

• Typhoons are given names to facilitate communication and reduce confusion when multiple storms occur in the same region.
• Different countries and regions have their naming systems for typhoons.

Impact and Damage

• Typhoons can cause widespread damage due to their strong winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges.
• High winds can uproot trees, damage buildings, and disrupt power and communication lines.
• Heavy rainfall leads to flooding and landslides, especially in mountainous regions.

Storm Surges

• Storm surges are the abnormal rise in sea level caused by the strong winds and low atmospheric pressure of a typhoon.
• They can lead to coastal inundation and pose a significant threat to coastal communities.

Typhoon Categories

• Typhoons are categorized based on their wind speeds using various scales like the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
• Categories range from Category 1 (weakest) to Category 5 (strongest), indicating the potential for damage.

Impact on Agriculture and Economy

• Typhoons can have severe implications for agriculture, damaging crops and affecting food production.
• The economic impact of typhoons includes property damage, disruption of businesses, and potential losses in the tourism sector.

Typhoon Preparedness and Mitigation

• Early warning systems and weather monitoring are crucial for preparing communities and minimizing casualties.
• Coastal areas often have storm shelters, and evacuation plans are essential to ensure the safety of residents.
• Long-term measures include building resilient infrastructure and implementing policies to reduce the vulnerability of communities to typhoon impacts.

Climate Change and Typhoons

• Climate change can influence typhoon behavior, with some studies suggesting that warmer sea surface temperatures may lead to more intense storms.
• The relationship between climate change and typhoons is an area of ongoing research and debate.

Regional Impact and Variability

• The frequency and intensity of typhoons can vary from year to year and across different regions.
• Some areas, like the western Pacific, are more prone to typhoons than others.

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/over-31-000-evacuated-from-beijing-as-typhoon-doksuri-breaks-rainfall-records-90916