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Tropical Storm Bilis (2006)

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Storms

   CAPTION: Severe Tropical Storm Bilis

   Severe tropical storm  ( JMA)
   Tropical storm ( SSHS)
   Tropical Storm Bilis near peak intensity
   Tropical Storm Bilis near peak intensity
     __________________________________________________________________

   Formed July 8, 2006
   Dissipated July 15, 2006
   Highest
   winds
   60  kt (110  km/h, 70  mph) (10-minute sustained)
   Lowest pressure 970  hPa ( mbar)
   Damage $2.5 billion (2006 USD)
   Fatalities At least 654
   Areas
   affected Philippines, Taiwan, southeast China
   Part of the
   2006 Pacific typhoon season

   Severe Tropical Storm Bilis (international designation: 0604, JTWC
   designation: 05W, designated Typhoon Florita by PAGASA and sometimes
   known as just Tropical Storm Bilis) was a tropical storm that caused
   significant damage to areas of the Philippines, Taiwan, and
   southeastern China. It was the fifth tropical storm of the 2006 Pacific
   typhoon season recognized by the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre.
   According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Bilis was the fourth
   tropical storm of the season. The storm was also designated a typhoon
   by PAGASA, though it was never officially designated as such by the
   JMA. The word "Bilis", submitted by the Philippines, means speedy or
   swift in motion in Tagalog.

   Despite never officially reaching typhoon strength, Bilis was
   responsible for $2.5 billion (2006 USD) in damage and 637 fatalities in
   the Philippines, Taiwan, and China. Most of the damage was caused by
   heavy rain, which triggered widespread flash flooding and landslides.
   Bilis is the most damaging storm of the 2006 season thus far, and many
   of the areas it flooded were later affected by Typhoon Kaemi, Typhoon
   Prapiroon, and very intense Typhoon Saomai.

Storm history

   Storm path
   Enlarge
   Storm path

   A tropical disturbance developed northeast of Yap on July 7 and slowly
   increased in organization. The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC)
   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 the JTWC and the
   Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). 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. On July 10, Bilis moved into the area of responsibility of the
   Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
   Administration (PAGASA), and was designated Tropical Storm Florita for
   local warnings.

   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
   slowly intensify over the next two days. PAGASA upgraded the system to
   typhoon status on July 12, but the JMA never officially recognized the
   system as such in its advisories. Bilis reached its peak intensity of
   60  knots (110  km/h, 70  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, weakening into a tropical depression
   over land the next day. Bilis lingered on as a tropical depression over
   southeastern China before degenerating into a remnant low on July 15.
   Despite becoming a remnant low, the remnants of Bilis maintained their
   identity for several days while moving westward over China, bringing
   heavy rains to inland areas.

Preparations

   Provinces of the Philippines in which public storm signals were raised
   for Typhoon Florita.
   Enlarge
   Provinces of the Philippines in which public storm signals were raised
   for Typhoon Florita.

   On July 13, PAGASA issued Storm Signal Number 3, a warning for winds of
   100–185 km/h (62–115 mph), for the Batanes and Calayan Islands. Storm
   Signal Number 2, for winds of 60–100 km/h (37–62 mph), was issued for
   northern Luzon, including the rest of Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and
   Apayao. Storm Signal Number 1 (30–60 km/h, 20–37 mph) was raised for
   most of central Luzon, including much of the Cordillera Administrative
   Region and the northern half of the Ilocos Region. Schools and
   government offices in those regions were closed.

   The Hong Kong Observatory issued a typhoon warning for Fujian on July
   11, well in advance of Bilis' final landfall. In response to the
   warning, officials evacuated over 800,000 people from Hunan and 70,000
   from Zhejiang. In addition, 256,000 fishermen and workers were
   evacuated from coastal areas in southeastern China, and 220,000 ships
   were ordered to return to port. In Shanghai, the evacuations caused
   significant rail and bus delays, and more than 210 flights in and out
   of the city were canceled prior to landfall.

Impact

Philippines

   The strongest winds and heaviest rains were south and east of Bilis'
   centre, and its outer rainbands swept across Luzon in the Philippines,
   causing heavy rains, wind gusts to tropical storm force, flash
   flooding, and landslides. Bilis was responsible for 45 million pesos in
   damage and at least 14 deaths, including three in Baguio City, and six
   more in the Manila area.

Taiwan

   Damage was light in Taiwan, due to Bilis' quick movement across the
   northern coast of the island. The Republic of China government reported
   four deaths, two which where the deaths of fishermen from mainland
   China whose boat ran aground on Matsu Island. Another man was
   electrocuted in the city of Taipei as a result of the storm. The cause
   of the fourth death is unknown.

People's Republic of China

   TRMM image of Bilis, showing its asymmetric rainfall distribution
   Enlarge
   TRMM image of Bilis, showing its asymmetric rainfall distribution

   The storm made its second landfall in Fujian, China, and caused 43
   deaths and 3 billion Chinese yuan in damage, mostly from flooding.
   Schools and tourist attractions in the province were closed for several
   days. Flooding killed 35 people in eastern Guangxi and 106 people in
   Guangdong. Eight more people were killed in Yunnan when a flash flood
   swept away some road workers' huts. A weather station in Guangdong
   reported a 5-hour rainfall total of 360.6  mm (14.1  inches).

   In Zhejiang, strong winds and heavy rain from Bilis caused 693 million
   yuan in damage, and a wind gust to 43  m/s (155 km/h, 96 mph) was
   reported.

   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. At least 274 trains
   were affected and the train company refunded nearly 2 million tickets.
   After three days of repair work, the rail service resumed normal
   operations on July 18.

   The most significant damage occurred in Hunan, where heavy flooding and
   mudslides destroyed over 31,000 homes and caused at least 345 deaths,
   with 89 people missing. Most of the damage and fatalities occurred in
   the village of Zixing, where local officials reported the flooding as
   the worst the area had seen in the past 100 years, and described the
   death toll as "unprecedented". In all, Bilis was responsible for 654
   deaths and 208 missing and over $2.5 billion (2006 USD) in damage to
   southeastern China.

Aftermath

   Bilis and its associated flooding left over 400,000 people homeless,
   and over 2 million more had to be evacuated in the face of rising
   waters. Following the storm, the Red Cross Society of China provided
   food, blankets, and water purification kits to over 100,000 Hunan
   residents in mass evacuation shelters. The relief effort was
   complicated by an earthquake in Yunnan, as well as three more tropical
   cyclones: Typhoon Kaemi, Typhoon Prapiroon, and Typhoon Saomai. All of
   the storms were stronger than Bilis, and exacerbated flooding and other
   problems in the region.
   Tropical Storm Bilis inland over eastern China
   Enlarge
   Tropical Storm Bilis inland over eastern China

   Because of the sudden large increase in the number of reported deaths
   in Hunan in a matter of hours, Chinese government officials accused
   local officials of covering up damage and casualty details. The
   Ministry of Civil Affairs sent a team to Hunan to investigate the
   allegations, and issued a notice stating that anyone found to be
   covering up any damage details would be held accountable.

   The China Meteorological Administration released a press release after
   the storm and gave four reasons for the extensive damage. First, the
   storm decelerated after landfall and maintained its identity for 120
   hours while moving south of due west. Secondly, the storm was
   asymmetric and rainfall concentrated in the southern semicircle. Also,
   the storm interacted with the active monsoon over the South China Sea,
   and the Hong Kong Observatory reported a 1-hour rainfall total of 115.1
   mm (4.5 inches), a new record. Finally, previous rainfall had made the
   area wetter than normal and more prone to flooding.

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