Tropical Storm Kai-tak (2017)

Tropical Storm Kai-tak, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Urduja, was a late-season tropical cyclone that affected the Philippines during mid-December 2017. The twenty-sixth named storm of the 2017 Pacific typhoon season, Kai-tak started as a tropical depression near Palau on December 11. After slowly intensifying, the system became a tropical storm on December 14. Due to its slow motion, Kai-tak made landfall in Samar on December 16 and traversed the Philippine Islands. Kai-tak later moved in a west-southwestward direction until it dissipated on December 23 near Malaysia.

When the storm inched closer to the Philippines, PAGASA sent a storm warning to Eastern Visayas and multiple other regions. Families were sent to evacuation centers and schools, and Filipino residents were advised to take caution. Preparations were made, with shelters created and local governments monitoring the storm. Class suspensions were noted in the country. After the storm hit the Philippines, the storm went over the South China Sea, eventually reaching Brunei and Malaysia.

Damage was caused in some regions, more specifically Eastern Visayas. Ports were affected, causing tourists to be stranded. Floods were noted in Tacloban and in multiple other big cities. Even southern provinces, like Zamboanga, were affected. The storm eventually crossed over to Brunei and Malaysia, though it did not make landfall over the two nations. Heavy floods were still noted in those places, causing one death. The storm caused 83 deaths and US$74.3 million in damage in the Philippines. Massive floods and landslides led to extensive rescue operations and aid operations. The effects of the storm caused the retirement of the name ''Kai-tak'', and later ''Urduja''.

Meteorological history

The origins of Kai-tak were from a near-equatorial trough. On December 10, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) began to monitor a low-pressure area located about 130 kilometers (80 miles) to the east of Palau, with the storm growing because of warm seas and favorable environment. The storm expanded, though it was offset by moderate vertical wind shear. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) classified the system as a weak tropical depression the next day, and began issuing advisories at 00:00 UTC on December 12, reporting the storm as stationary. 15 hours later, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) declared that the system had intensified into a tropical depression and it was given the local name ''Urduja.'' At that point it was located northeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

The system barely moved in the following days because of a weak steering current between a subtropical ridge over the western Pacific and another over the Bay of Bengal, with a third to its south. On December 13, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert. At 21:00 UTC on that same day, the JTWC upgraded the system to a tropical depression and began issuing advisories, giving the system the identifier ''32W''. The system was poorly organized with loose banding and was located in an area of very low wind shear. Three hours later, both the JTWC and JMA upgraded the system to a tropical storm after better organization and banding, with the latter assigning the storm the international name ''Kai-tak''.

On December 14, the storm started expanding, with better convection and proper maintenance after the convective maximum, even with effective wind shear. At approximately 12:00 UTC, Kai-tak reached its peak intensity, with winds at 10-minute sustained). Hours later, the storm started moving towards Samar Island, going back east. The storm went back and forth over the following days in a circle-like manner, eventually moving back towards Northern Samar. The storm had strong poleward outflow and weak equatorward outflow, though the system still was expected to intensify. On December 15, Kai-tak weakened because of strong wind shear. The storm later remained stationary after subtropical ridges were spotted to the north and northeast. Seven hours later, the system had undergone deep convective diurnal maximum, covering the low-level circulation center. It then collapsed.

On December 16, the peak intensity was marked by JTWC, with speed at about 1-minute sustained) on 03:00 UTC. The same day, the storm weakened, turning into a tropical depression, and made landfall in San Policarpo, Eastern Samar at approximately 13:30 PHT (5:30 UTC) on December 16. The next day, landfalls were recorded in the northern part of the Visayas archipelago, on Mobo, Masbate at approximately 10:00 PHT (2:00 UTC), and then over Sibuyan Island at approximately 12:00 PHT (4:00 UTC), and then on Malay, Aklan at 18:00 PHT (10:00 UTC). The storm later made landfall on Cuyo, Palawan at 23:00 PHT (15:00 UTC) and on Taytay, Palawan the next day at 6:00 PHT (22:00 UTC), leaving the Philippines. After a decrease in wind shear, Kai-tak became a tropical storm again on December 20. However, stronger wind shear weakened it back to a depression on December 21. Despite the weakening, the storm affected Malaysia and Brunei before dying out in the South China Sea on December 23.

Preparations

Philippines

On December 12, cloudy skies and thunderstorms were predicted in Mindanao, while other closer regions had a possibility of flash floods and landslides. On December 14, as PAGASA upgraded Kai-tak (Urduja) to a tropical storm, Public Storm Warning Signal #2 was raised in Eastern Samar, Samar and Biliran, while Signal No. 1 was declared in Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Romblon, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, Leyte, northern Cebu, Capiz, Aklan, and northern Iloilo. Public Storm Warning Signal #1 was raised in the majority of Bicol Region (Region V) and much of Visayas while moderate to heavy rainfall were warned about within a diameter of the storm. Residents were already advised to prepare against flooding as the moderate to heavy rainfall area was extended to a diameter. On December 15, PAGASA announced the possibility of a storm surge of in Samar. Suspension of classes in the Bicol Region was declared in all six levels. All the Local Government Units in Mimaropa were placed on Red Alert. On December 17, 17 areas were downgraded from Signal No. 2 to Signal No. 1. The storm resulted in at least 728 families (1,418 individuals) being brought to evacuation centers or schools, The storm led to the suspension of classes in 14 provinces.

Brunei and Malaysia

Shortly before landfall, Brunei's government issued a red weather alert, warning residents about the risk of flooding. In Malaysia, the government closely monitored the storm, warning close villages. The government later issued warnings to eight states, specifically Sabah, Sarawak, Kelantan, Perak, Perlis, Kedah, Penang Island, and Terengganu.

Impact

Philippines

The NDRRMC noted at least 89,000 people fleeing to evacuation centers. The NDRRMC confirmed a total of 83 people dead and calculated a total of Php3.747 billion (US$74.3 million) worth of infrastructure and agricultural damages, affecting 44,500 farmers. In a case study, an estimated number of 35,286 homes were damaged, with 2,748 of them being totally destroyed and 32,538 being partially damaged. The study also showed that 1,800,000 individuals were affected by the storm. There were affected families in Mimaropa, the Western Visayas, and Caraga. Power lines in 39 settlements toppled and bridges fell to the ground. According to a report by the DSWD, there were reported power outages in the provinces of Romblon and Marinduque. The storm affected the town of San Policarpo, Eastern Samar, prompting an immediate response by the Philippine Red Cross.

The city of Tacloban was placed under a state of calamity as decided by their local council as 80 of the 130 villages were flooded. Sea travel near the affected areas was later cancelled because of the storm. The storm later flooded parts of the Philippines and caused landslides, with 31 people dying in just the province of Biliran, which included a landslide killing 23 of the people in the Naval barangay of Lucso-on. Two people died in Mimaropa, and 78 people were injured from the storm. Three people died in the province of Leyte, including a boy who drowned in the town of Mahaplag, a woman who was buried by a landslide, and another person who drowned in Ormoc. Vice-Governor of Eastern Samar Marcelo Picardal stated that half the towns in Eastern Samar were flooded. Classrooms in Catbalogan were used to evacuate families. Because of the storm, 52 vessels and 1,322 cargoes were stranded. One port in Metro Manila, the Port of Manila, was damaged, nine ports in Eastern Visayas were affected with the Port of Jubasan stranding over 1,000 people, 11 ports in the Bicol region were affected with the Port of Matnog having a whopping 3,000 people stranded, seven ports in Western Visayas were affected but with no real interruption, five ports in Calabarzon were affected with the Port of Calapan having 1,000 people stranded, and three ports in South Visayas were affected with only 18 passengers stranded. Because of the storm, 98% of Boracay was flooded. The mayor of Ormoc eventually put Ormoc in a state of calamity, stating in a post: "More work ahead. To the residents of this city, Pls lend some of your valuable time to help our fellow Ormocanon".

Damage in the provinces of Eastern Samar, Masbate, and other closely affected areas amounted to over Php543,000 (US$9.5 thousand) and agricultural damage near the affected areas totaled over Php400 million (US$6.9 million). Tacloban had flash floods up to heights of , causing the destruction of of rice fields, or about 90% of Tacloban's rice. The flood contaminated Tacloban City's supply of tap water. Later, other southern provinces were affected, including Cagayan de Oro, Lanao del Sur and Norte, and parts of the Zamboanga Peninsula. The total amount of rainfall amounted to in Guiuan, at Borongan Airport, and outside of Eastern Visayas.

Brunei and Malaysia

On December 19 and 20, heavy floods struck Brunei, displacing 94 people. The next day, government assistance gave supplies to the affected individuals. In Kampong Ayer, a boat capsized, leaving one person dead. The flood affected 22 communities and damaged 137 houses. On December 19, Kai-tak entered the South China sea, bringing additional rainfall in the eastern portion of Malaysia. As a response, two officials visited flood affected areas. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah provided assistance and donations to flood affected areas, including Temburong District.

Retirement and aftermath

Response

National

After the storm, retrieval operations started, with over 40 people missing, most declared dead. In Biliran, bulldozers dug dirt in hopes of finding bodies. Military trucks drove through flooded areas trying to rescue trapped residents. After the storm hit, president Rodrigo Duterte paid a visit to the storm-affected areas. Affected people were brought to shelters, where tap water was donated by local charities. Local government units initiated their response and distributed shelter materials and aid. The local Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices (MSWD) offered 40 people to help aid projects and other needs. Php184 million (US$3 million) worth of aid was given to affected residents, coming from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, local government units, and other charities. The DSWD gave 1,050 meal packs to the Bicol Region.

In Eastern Visayas, the charity ACTED distributed about 10,000 kits to the municipalities of Salcedo, Eastern Samar and Mercedes, Eastern Samar. In Tacloban, SM Supermalls distributed 1,390 packs of relief goods, with the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) giving relief goods to 5,035 families in Tacloban. In Biliran, two of the main bridges were damaged, leading the president to order the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to immediately fix the bridges to help disaster response.

During the disaster response, New People's Army rebels attacked soldiers in Northern Samar, with two soldiers wounded in the attack. The attack was controversial, with people alleging human right violations because of the attack. The attack affected relations between the Philippine Government and the New People's Army, leading the New People's Army to deny any wrongdoing.

International

Because of the storm, China gave Php5 million (US$100 thousand) to the Philippines to help rebuilding efforts. The cash was given by Sun Yi of the Chinese Embassy in Manila representing the Chinese Red Cross. The Secretary-General of the Philippine Red Cross, Oscar Palabyab, stated "the Chinese side has always been the first to respond and extend helping hands whenever the Philippines and its people are in tate ofdifficulties." The storm garnered a sympathetic response by the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.

Rebuilding

In January 2018, the mayor of Cabucgayan, Mayor Edwin Masbang, encouraged tree-planting as a way of protection from storms like Kai-tak. He later announced a forestation project assisted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Shortly after, a project was initiated for recovery efforts after the storm. The project required three parts: the planning, which was initiated in December and was finished in January; implementation, which was deployed shortly after and ended in February; and then the second phase, in partnership with community-based organization CBO, which was begun in April and ended at the end of the year. The project started when Shelter Projects had the idea to deploy a relief plan after the storm. Supplies were loaded in a warehouse and were then given to the beneficiaries. In total, 900 kits, 57 tents, 1,914 solar lights, 1,800 mosquito nets, 1,795 water carriers, and 1,800 blankets were given to the beneficiaries. House Representative Yedda Marie Romualdez created a bill to create a national agency focusing on disaster response mainly because of the storm, with the bill pending since 2022.

Retirement

On December 21, 2017, PAGASA announced that the name ''Urduja'' had been retired from their naming lists after causing more than Php1 billion (US$17 million) worth of damage, retiring it within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). Urduja was later replaced by the name ''Uwan'' by PAGASA.

Due to the damage and high death toll in Visayas, the name ''Kai-tak'' was officially retired during the 50th annual session of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee in February 2018. In February 2019, the Typhoon Committee replaced it with the name ''Yun-yeung'', which was first used in the 2023 season.

Aftermath

A few days after the storm, another storm called Typhoon Tembin hit the Philippines, leading to 266 deaths.

See also

* Tropical cyclones in 2017
* Tropical Storm Thelma (1991)
* Tropical Storm Haikui (2017)
* Typhoon Tembin (2017) - wreaked havoc the Philippines again days after Kai-tak
* Tropical Storm Megi (2022)
* Tropical Storm Wutip (2025) - had a similar track, which caused hitting the Hainan and Philippines.
* Weather of 2017
* List of retired Philippine typhoon names
* List of retired Pacific typhoon names
* List of Philippine typhoons (2000–present)

Notes

References

External links

JMA General Information
of Tropical Storm Kai-tak (1726) from Digital Typhoon
JMA Best Track Data
of Tropical Storm Kai-tak (1726)
32W.KAI-TAK
from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kai-tak
2017 disasters in the Philippines
December 2017 in the Philippines
Typhoons in the Philippines
Retired Pacific typhoons
Retired Philippine typhoon names