Typhoon Chataan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Gloria, was the deadliest natural disaster in the history of
Chuuk, a state in the
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia (, abbreviated FSM), or simply Micronesia, is an island country in Micronesia, a region of Oceania. The federation encompasses the majority of the Caroline Islands (excluding Palau) and consists of four Admin ...
(FSM). The
typhoon
A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...
formed on June 28, 2002, near the FSM, and for several days it meandered while producing heavy rainfall across the region. On Chuuk, the highest 24-hour precipitation total was , which was greater than the average monthly total. The rain produced floods up to deep, causing landslides across the island that killed 47 people. There was also one death on nearby
Pohnpei
Pohnpei (formerly known as Ponape or Ascension, from Pohnpeian: "upon (''pohn'') a stone altar (''pei'')") is an island of the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group. It belongs to Pohnpei State, one of the fou ...
, and damage in the FSM totaled over $100 million.
After affecting the FSM, Chataan began a northwest track as an intensifying typhoon. Its
eye
An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system.
In higher organisms, the ey ...
passed just north of
Guam
Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...
on July 4, though the eyewall moved across the island and dropped heavy rainfall. Totals were highest in southern Guam, peaking at . Flooding and landslides from the storm severely damaged or destroyed 1,994 houses. Damage on the island totaled $60.5 million, and there were 23 injuries. The typhoon also affected
Rota in the
Northern Marianas Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), is an unincorporated territory and commonwealth of the United States consisting of 14 islands in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.Lin, Tom C.W.Ame ...
with gusty winds and light rainfall. Typhoon Chataan attained its peak intensity of on July 8. It weakened while turning to the north, and after diminishing to a tropical storm Chataan struck eastern Japan on July 10. High rainfall, peaking at , flooded 10,270 houses. Damage in Japan totaled about $500 million.
The name Chataan means "rainy day" in the
Chamorro language
Chamorro (, ; orthern Mariana Islandsor uam
UAM or Uam may refer to:
Universities
*Arturo Michelena University (''Universidad Arturo Michelena''), Valencia, Venezuela
*Autonomous University of Madrid (''Universidad Autonóma de Madrid''), Spain
*Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico
...
) is an Austronesian languages, Austronesian language spoken by about 58,000 people, numbering about 25,800 on Guam and about 32,200 in the Northern Mariana Islands and elsewhere.
It is the h ...
, which is spoken on Guam.
The
(PAGASA) named the storm Gloria while the typhoon was in the vicinity of the country.
Meteorological history
On June 27, 2002, the
monsoon trough
The monsoon trough is a convergence zone between the wind patterns of the southern and northern hemispheres. It is a portion of the Intertropical Convergence Zone in the Western Pacific,Bin WangThe Asian Monsoon.Retrieved 2008-05-03. and is dep ...
spawned a tropical disturbance southwest of
Pohnpei
Pohnpei (formerly known as Ponape or Ascension, from Pohnpeian: "upon (''pohn'') a stone altar (''pei'')") is an island of the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group. It belongs to Pohnpei State, one of the fou ...
.
[Alt URL]
/ref> The system rapidly organized that day, and at 2000 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard globally used to regulate clocks and time. It establishes a reference for the current time, forming the basis for civil time and time zones. UTC facilitates international communica ...
the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The JTWC is responsible for the issuing of tropical cyclone warnings in the North-West Pacific Ocean, South P ...
(JTWC) issued a tropical cyclone formation alert
A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) is a bulletin released by the U.S. Navy-operated Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Honolulu, Hawaii or the Fleet Weather Center in Norfolk, Virginia, warning of the possibility of a tropical cyclone formi ...
. Early on June 28, the Japan Meteorological Agency
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA; ''気象庁, Kishō-chō'') is a division of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism dedicated to the Scientific, scientific observation and research of natural phenomena. Headquartered ...
(JMA) classified the system as a tropical depression
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...
near the Mortlock Islands in the Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia (, abbreviated FSM), or simply Micronesia, is an island country in Micronesia, a region of Oceania. The federation encompasses the majority of the Caroline Islands (excluding Palau) and consists of four Admin ...
; around the same time, the JTWC also initiated storm advisories. Early on June 29, the JTWC upgraded the system to Tropical Storm 08W, and shortly thereafter the JMA named the system Tropical Storm Chataan. After moving northwestward, the storm turned to the east, resuming a northwest track on June 30 due to a subtropical ridge
The horse latitudes are the latitudes about 30 degrees north and south of the Equator. They are characterized by sunny skies, calm winds, and very little precipitation. They are also known as subtropical ridges or highs. It is a high-pressur ...
to the north. The track was erratic because the storm had not yet separated from the monsoon trough. By June 30, Chataan had steadily strengthened to severe tropical storm status, with 10-minute maximum sustained wind
The maximum sustained wind associated with a tropical cyclone is a common
indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, it is found within the eyewall at a certain distance from the center, known as the radius of ma ...
s of .
Only July 1, the system's circulation became broad, with most of the convection
Convection is single or Multiphase flow, multiphase fluid flow that occurs Spontaneous process, spontaneously through the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoy ...
located west of the center. The next day, Chataan briefly weakened to an intensity of , although it began strengthening steadily on July 3, when its center passed very near Weno
Weno, formerly Moen, is an island municipality of Chuuk State of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). It is the largest town in the FSM and the capital of Chuuk. It has an estimated area of 20 square kilometers.
Population
The population ...
in Chuuk State in the FSM. At 1800 UTC that night, the JTWC upgraded Chataan to a typhoon, and about 24 hours later the JMA followed suit while the storm was approaching Guam
Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...
from the southeast. At about 2130 UTC on July 4, the eye
An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system.
In higher organisms, the ey ...
of Chataan moved across northern Guam in about two hours, although the center of the eye passed north of the island.
After affecting Guam, Chataan continued toward the northwest and gradually intensified. At 0000 UTC on July 8, the typhoon reached its peak intensity of 10-minute sustained) while located near the Japanese island of Okinotorishima
, or Parece Vela, is a coral reef, geologically an atoll, with two rocks enlarged with tetrapod-cement structures. It is administered by Japan with a total shoal area of and land area . Its dry land area is mostly made up by three concrete enc ...
. The JTWC assessed that Chataan had reached its peak intensity of 1-minute sustained) about six hours earlier; on that basis, the agency classified the system as a super typhoon
Since 1947, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) has classified all typhoons in the Tropical cyclone basins#Northwestern Pacific Ocean, Northwestern Pacific Ocean with wind speeds of at least —the equivalent of a strong Category 4 on th ...
. On July 8, Chataan turned toward the north around the subtropical ridge while maintaining its peak winds for about 18 hours. On July 9 the typhoon turned to the northeast, and late that day it weakened to a severe tropical storm. At around 1530 UTC on July 10, Chataan made landfall
Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
on the Bōsō Peninsula
The is a peninsula that encompasses the entirety of Chiba Prefecture on Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It is part of the Greater Tokyo Area. It forms the eastern edge of Tokyo Bay, separating it from the Pacific Ocean. The peninsula covers ...
in Honshu
, historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the list of islands by area, seventh-largest island in the world, and the list of islands by ...
with winds of about 10-minute sustained). The storm briefly moved offshore before making a second landfall on eastern Hokkaido
is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...
at 1200 UTC on July 11; this marked the first occasion of a July landfall on the island in 28 years. A few hours later, Chataan became an extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...
in the Sea of Okhotsk
The Sea of Okhotsk; Historically also known as , or as ; ) is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean. It is located between Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on the east, the Kuril Islands on the southeast, Japan's island of Hokkaido on the sou ...
, where the remnants stalled before dissipating on July 13 near Sakhalin
Sakhalin ( rus, Сахали́н, p=səxɐˈlʲin) is an island in Northeast Asia. Its north coast lies off the southeastern coast of Khabarovsk Krai in Russia, while its southern tip lies north of the Japanese island of Hokkaido. An islan ...
.
Preparations and impact
Federated States of Micronesia
While Chataan was in its formative stages and still tied to the monsoon trough, it produced a large area of heavy rainfall and strong winds that affected Pohnpei and Chuuk in the FSM. The storm passed very near Chuuk with wind gusts of . In the day before Chataan affected the island, it dropped torrential rainfall due to its elongated structure and slow movement. Persistent winds from the larger monsoon trough generated high surf and tides of above normal across the region. The most significant effects were from the rainfall, peaking at at the Chuuk Weather Service Office over 13 days. The highest 24-hour total was on Weno Island, of which fell in 12 hours; this was greater than the average monthly rainfall total for the station.
High winds downed power lines on Chuuk, while surf destroyed seawalls and buildings along the coast. The rains causes severe flooding across the island that reached in some locations, triggering at least 30 mudslides that killed 47 people. This represented the deadliest natural disaster in the island's recorded history. The landslides reached a depth of , which destroyed several homes made of tin and concrete. Many people were buried by the landslides or washed into the ocean. Saltwater flooding contaminated the groundwater and destroyed much of the island's crops. Chataan damaged roads and bridges, and high winds downed power lines, which cut communications between islands. Across Chuuk, the storm destroyed about 1,000 homes and left about 1,000 people homeless. About 100 people were injured.
In nearby Pohnpei state, Chataan produced winds in Nukuoro
Nukuoro is an atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia. It is a municipality of the state of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. It is the secondmost southern atoll of the country, after Kapingamarangi. They both are Polynesian outli ...
. The winds destroyed a house and a weather station. Rainfall on the atoll reached . High winds, surf, and rain also affected Sapwuafik. Rough seas killed a person on Pohnpei. Crop damage in the country totaled $3 million, and overall property damage was estimated at $100 million, mostly on Chuuk.
Guam
Before Chataan affected Guam, officials canceled U.S. Independence Day festivities, and residents purchased storm supplies. Although the center of the eye did not strike Guam, the eyewall affected the entire island with strong winds and heavy rainfall. The highest sustained winds were estimated at , with gusts to at Andersen Air Force Base
Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacif ...
. Gusts were slightly higher at Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor, also called Port Apra, is a deep-water port on the western side of the United States territory of Guam. It is considered one of the best natural ports in the Pacific Ocean. The harbor is bounded by Cabras Island and the Glass Breakwat ...
, peaking at , and gusts may have reached as high as . Similar to its effects on Chuuk, Chataan dropped heavy rainfall on Guam, peaking at on Mount Almagosa; the same station reported in about three hours. The Weather Forecast Office
The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency of the United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weather-related products to organizations and the public for the ...
on the island reported in a 24-hour period. The rains were less than in northern Guam, and were highest in the mountainous southern region where the eye crossed. While moving across the island, Chataan produced a significant storm surge
A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...
that peaked at about in Umatac.
High winds caused damage across Guam, mostly to roofs and to poorly built or wooden structures. A total of 1,996 houses were severely damaged or destroyed. Better constructed homes fared well during the storm, and there was little window damage. The winds also downed power lines, leaving an island-wide power outage. John F. Kennedy High School sustained damage to its football field and library. The most significant effects were from the heavy rainfall, resulting in landslides in some areas and causing rivers to flow at above-normal rates; 14 stations reported either record flow rates or peak crests, including an island-wide peak crest of at the mouth of the Tolaeyuus River
The Tolaeyuus River is a river in the United States territory of Guam.
See also
*List of rivers of Guam
References
Rivers of Guam
{{Guam-river-stub ...
. Two water gauges were destroyed during the storm. Swollen rivers damaged roads, washed away trees, and caused erosion. The storm flooding contaminated Fena Lake, which provides water to the military base, for a few days. In addition, 34 of the island's 110 water wells failed due to the storm. Flooding also destroyed a building and damaged the runway at Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport, and damaged a bridge near Inarajan. A few palm trees fell due to the soil being loosened, either from heavy rains or high waves. Some of the downed trees struck cars, but the winds were not strong enough to overturn any vehicles. In the higher elevations of Guam, some areas experienced heavy crop damage due to strong winds; however, crop damage in general was less than expected, estimated at $500,000. In Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor, also called Port Apra, is a deep-water port on the western side of the United States territory of Guam. It is considered one of the best natural ports in the Pacific Ocean. The harbor is bounded by Cabras Island and the Glass Breakwat ...
, high seas washed ashore or sank five boats, and a Navy
A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
barge spilled 397,000 litres (105,000 gallons) of oil. Overall, Chataan caused about $60 million in property damage on Guam, and there were 23 injuries, none of them serious.
Elsewhere
North of Guam, Chataan affected Rota with sustained winds and gusts to at the island's airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...
. Rainfall was much less than elsewhere in the typhoon's path, and a 24-hour total of was reported at Rota's airport. The storm inflicted heavy damage to crops and fisheries, and 60% of farmers reported a total loss. Chataan also damaged roads on the island, many due to fallen trees. Nine huts were destroyed, and damage was estimated at $2.7 million.
Energy from the typhoon enhanced monsoonal moisture over the Philippines, in conjunction with Tropical Storm Nakri. The two storms contributed to heavy rainfall that triggered floods and landslides, which closed roads and highways. High waves killed three people after a boat overturned. The storm destroyed 566 houses and damaged another 2,363. A total of 31,813 people evacuated to 184 government-opened shelters. Officials canceled classes during the system; several schools were used as temporary shelters. Damage totaled over $1.5 million (₱64 million pesos
The peso is the monetary unit of several Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, as well as the Philippines. Originating in the Spanish Empire, the word translates to "weight". In most countries of the Americas, the symbol commonly known a ...
), and the floods killed 58 people.
The last location Chataan affected was Japan. The typhoon forced the cancellation of 316 flights and 150 train trips. The expressway between Shizuoka
Shizuoka can refer to:
* Shizuoka Prefecture, a Japanese prefecture
* Shizuoka (city), the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture
* Shizuoka Airport
* Shizuoka Domain, the name from 1868 to 1871 for Sunpu Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tok ...
and Tokyo was closed. At least 396 schools were closed in the country, and a baseball game between the Yokohama DeNA BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Their home field is Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The team has been known by several names since becoming a professional team in 1950. It adopted its current n ...
and the Yakult Swallows
The Tokyo Yakult Swallows () are a Japanese professional baseball team competing in Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, they are one of two professional baseball teams in Tokyo, the other being the Yomiuri G ...
was canceled due to the inclement weather. Toyota
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on August 28, 1937. Toyota is the List of manuf ...
temporarily closed most of its factories in the country. Heavy rainfall, peaking at in Gifu Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,910,511 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to the north; Ishikawa Prefecture ...
, fell across Japan. The rains flooded 10,270 houses in the country, resulting in evacuation orders for about 145,000 people. The floods damaged roads in 338 locations, and at least 10 bridges were destroyed. About 15,000 evacuees were in Ogaki after a river exceeded its banks. High rainfall caused hundreds of landslides, two of which resulted in a death. Floods killed at least three people. Winds from the typhoon peaked at at Hachijō-jima
is a volcano, volcanic Islands of Japan, Japanese island in the Philippine Sea. It is about south of the special wards of Tokyo. It is part of the Izu Islands, Izu archipelago and within the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Its only municipalit ...
. High winds in Sakai, Osaka
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its ''kofun'', keyhole-shaped burial mounds dating from the fifth century. The ''kofun' ...
damaged 20 houses. In Tokyo, the storm produced light winds and rains, despite passing within . Chataan destroyed 21 homes and damaged 239 others to some degree. During its passage, the typhoon destroyed of crops. The typhoon killed six people, left one person missing, and injured 30 others. Overall damage in Japan totaled about $500 million (¥59 billion 2002 JPY
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third-most traded currency in the foreign exchange market, after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a third reserve currency after the US dollar and the euro.
Th ...
). During the storm, Yahoo! Japan
is a Japanese web portal. It was the most-visited website in Japan, nearing monopolistic status.
According to ''The Japan Times'', as of 2012, Yahoo! Japan had a footprint on the internet market in Japan. In terms of use as a search engine, ...
received a record 359 million views, mostly due to people checking the website's weather section.
Aftermath
After Chataan affected Chuuk state, the island's residents were in need of food, clothes and medicine. Only a few crops were not destroyed by the storm; much of the breadfruit
Breadfruit (''Artocarpus altilis'') is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family ( Moraceae) believed to have been selectively bred in Polynesia from the breadnut ('' Artocarpus camansi''). Breadfruit was spread into ...
was stripped from the trees, and fruit not destroyed by the storm were damaged by parasites. In the days after the storm, the local Red Cross
The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...
deployed about 100 volunteers to search for victims buried by landslides. However, rescue operations were hampered by persistent flooding after the storm. Initially the death toll was unknown, and it was feared that hundreds of people had been killed. Six people who were seriously injured on Chuuk were flown to The Queen's Medical Center
The Queen's Medical Center, originally named and still commonly referred to as Queen's Hospital, is the largest private non-profit hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. The institution was founded in 1859 by Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV, and is ...
in Hawaii for treatment; they were initially scheduled to fly to Guam Memorial Hospital
Guam Memorial Hospital is a rural general hospital located in Tamuning, Guam and is the only public hospital serving the island of Guam. The hospital has 161 licensed acute care beds, plus 40 beds at its off-site, long-term care Skilled Nursing F ...
, but the facility was full. About 2,000 residents affected by the storm evacuated to government-run shelters. The Red Cross shipped various relief supplies, including raincoats and water, to the affected areas. By July 4, power systems were restored and the airport reopened. Although there was enough food in the immediate aftermath, the destruction of crops and cattle posed a long-term food shortage.
On July 3 while Chataan was passing the region, the governor of Chuuk declared a state of emergency, requesting international assistance. On July 9, the government of Japan sent $87,000 (¥10 million) worth of supplies to Micronesia, including 1,000 blankets and 10 electric generators. Two days later, United States President George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
declared the island as a disaster area. This was six days after FSM President Leo Falcam
Leo Amy Falcam (November 20, 1935 – February 12, 2018) was a Micronesian political figure. He was born in Pohnpei. He served as the first elected Governor of Pohnpei from 1979 to 1983 and as Vice President of Micronesia from May 1997 to May 1 ...
sent the disaster declaration to the US president, although Falcam had improperly filed the paperwork. Because the FSM is in a Compact of Free Association
The Compacts of Free Association (COFA) are international agreements establishing and governing the relationships of free association between the United States and the three Pacific Island sovereign states of the Federated States of Micronesia ( ...
and not a U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
, the Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...
(FEMA) could not provide immediate assistance. During the delay, a group of doctors from Guam flew to Chuuk to provide medical assistance. On July 11, the government of Israel sent $5,000 worth of medicine to the FSM. The next day, Caritas Australia
Caritas Australia is an Australian Catholic agency for development cooperation and humanitarian aid.
Caritas is a member of Caritas Internationalis and its region Caritas Oceania, as well as of the Australian Council for International Developm ...
sent $20,000 worth of water and food. Residents from elsewhere in the FSM sent clothes and food. The Australian government sent $10,000 to replenish emergency supplies, and the International Red Cross released about $20,000 for immediate relief. The government of China sent $30,000 worth of aid. On July 30, FEMA announced that residents and business owners in Chuuk could apply for individual assistance, including money for housing, repairing damage, and low-interest loans. The declaration would not apply to outer islands in Chuuk, which did not sustain significant damage; this is because FEMA only had funds to restore areas to how they were before the storm. Ultimately, FEMA provided of water, 1,300 blankets, 45,360 km (100,000 lbs) of rice, 11,328 meals ready to eat, and various other supplies. In total, the agency allocated $10.6 million, mostly in the form of individual assistance that provided money for purchasing lost supplies. FEMA ultimately sent just under $5 million to Chuuk after Chataan, as well as subsequent typhoons Pongsona and Lupit; however, about $445,000 of the funding was believed to have been misspent due to discrepancies discovered in an audit in 2006.
In the days after the storm, thousands of people on Guam evacuated to the 15 government shelters set up in schools across the island; the total reached 3,947 people on July 10. The governor of Guam declared a state of emergency after the storm, and on July 6 President Bush declared the island a major disaster area; this allocated federal funding to assist in removing debris and other emergency services. A week later, the declaration was extended to include individual assistance for anyone who experienced damage from the storm. The Fena Lake reservoir experienced excess silt deposit after excessive rainfall from Chataan, which prevented water distribution from the facility; on July 19 – fifteen days after the typhoon's landfall – water production resumed. Before the facility reopened, the Guam Waterworks Authority distributed water to the island at differing times of the day to ration the limited supply. However, by a month after the storm, residents were still required to boil water as a precaution. About five days after Chataan struck Guam, Typhoon Halong The name Halong has been used to name four tropical cyclones in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The name was contributed by Vietnam after Halong Bay Halong may refer to:
* Ha Long
Ha may refer to:
Agencies and organizations
* Health authority, a ...
affected the island and caused further power outages. Some areas on the island remained without power for over a week, due to electric workers restoring the main transmission lines before fixing individual lines. By July 19, 23% of those who lost power still were without electricity, mostly in outlying areas. By that date, trash collection was restored, and government-opened shelters were closed. Later in July, flooding washed debris from Chataan and clogged two rivers. The oil spill in Apra Harbor was cleaned at three of seven affected locations by August 19. In the months after the storm, tourism decreased further after a decline that began after the September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
. Ultimately, FEMA provided $73 million in assistance to the territory, including $10 million in housing checks to 5,947 people and $6.5 million worth of food stamps for 79,814 people. The agency provided $10 million for debris removal and rebuilding public buildings. In December 2002, Typhoon Pongsona struck Guam and caused additional flooding and damage. On August 7, President George W. Bush also declared Rota to be a disaster area
A disaster area is a region or a locale that has been heavily damaged by either natural, technological or social hazards. Disaster areas affect the population living in the community by a dramatic increase in expense, loss of energy, food and se ...
, which provided funding for debris removal.
Retirement
Because of the storm's death toll and damage, the name ''Chataan'' became retired and was replaced with '' Matmo'' in 2004. Countries in the World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology an ...
can request tropical cyclone names to be retired if a storm caused unusually heavy damage.
While the name ''Gloria'' was not retired following this storm, it was changed to '' Glenda'' in 2005 as PAGASA sought to be apolitical after Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal-Arroyo (; born April 5, 1947), often referred to as PGMA or GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician who served as the 14th president of the Philippines from Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 2001 to 2010 ...
won a disputed
Controversy (, ) is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of conflicting opinion or point of view. The word was coined from the Latin ''controversia'', as a composite of ''controversus'' – "turned in an oppo ...
presidential election in 2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
.
See also
* Other tropical cyclones named Gloria
* List of tropical cyclones near the Equator
*Typhoon Neoguri (2014)
Typhoon Neoguri (), known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Florita, was a large and powerful tropical cyclone which struck Japan in early July 2014. The eighth named storm and the second typhoon of the annual typhoon season, Neoguri developed ...
*Typhoon Halong (2002)
Typhoon Halong (transliterated from Vietnamese Hạ Long), known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Inday, passed just south of Guam one week after Typhoon Chataan struck the island and left heavy damage. The seventh tropical cyclone naming, nam ...
Notes
References
External links
RSMC Tokyo – Typhoon Center
Best Track Data
of Typhoon Chataan (0206)
Best Track Data (Graphics)
of Typhoon Chataan (0206)
JTWC Best Track Data
of Super Typhoon 08W (Chataan)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chataan (2002)
2002 in Guam
Typhoon Chataan
Typhoon Chataan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Gloria, was the deadliest natural disaster in the history of Chuuk State, Chuuk, a state in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The typhoon formed on June 28, 2002, near the FSM ...
2002 in the Federated States of Micronesia
2002 Pacific typhoon season
Retired Pacific typhoons
Typhoons in Guam
Typhoons in Japan
Typhoons in the Federated States of Micronesia
Chataan