Typhoon Nepartak
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Typhoon Nepartak, known in the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
as Super Typhoon Butchoy, was the third most intense
tropical cyclone 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 ...
worldwide in 2016. Nepartak severely impacted
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
and
East China East China () is a geographical region in the People’s Republic of China, mainly consisting of seven province-level administrative divisions, namely the provinces (from north to south) Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, ...
, with 86 confirmed fatalities. It caused 3 deaths and NT$678 million (
US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...
21 million) of damage in Taiwan during early-July. Moreover, Nepartak also had disastrous effects in
Fujian Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, causing 111 deaths and ¥9.99 billion (US$1.49 billion) of damage. After the season, total damages exceeded up to ¥12.65 billion (US$1.89 billion). The first named storm and
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 ...
of the annual typhoon season, Nepartak developed into a tropical storm south 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 3 and ended a record-tied 199-day period without a named storm over the basin, tied with the 1997–1998 interval. Steadily tracking northwestward on July 4 and becoming a typhoon on the next day, Nepartak reached peak intensity with a pinhole
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 ...
on July 6. Nepartak started to weaken on July 7 and then crossed Taiwan later, before emerging into the
Taiwan Strait The Taiwan Strait is a strait separating the island of Taiwan and the Asian continent. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is wide. Names Former names of the Tai ...
and weakening into a severe tropical storm on July 8. It eventually 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 ...
over Fujian,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
on July 9 and dissipated over land one day later.


Meteorological history

A
low-pressure area In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with incle ...
developed south 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 June 30. During July 2, 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 ...
started to monitor a broad tropical depression that had developed about to the southeast of
Yap State Yap State ( or ) is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia, located in the westernmost portion of the country. The state borders Palau to the southwest, Guam to the north, and Chuuk State to the east. According to the state' ...
. The depression was located within a favourable environment for further development with low vertical wind shear, while global computer models indicated that the system would slowly develop further as it interacted with an upper level low. During that day as the depression intensified as it moved north-westwards in a weak steering environment, while deep
atmospheric convection Atmospheric convection is the vertical transport of heat and moisture in the atmosphere. It occurs when warmer, less dense air rises, while cooler, denser air sinks. This process is driven by parcel-environment instability, meaning that a "par ...
started to wrap into the system's consolidating low level circulation centre. Early on July 3, the United States
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 ...
initiated advisories on the system and classified it as Tropical Depression 02W. The system was subsequently named Nepartak by the JMA after it had intensified into a tropical storm, and an
Ascat The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) is an intergovernmental organisation created through an international convention agreed by a current total of 30 European Member States. EUMETSAT's primary ...
pass had shown that winds of existed within the storms eastern quadrant. The naming of Nepartak brought to an end a record 199 day period without a tropical storm within the Western North Pacific basin. After being named, Nerpartak started to accelerate north-westwards, as 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 of the system, became better established and acted as the dominant steering mechanism. Over the next couple of days the system gradually intensified further as its upper level outflow improved, as a TUTT cell positioned to the north of Nepartak propagated westwards. Thus, around 12:00 UTC, the JMA upgraded it to a severe tropical storm, and the system developed a large
central dense overcast The central dense overcast, or CDO, of a tropical cyclone or strong subtropical cyclone is the large central area of thunderstorms surrounding its circulation center, caused by the formation of its eyewall. It can be round, angular, oval, or ir ...
(CDO) with tightly curved convective banding. Both the JMA and the JTWC upgraded Nepartak to a typhoon early the next day, and afterwards the system underwent a period of rapid deepening. The system entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility approximately at 06:00 UTC (14:00 PHT), upon which
PAGASA The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (, abbreviated as PAGASA , which means "hope" as in the Tagalog language, Tagalog word ''pag-asa'') is the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS ...
assigned it the local name ''Butchoy''. Due to low vertical
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
, excellent dual-outflow channels and very warm
sea surface temperature Sea surface temperature (or ocean surface temperature) is the ocean temperature, temperature of ocean water close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies in the literature and in practice. It is usually between and below the sea ...
s, above 30
°C The degree Celsius is the unit of temperature on the Celsius temperature scale "Celsius temperature scale, also called centigrade temperature scale, scale based on 0 ° for the melting point of water and 100 ° for the boiling point ...
over the
Philippine Sea The Philippine Sea is a List of seas#Marginal seas by ocean, marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean east of the list of islands of the Philippines, Philippine Archipelago (hence the name) and the List of seas#Largest seas ...
, the compact and symmetric typhoon acquired annular characteristics and a well-defined
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 ...
on the evening on July 5. This prompted the JTWC to upgrade it to a Category 4-equivalent super typhoon around 18:00 UTC. On July 6, the JTWC estimated that Nepartak had become a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon. Featuring a distinct eye, Nepartak reached its peak intensity at around 06:00 UTC, about east-southeast of Taitung,
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
. The JMA estimated the central pressure at 900
hPa The pascal (symbol: Pa) is the unit of pressure in the International System of Units (SI). It is also used to quantify internal pressure, stress, Young's modulus, and ultimate tensile strength. The unit, named after Blaise Pascal, is an S ...
(26.58
inHg Inch of mercury (inHg, ″Hg, or in) is a non- SI unit of measurement for pressure. It is used for barometric pressure in weather reports, refrigeration and aviation in the United States. It is the pressure exerted by a column of mercury in h ...
) and ten-minute maximum sustained winds at 205
km/h The kilometre per hour ( SI symbol: km/h; non-SI abbreviations: kph, kmph, km/hr) is a unit of speed, expressing the number of kilometres travelled in one hour. History Although the metre was formally defined in 1799, the term "kilometres per h ...
(125 mph). The JTWC estimated one-minute maximum sustained winds at 285 km/h (180 mph). Maintaining peak intensity for a day, Nepartak started to slow down and weaken on July 7, owing to the topography of Taiwan inhibiting the inflow on the western side of the low-level circulation. By 12:00 UTC, Nepartak's eye had become ragged and cloud-filled. Around that time, the typhoon passed close to a
buoy A buoy (; ) is a buoyancy, floating device that can have many purposes. It can be anchored (stationary) or allowed to drift with ocean currents. History The ultimate origin of buoys is unknown, but by 1295 a seaman's manual referred to navig ...
near
Orchid Island Orchid Island, known as Pongso no Tao by the indigenous inhabitants, is a volcanic island located off the southeastern coast of Taiwan, the island and the nearby are governed by Taiwan as in Taitung County, which is one of the county's two ...
. The buoy observed a minimum pressure of roughly 897 hPa (26.49 inHg). This observation was scrutinized by a
National Taiwan University National Taiwan University (NTU; zh, t=國立臺灣大學, poj=Kok-li̍p Tâi-oân Tāi-ha̍k, p=, s=) is a National university, national Public university, public research university in Taipei, Taiwan. Founded in 1928 during Taiwan under J ...
team, and on September 13, the Institute of Oceanography of the National Taiwan University said that after calibrating the pressure sensor, they found that the lowest atmospheric pressure was in fact 911.5 hPa (26.91 inHg). Nepartak 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 ...
over Taimali,
Taitung County Taitung () is the third largest county in Taiwan, located primarily on the island's southeastern coast and also including Green Island, Orchid Island and Lesser Orchid Island. The seat is located in Taitung City. Name While its name means "East ...
at 21:50 UTC (05:50
Taiwan Time National Standard Time is the official time zone in Taiwan defined by an UTC offset of +08:00. This standard is also known as Taipei Time (), Taiwan Time () or Taiwan Standard Time (TST). History The first time zone standard in Taiwan was en ...
on July 8) and subsequently emerged into the
Taiwan Strait The Taiwan Strait is a strait separating the island of Taiwan and the Asian continent. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is wide. Names Former names of the Tai ...
from Jiangjun,
Tainan Tainan (), officially Tainan City, is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality in southern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on its western coast. Tainan is the oldest city on the island and commonly called the "Taiwan Prefecture, ...
at 06:30 UTC (14:30 Taiwan Time) on July 8. Weakening from a Category 4 super typhoon to a Category 1 equivalent-typhoon within 12 hours, as land interaction with Taiwan caused Nepartak's structure to degrade significantly, the mid-level circulation became decoupled from the LLCC. Therefore, despite a favorable upper-level environment, the typhoon could not re-strengthen; Nepartak featured warming cloud tops, an expanding cloud field and deepest convection confined to the northwest and southeast peripheries of the LLCC. Around 18:00 UTC, the JMA downgraded Nepartak to a severe tropical storm, and the JTWC downgraded it to a tropical storm. On July 9, immediately before the JMA further downgraded Nepartak to a tropical storm, the system made landfall over Shishi,
Fujian Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...
at 05:45 UTC (13:45 CST). This resulted in decaying convection and an elongating LLCC, therefore the JTWC issued its final warning. In the afternoon, Nepartak continued moving inland as a tropical depression, and dissipated during July 10.


Preparations


Taiwan

On July 6, the
Central Weather Bureau The Central Weather Administration (CWA; ) is the government meteorological research and forecasting institution of Taiwan (the Republic of China). In addition to meteorology, the Central Weather Administration also makes astronomical observation ...
raised land and sea warnings for the entirety of Taiwan, and forecast torrential rain for 14 counties and the capital city of
Taipei , nickname = The City of Azaleas , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country ...
during the typhoon's passage. The Government of Taiwan placed 35,817 military personnel—of which roughly 3,000 were deployed—along with 3,409 vehicles and 119 inflatable boats, on standby for relief efforts in conjunction with Typhoon Nepartak. Many were placed on alert to assist with evacuations in mountainous areas of
Yilan Yilan may refer to: China * Yilan County, Heilongjiang (依兰县), county of central Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China * Yilan Town, Heilongjiang (依兰镇), seat of Yilan County * Yilan, Jilin (依兰镇), town in Yanji Taiwan ...
and Hualien counties. Ninety shelters were opened throughout Taiwan. Approximately 3,000 tourists were evacuated from the outlying
Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...
and
Orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Eart ...
islands and ferry service to these areas was suspended. Residents of Wutai Township in southern Taiwan were also relocated due to the threat of landslides and flooding. Ultimately, 154,000 people were evacuated across 14 counties and cities.
Mandarin Airlines Mandarin Airlines () is a Taiwanese regional airline based in Taipei, Taiwan whose parent company is China Airlines. The airline operates domestic and regional international flights, while its parent company focuses on international operations. ...
,
TransAsia Airways TransAsia Airways (TNA, until January 1992 known by its Chinese-translated name Foshing Airlines;For historical pictures with "Foshing Airlines" on it, see: ) was a Taiwanese airline based in Neihu District in Taipei. Though the company starte ...
,
China Airlines China Airlines (CAL; zh, t=中華航空, poj=Tiong-hôa Hâng-khong, p=Zhōnghuá Hángkōng, first=t, c=, s=) is the state-owned flag carrier of the Taiwan, Republic of China (Taiwan). It is one of Taiwan's two major airlines, along with E ...
,
EVA Air EVA Airways Corporation ( ; ) () is an international airline headquartered in Taoyuan City. It is one of the two largest airlines in Taiwan along with state-owned China Airlines. The privately owned airline operates passenger and dedicated c ...
, and Uni Air cancelled all flights for July 7 and many on July 8, encompassing all domestic flights and most international ones.
Kaohsiung International Airport Kaohsiung International Airport ( zh, t=高雄國際機場, labels=no.) is a medium-sized international airport in Siaogang District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, also known as Siaogang Airport ( zh, t=小港機場, labels=no). With 4.2 million pass ...
and
Taoyuan International Airport Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (Traditional Chinese: 臺灣桃園國際機場) is the main international airport serving Taiwan, particularly the northern region and Taipei. Located in Dayuan District, Dayuan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Taoyuan, ...
are scheduled to close at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. local time, respectively, on July 7. Approximately 500 flights were canceled due to the typhoon. In anticipation of heavy rain, water was released from the
Shihmen Dam Shihmen Dam ( zh, c=石門水庫, l=Stone Gate Dam; also spelled Shimen or Shihman) is a major rock fill dam across the Dahan River in northern Taoyuan City. It forms the Shihmen Reservoir ( zh, t=石門水庫, labels=no), Taiwan's third largest ...
on the morning of July 7. Trains operated by
Taiwan High Speed Rail Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) is a high-speed railway network in Taiwan, which consists of a single line that runs approximately along the western coast of the island, from the capital Taipei in the north to the southern city of Kaohsiung. Its c ...
,
Taiwan Railways Administration Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) was a governmental agency in Taiwan which operated Taiwan Railway from 1948 to 2023. It managed, maintained, and operated conventional passenger and freight Rail transport, railway services on of track. Pa ...
, and
Alishan Forest Railway Alishan Forest Railway ( zh, t=阿里山森林鐵路, p=Ālǐshān Sēnlín Tiělù, poj=A-lí-san Sim-lîm Thih-lō͘) is an 86 km network of Narrow gauge railway, narrow gauge railways running up to and throughout the popular mountain r ...
were all suspended starting the evening of July 7 or morning of July 8 and throughout the remainder of the typhoon's passage. Over a dozen sections of highway were also closed. Bus service in
Taipei , nickname = The City of Azaleas , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country ...
and
New Taipei New Taipei City is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality located in regions of Taiwan, northern Taiwan. The city is home to an estimated population of 4,004,367 as of January 2023, making it the most populous city in Taiwan, a ...
was halted for July 8. All schools and businesses closed for the day, except for in
Kinmen County Kinmen, alternatively known as Quemoy, is a group of islands governed as a county by the Republic of China (Taiwan), only east from the city of Xiamen in Fujian, located at the southeastern coast of the People's Republic of China, from which ...
and the
Matsu Islands The Matsu Islands; Foochow Romanized: Mā-cū liĕk-dō̤ ( or ), officially Lienchiang County; Foochow Romanized: Lièng-gŏng-gâing (), are an archipelago of 36 islands and islets in the East China Sea governed by the Republic of China ...
. The
Taiwan Water Corporation The Taiwan Water Corporation (TWC; ) is a state-owned Water industry, water utility providing water supply to most of Taiwan and offshore islands. The company is headquartered in North District, Taichung, North District, Taichung. History On 16 ...
urged residents to stock up on water and reduce their usage of running water in advance of the typhoon. The agency readied purification plants in anticipation of extreme
turbidity Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of both water clarity and wa ...
from rainfall runoff. The annual Taiwan International Balloon Festival in
Taitung County Taitung () is the third largest county in Taiwan, located primarily on the island's southeastern coast and also including Green Island, Orchid Island and Lesser Orchid Island. The seat is located in Taitung City. Name While its name means "East ...
cancelled activities for the afternoon of July 6 through July 8; the Morning Glow in Sanxiantai was also delayed until July 9.


China

Officials across multiple provinces in
East China East China () is a geographical region in the People’s Republic of China, mainly consisting of seven province-level administrative divisions, namely the provinces (from north to south) Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, ...
feared that the storm would worsen the ongoing floods that had already claimed at least 186 lives. Particular concern was raised over lakes and reservoirs along the
Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ) is the longest river in Eurasia and the third-longest in the world. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains of the Tibetan Plateau and flows including Dam Qu River the longest source of the Yangtze, i ...
, especially
Lake Tai Taihu (), also known as Lake Tai or Lake Taihu, is a lake in the Yangtze Delta and the third largest freshwater lake in China. The lake is in Jiangsu province and a significant part of its southern shore forms its border with Zhejiang. With ...
, that could overflow due to heavy rain from the typhoon. Residents in
Fujian Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...
and
Zhejiang ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = ( Hangzhounese) ( Ningbonese) (Wenzhounese) , image_skyline = 玉甑峰全貌 - panoramio.jpg , image_caption = View of the Yandang Mountains , image_map = Zhejiang i ...
provinces were alerted of a potentially damaging
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 ...
, while authorities in
Guangdong ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name "''Guang''" ultimately came from Guangxin ( zh, labels=no, first=t, t= , s=广信), an outpost established in Han dynasty ...
province ordered all fishermen to return to port. Across coastal Fujian, approximately 33,000 fishing boats returned to port and 35,000 people working along the coast were urged to evacuate inland. Approximately 420,000 people were evacuated across Fujian and another 37,521 people were relocated in
Wenzhou Wenzhou; Chinese postal romanization, historically known as Wenchow is a prefecture-level city in China's Zhejiang province. Wenzhou is located at the extreme southeast of Zhejiang, bordering Lishui, Zhejiang, Lishui to the west, Taizhou, Zheji ...
,
Zhejiang ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = ( Hangzhounese) ( Ningbonese) (Wenzhounese) , image_skyline = 玉甑峰全貌 - panoramio.jpg , image_caption = View of the Yandang Mountains , image_map = Zhejiang i ...
. On July 9 at 11 a.m. local time,
Fujian Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...
province issued an orange typhoon alert, the second highest alert level. Public transportation was severely disrupted, with 5,000 buses, 400 flights, and 300 high-speed trains canceled.


Elsewhere

Residents across the
Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Geography of Taiwan, Taiwan: the Ryukyu Islands are divided into the Satsunan Islands (Ōsumi Islands, Ōsumi, Tokara Islands, Tokara and A ...
—a Japanese
archipelago An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands. An archipelago may be in an ocean, a sea, or a smaller body of water. Example archipelagos include the Aegean Islands (the o ...
extending south-southwest from the mainland toward Taiwan—were alerted of potentially dangerous conditions beginning on July 5. Some evacuations took place on the
Yaeyama Islands The Yaeyama Islands (八重山列島 ''Yaeyama-rettō'', also 八重山諸島 ''Yaeyama-shotō'', Yaeyama: ''Yaima'', Yonaguni: ''Daama'', Okinawan: ''Yeema'', Northern Ryukyuan: ''Yapema'') are an archipelago in the southwest of Okinawa Pref ...
and
Miyako Islands The (also Miyako Jima group) are a group of islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, belonging to the Ryukyu Islands. They are situated between Okinawa Island and the Yaeyama Islands. In the early 1870s, the population of the islands was estim ...
in anticipation of flooding and typhoon-force winds. Fishermen in the northern Philippines were advised not to venture out due to rough seas. Meteorologists in the nation also advised that the typhoon would enhance the local
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...
, bringing rain and thunderstorms to many areas in the Northern part of the Philippine islands. Public Storm Warning Signal 1 was raised for the
Babuyan Islands The Babuyan Islands ( ), also known as the Babuyan Group of Islands, is an archipelago in the Philippines, located in the Luzon Strait north of the main island of Luzon and south of Taiwan. The archipelago consists of five major islands and thei ...
,
Batanes Batanes, officially the Province of Batanes (; Ilocano: ''Probinsia ti Batanes''; , ), is an archipelagic province in the Philippines, administratively part of the Cagayan Valley region. It is the northernmost province in the Philippines, an ...
, and Calayan. The national government also suspended work in
Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila ( ), commonly shortened to Metro Manila and formally the National Capital Region (NCR; ), is the capital region and largest List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines, metropolitan area of the Philippines. Located ...
in the afternoon of July 8 owing to inclement weather caused by the typhoon.


Impact and aftermath


Taiwan

On July 7, two people drowned in storm-related incidents: one at Chihsingtan Beach in
Hualien County Hualien () is a County (Taiwan), county on the east coast of Taiwan. It is Taiwan's largest county by area, yet due to its mountainous terrain, has one of the lowest populations in the country. The county seat and largest city is Hualien City. Hu ...
and the other in
Penghu The Penghu ( , Hokkien Pe̍h-ōe-jī, POJ: ''Phîⁿ-ô͘''  or ''Phêⁿ-ô͘'' ) or Pescadores Islands are an archipelago of 90 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait, about west of the main island of Taiwan across the Penghu Ch ...
. At least one person was killed during the storm's landfall after being struck by debris. More than 142 people sustained injuries, primarily from shattered glass or airborne debris. Wind gusts of up to were observed in
Taitung County Taitung () is the third largest county in Taiwan, located primarily on the island's southeastern coast and also including Green Island, Orchid Island and Lesser Orchid Island. The seat is located in Taitung City. Name While its name means "East ...
, the highest recorded wind in the county in 61 years of record keeping; the powerful winds toppled trees and power lines, tore apart roofs, and flipped vehicles. At the height of the storm, 545,696 households lost power and 24,829 lost water supplies. Preliminary estimates of damage in Taitung County alone exceeded NT$2 billion (US$62 million) by July 9. Preliminary estimates of agricultural damage reached NT$1.07 billion (US$33.2 million), of which NT$731.39 million (US$22.7 million) was incurred by Taitung County.
Custard apple Custard apple is a common name for several fruits and may refer to Annonaceae, the custard apple family, which includes the following species referred to as custard apples: *''Annona cherimola'', a tree and fruit also called cherimoya *''Annona ...
s suffered the greatest losses, with lost, followed by bananas. Seven major highways, including No. 7 and No. 23 were damaged. At the port of
Kaohsiung Kaohsiung, officially Kaohsiung City, is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsiung City has a population of approximately 2.73 million p ...
, the
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
-flagged cargo ship ''Avata'' was torn from its moorings in a harbor it was sheltering it; two tow vessels had to bring it back to port. In Nepartak's wake, the
Taiwan Power Company The Taiwan Power Company (), also known by the short name Taipower (), is a state-owned electric power industry providing electricity to Taiwan and its off-shore islands. History Taipower was established on 1 May 1946. Its origins can be trace ...
dispatched 2,000 personnel to repair downed power lines and clear debris. By 6:00 p.m. local time on July 8, only 50,000 households remained without electricity. The
Red Cross Society of the Republic of China The Red Cross Society of the Republic of China (Taiwan) (), also known as Taiwanese Red Cross is the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The society is not recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) bec ...
pledged to provide each affected household with NT$10,000 (US$310). On July 9,
Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...
Lin Chuan Lin Chuan (; born 13 December 1951) is a Taiwanese economist, lawyer, and politician who served as the Premier of the Republic of China from 2016 to 2017. He was the first cabinet head under the Tsai Ing-wen government. Before his premiership ...
toured damaged areas of Taitung and ordered a NT$300 million (US$9.3 million) relief package. Although China temporarily ceased communications with Taiwan following the inauguration of
Tsai Ing-wen Tsai Ing-wen (; pinyin: ''Cài Yīngwén''; born 31 August 1956) is a Taiwanese politician and legal scholar who served as the seventh president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2016 to 2024. A member of the Democratic Progressive Party ...
, the country's
Taiwan Affairs Office The Taiwan Affairs Office is an administrative agency under the State Council of the People's Republic of China (PRC). It is responsible for cross-strait relations and sets and implements guidelines and policies related to Taiwan, which is cl ...
expressed concern and offered their condolences to victims of the typhoon. The
Tzu Chi Foundation The Buddhist Tzu Chi Charity Foundation ( zh, t=佛教慈濟慈善事業基金會, l=Buddhist Compassionate Relief Charitable Foundation) is a Taiwanese international humanitarian and nongovernmental organization. Its work includes medical ai ...
pledged NT$10,000–30,000 (US$310–930) as well as living essentials. Many individuals offered donations and funds to assist in recovery efforts. One of the wealthiest people in Taiwan, Hon Hai Precision Industry Chairman
Terry Gou Terry Gou (; born 18 October 1950) is a Taiwanese billionaire businessman and politician. Gou is the founder and former chairman and chief executive officer of Foxconn, the world's largest contract manufacturer of electronics. Founded in 1974, ...
, provided NT$10 million (US$310,100) for reconstruction efforts. The convenience store chains
7-Eleven 7-Eleven, Inc. is an American convenience store chain, headquartered in Irving, Texas. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Seven-Eleven Japan, which in turn is owned by the retail holdings company Seven & I Holdings. The chain was founde ...
and
FamilyMart is a Japanese convenience store franchise chain, and a subsidiary of Itochu, a Japanese trading company. It is Japan's second largest convenience store chain, behind Seven-Eleven Japan. There are now 24,574 stores worldwide in Malaysia, Taiwa ...
partnered with Gou to set up electronic donations at more than 5,000 locations on July 9. Pop artist
A-mei Kulilay Amit (; born 9 August 1972), better known by her stage name A-Mei, is a Taiwanese singer and record producer of Puyuma descent. Born as Amit Kulilay in eastern Taiwan, she made her debut in 1996. A leading figure of the Mandopop music ...
donated NT$2 million (US$62,020) to her home county of Taitung. Similarly, the rock band
Mayday Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice-procedure radio communications. It is used to signal a life-threatening emergency primarily by aviators and mariners, but in some countries local organiz ...
and singer Jia Jia jointly gave NT$2 million (US$62,020). Political parties also provided monetary support: the ruling
Democratic Progressive Party The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a centre to centre-left Taiwanese nationalist political party in Taiwan. As the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition, one of the two main political camps in Taiwan, the DPP is currently the ...
provided NT$500,000 (US$15,500), the Kuomintang Party pledged NT$1 million (US$31,000), and the
New Power Party The New Power Party (NPP) is a political party in Taiwan formed in early 2015. The party emerged from the Sunflower Student Movement in 2014, and advocates for universal human rights, civil liberties, civil and political freedom, political libe ...
gave NT$300,000 (US$9,300). The
Legislative Yuan The Legislative Yuan () is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China (Taiwan) located in Taipei. The Legislative Yuan is composed of 113 members, who are directly elected for four-year terms by people of the Taiwan Area through a ...
donated NT$500,000 (US$15,500) and the legislature's speaker
Su Jia-chyuan Su Jia-chyuan (or Su Chia-chyuan; ; born 22 October 1956) is a Taiwanese politician of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) who serves as the chairperson of the Taiwan–Japan Relations Association since 2022. As the first non-Kuomintang ...
provided an additional NT$100,000 (US$3,100). The mayors of Taipei and Taoyuan,
Ko Wen-je Ko Wen-je ( zh, c=柯文哲; born 6 August 1959), also known by his nickname, Ko P, is a Taiwanese politician and physician who served as the Mayor of Taipei, mayor of Taipei from 2014 to 2022. He founded the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) in 201 ...
and
Cheng Wen-tsan Cheng Wen-tsan (; born 6 July 1967) is a Taiwanese politician who has served as the vice premier of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2023 to 2024 and chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation briefly in 2024. A member of the Democratic Pro ...
, donated NT$200,000 (US$6,200) and NT$100,000 (US$3,100), respectively, while several other government officials pledged to donate their daily salaries. Taiwan's Council of Agriculture pledged to provided financial assistance to farmers in Taitung, Pingtung, and Kaohsiung counties.


China

Heavy rain—amounting to in just a few hours in
Putian Putian ( zh, s= , Putian dialect: ''Pó-chéng''), also known as Puyang (莆阳) and Puxian (莆仙), historically known as Hinghwa/Hinghua ( zh, s=兴化, t=興化), is a prefecture-level city in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. I ...
—and strong winds battered Fujian. Winds up to were observed in Shishi. Widespread flooding and many landslides occurred, particularly in mountainous areas, destroying an unspecified number of buildings. A landslide in
Gutian County (; Foochow Romanized: ''Kŭ-chèng Gâing'') is a county lying in the northeastern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. It is under the administration of Ningde City and is located in the southwest part of the municipality. It is als ...
buried a factory, trapping 18 workers; all were later rescued by police and firefighters. Forty-three people required rescue due to rising waters in Putian. At least 10 people were killed and 11 others were rendered missing across Fujian and
Jiangxi ; Gan: ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = , translit_lang1_type3 = , translit_lang1_info3 = , image_map = Jiangxi in China (+all claims hatched).svg , mapsize = 275px , map_caption = Location ...
. At least 3,144 homes were destroyed and of crops were damaged; total economic losses reached ¥2.2 billion (US$320 million). Damage was particularly severe in
Minqing County Minqing County is a Counties of China, county in eastern Fujian, Fujian Province, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Fuzhou, the provincial capital. History Fire from the soldiers at Meicheng, Fujian, Meiche ...
, Fujian, where at least 1,000 people required rescue. A level 4 disaster emergency was declared for affected areas, allowing for a large distribution of relief materials.


See also

*
Weather of 2016 The following is a list of weather events that occurred in 2016. Global conditions Monthly summary Summary by weather type Winter storms and cold waves A crippling and historic blizzard, sometimes referred to as ''Snowzilla'', affected ...
*
List of the most intense tropical cyclones This is a list of the most intense tropical cyclones as measured by minimum atmospheric pressure at sea level. Although maximum sustained winds are often used to measure intensity as they commonly cause notable impacts over large areas, and most ...
*
Typhoon Bilis (2000) Typhoon Bilis, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Isang, was the strongest tropical cyclone in the western Pacific during 2000 and brought considerable damage in Taiwan and China in August of that year. It was the strongest typhoon on reco ...
* Typhoon Haitang (2005) * Typhoon Sepat (2007) *
Typhoon Soudelor Typhoon Soudelor, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Hanna, was the third most intense tropical cyclone worldwide in 2015 after Hurricane Patricia and Cyclone Pam as well as the strongest tropical cyclone of the 2015 Pacific typhoon seaso ...
(2015) *
Typhoon Dujuan (2015) Typhoon Dujuan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Jenny, was the second most intense tropical cyclone of the Northwest Pacific Ocean in 2015 in terms of ten-minute maximum sustained winds, tied with Typhoon Noul (2015), Noul. The twenty ...
*
Typhoon Meranti Typhoon Meranti, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Ferdie, was one of the List of most intense tropical cyclones, most intense tropical cyclones on record. Impacting the Batanes in the Philippines, Taiwan, as well as Fujian Provinces o ...
(2016) * Typhoon Koinu (2023) *
Typhoon Gaemi Typhoon Gaemi, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Carina, was a powerful and destructive tropical cyclone which impacted East China, Taiwan, and the Philippines in late July 2024. Gaemi, which means ant in Korean, the third named storm ...
(2024)


References


External links

*
JMA Best Track Data
of Typhoon Nepartak (1601) JTWC Best Track Data
of Typhoon 02W (Nepartak)-->
02W.NEPARTAK
from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
Super Typhoon Nepartak
from the CIMSS Satellite Blog {{DEFAULTSORT:Nepartak 2016 Pacific typhoon season Typhoons in China Typhoons in Taiwan 2016 disasters in China 2016 in Taiwan July 2016 Nepartak