Typhoon Soudelor
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Typhoon Soudelor, 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 Hanna, was the third most intense tropical cyclone worldwide in 2015 after
Hurricane Patricia Hurricane Patricia was the most powerful tropical cyclone on record worldwide in terms of maximum sustained winds and the second-most intense on record worldwide in terms of pressure, with a minimum atmospheric pressure of 872 mbar (hPa; ), beh ...
and
Cyclone Pam Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam was the second List of the most intense tropical cyclones, most intense tropical cyclone of the South Pacific Ocean in terms of sustained winds and is regarded as one of the worst natural disasters in the history of ...
as well as the strongest
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 ...
of the
2015 Pacific typhoon season The 2015 Pacific typhoon season was a slightly above average season that produced twenty-seven tropical storms (including two that crossed over from the Eastern/Central Pacific), eighteen typhoons, and nine super typhoons. The season ran throug ...
. Soudelor had severe impacts in the
Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territory and Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States consistin ...
,
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
eastern 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, a ...
, resulting in 40 confirmed fatalities. Lesser effects were felt in Japan, South Korea and the Philippines. The thirteenth
named storm Tropical cyclones and subtropical cyclones are named by various warning centers to simplify communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, watches and warnings. The names are intended to reduce confusion in the ...
of the annual typhoon season, Soudelor formed 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
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 ...
on July 29. The system strengthened slowly at first before entering a period of
rapid intensification Rapid intensification (RI) is any process wherein a tropical cyclone strengthens very dramatically in a short period of time. Tropical cyclone forecasting agencies utilize differing thresholds for designating rapid intensification events, th ...
on August 2. Soudelor 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
Saipan Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...
later that day, causing extensive damage. Owing to favorable environmental conditions, the typhoon further deepened and reached its peak intensity with ten-minute
maximum sustained winds 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 ...
of and a central
atmospheric pressure Atmospheric pressure, also known as air pressure or barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1,013. ...
of 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 ...
(
mbar The bar is a metric unit of pressure defined as 100,000  Pa (100 kPa), though not part of the International System of Units (SI). A pressure of 1 bar is slightly less than the current average atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea ...
; ) on August 3. 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 ...
assessed one-minute sustained winds at , making Soudelor a Category 5-equivalent
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 ...
. Steady weakening ensued thereafter as the storm moved generally west-northwest. Soudelor made landfall over Hualien, Taiwan, late on August 7 and emerged over in 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 ...
early the next day. The typhoon soon moved inland over eastern China and degraded to a tropical depression by August 9. Soudelor was the second worst storm to strike Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands in nearly 30 years (following
Typhoon Yutu Typhoon Yutu, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Rosita, was an extremely powerful tropical cyclone that caused catastrophic destruction on the islands of Tinian and Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, and later impacted the Philippines. ...
of 2018). Hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed and power was expected to take a month to restore. Two people died in Guam due to rip currents. In Taiwan, torrential rains and destructive winds caused widespread damage and disruptions. A record-breaking 4.85 million households lost power on the island. At least 8 people died and 420 others sustained injury there; a ninth person died in the storm's aftermath. Portions of eastern China saw their heaviest rains in 100 years, resulting in deadly floods and landslides. Typhoon Soudelor killed 45 people in eastern China after parts of the country were hit by the heaviest rains in a century. Total economic losses were counted to be ¥24.627 billion (US$3.97 billion).


Meteorological history

On July 28, 2015, 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) began monitoring a tropical disturbance about north of
Kwajalein Atoll Kwajalein Atoll (; Marshallese language, Marshallese: ) is part of the Marshall Islands, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island, which its majority English-speaking re ...
in the
Marshall Islands The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands, is an island country west of the International Date Line and north of the equator in the Micronesia region of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. The territory consists of 29 c ...
. The system featured a developing low level circulation accompanied by deep
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 ...
. Moving generally west under the influence of 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 ...
, the disturbance gradually organized amid favorable environmental conditions. A
tropical upper tropospheric trough A tropical upper tropospheric trough (TUTT), also known as the mid-oceanic trough, is a trough situated in the upper-level (at about 200 hPa) tropics. Its formation is usually caused by the intrusion of energy and wind from the mid-latitudes into ...
(TUTT) cell enhanced upper-level
outflow Outflow may refer to: *Capital outflow, the capital leaving a particular economy *Bipolar outflow, in astronomy, two continuous flows of gas from the poles of a star * Outflow (hydrology), the discharge of a lake or other reservoir system *Outflow ...
, offsetting the negative effects of moderate
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 ...
; high
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 and
ocean heat content Ocean heat content (OHC) or ocean heat uptake (OHU) is the energy absorbed and stored by oceans, and is thus an important indicator of global warming. Ocean heat content is calculated by measuring ocean temperature at many different locations and ...
provided ample energy for further development. At 14:30 
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 ...
on July 29, the 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 ...
for the system. Several hours later, 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) began monitoring the system as a weak tropical depression; the agency began full advisories on the system at 00:00 UTC on July 30. The JTWC followed suit later that day, designating the system as ''Tropical Depression 13W''. The cyclone achieved tropical storm intensity by 12:00 UTC, at which time it was assigned the name ''Soudelor'', a title of legendary rulers in the
Pohnpeian language Pohnpeian is a Micronesian language spoken as the indigenous language of the island of Pohnpei in the Caroline Islands. Pohnpeian has approximately 30,000 (estimated) native speakers living in Pohnpei and its outlying atolls and islands with ano ...
. A
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 ...
developed over the circulation center shortly thereafter. Some structural degradation took place on July 31 owing to
subsidence Subsidence is a general term for downward vertical movement of the Earth's surface, which can be caused by both natural processes and human activities. Subsidence involves little or no horizontal movement, which distinguishes it from slope mov ...
from a TUTT cell to the north. Following a retreat of the TUTT cell northward, Soudelor's convective structure improved with well-defined banding features wrapping into the circulation by August 1. The organizing storm, with a redeveloped central dense overcast, soon entered a region favoring
rapid intensification Rapid intensification (RI) is any process wherein a tropical cyclone strengthens very dramatically in a short period of time. Tropical cyclone forecasting agencies utilize differing thresholds for designating rapid intensification events, th ...
, including low
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 ...
, sea surface temperatures of and high ocean heat content. Therefore, the JMA upgraded Soudelor to a severe tropical storm by 18:00 UTC. Rapid intensification ensued on August 2 as the storm approached the
Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territory and Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States consistin ...
with both agencies classifying Soudelor as a typhoon. The typhoon developed an unusually small
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 ...
only in diameter, among the smallest ever observed in a tropical cyclone. At 14:54 UTC, Soudelor 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 ...
along the southern coast of
Saipan Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...
. After undergoing an
eyewall replacement cycle In meteorology, eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds greater than , or hurricane-force, and particularly in major hurricanes of Saffir–Simps ...
, Soudelor continued rapid intensification, reaching peak intensity on August 3. The JMA estimated peak ten-minute maximum sustained winds of and a minimum central pressure of , while the JTWC estimated peak one-minute maximum sustained winds of , classifying Soudelor as a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon. Intensity leveled off thereafter, and after maintaining Category 5 intensity for 24 hours, Soudelor was downgraded to a Category 4 super typhoon late on August 4. On August 5, PAGASA reported that the Typhoon Soudelor entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility assigning the name ''Hanna''. Soudelor weakened further to a Category 2-equivalent typhoon and stayed at that intensity for a day. On August 7, the typhoon reintensified to reach a secondary peak as a Category 3-equivalent typhoon, and later that day, Typhoon Soudelor made landfall over Xiulin, Hualien in Taiwan at 20:40
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 ...
on August 7 (04:40 TST on August 8), and it arrived in 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 Taixi,
Yunlin Yunlin is a county in western Taiwan. Yunlin County borders the Taiwan Strait to the west, Nantou County to the east, Changhua County to the north at the Zhuoshui River, and Chiayi County to the south at the Beigang River. It has a population ...
around 03:00 UTC (11:00 TST) on August 8. Around 14:10 UTC (22:10 CST) on the same day, Soudelor made landfall over
Xiuyu District Xiuyu District () is a district of the city of Putian, Fujian, People's Republic of China. The district executive, legislature and judiciary are in Hushi Town (), together with the CPC and PSB branches. History In October 1952, PRC and ROC for ...
,
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 ...
, Fujian in China as a Category 1-equivalent typhoon.


Impact


Mariana Islands

Typhoon Soudelor passed directly over Saipan on August 2 as an intensifying Category 2 equivalent storm according to the JTWC, causing widespread damage on the island. Post-storm damage surveys determined Soudelor to have been substantially stronger at landfall: a Category 4-equivalent with sustained winds of with gusts in excess of . The
National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...
's
anemometer In meteorology, an anemometer () is a device that measures wind speed and direction. It is a common instrument used in weather stations. The earliest known description of an anemometer was by Italian architect and author Leon Battista Alberti ...
at
Saipan International Airport Saipan International Airport , also known as Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport, is a public airport located on Saipan Island in the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The airport is owned by Commonwealth P ...
broke after recording a gust of . The winds downed numerous trees and power lines, leaving much of the island without power and rendering roads impassible. In some areas, cars were flipped over by the force of the wind. The island's power plant lost part of its roof and was flooded. Damage to the island's electrical infrastructure was tremendous, with 150 power poles and 114 transformers damaged or destroyed. A total of 464 residents sought refuge in public shelters. Acting Governor Ralph DLG Torres declared "a state of disaster and significant emergency". Philip Dauterman of the Commonwealth Health Center in Saipan likened damage to that caused by
Typhoon Pongsona Typhoon Pongsona was the last typhoon of the 2002 Pacific typhoon season, and was the second costliest United States disaster in 2002, only behind Hurricane Lili. The name "Pongsona" was contributed by North Korea for the Pacific tropical cyclon ...
which struck
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 ...
in December 2002. In addition, John Hirsh from the
American Red Cross The American National Red Cross is a Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Humanitarianism, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. Clara Barton founded ...
said that Soudelor is the most damaging cyclone to hit Saipan since Typhoon Kim in
1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. ** Spain and Portugal en ...
struck the island nearly thirty years prior. Initial assessments by the Emergency Operations Center indicate that 384 homes were destroyed. A separate assessment by the American Red Cross showed 808 homes affected. Of this total, 158 were destroyed, 296 sustained major damage, and 354 were affected or sustained minor damage. Total damage exceeded US$21 million (2015
USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...
) on Saipan. Forty people were injured across the island. On August 8 and 9, two people drowned in separate
rip current A rip current (or just rip) is a specific type of water current that can occur near beaches where waves break. A rip is a strong, localized, and narrow current of water that moves directly away from the shore by cutting through the lines of bre ...
incidents in western Guam. The local power company, Commonwealth Utilities Corp., stated they only had 77 replacement power poles and no transformers. Repairs to the electric grid, water supply network, and wastewater systems were expected to take three to four weeks. Three
Mobil Mobil Oil Corporation, now known as just Mobil, is a petroleum brand owned and operated by American oil and gas corporation ExxonMobil, formerly known as Exxon, which took its current name after history of ExxonMobil#merger, it and Mobil merge ...
gas stations re-opened on August 4 for first responders and emergency services. Relief supplies from Guam and Hawaii were sent to Saipan that day. Members of the Guam National Guard,
Guam Power Authority The Guam Power Authority (GPA, ) is an agency of the Government of Guam and Guam's electricity provider. Its headquarters are in Fadian, Mangilao, Guam.Coast Guard A coast guard or coastguard is a Maritime Security Regimes, maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with cust ...
also provided assistance. On August 6, United States President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
declared the Northern Mariana Islands a
federal 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 ...
, allowing residents to receive government aid. Saipan was granted individual assistance while
Tinian Tinian () is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Together with uninhabited neighboring Aguiguan, it forms Tinian Municipality, one of the four constituent municipalities of the Northern ...
and Rota received public assistance. By September, 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 ...
approved US$25.9 million in aid to residents of Saipan.


Japan

Prior to striking Taiwan, the circulation of Typhoon Soudelor battered Japan's southern
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 ...
with typhoon-force winds. Sustained winds on
Yonaguni , one of the Yaeyama Islands, is the westernmost island of Japan, lying from the east coast of Taiwan, between the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea. The island is administered as the Towns of Japan, town of Yonaguni, Okinawa, Yonaguni, Ya ...
island reached with concurrent gusts to , the strongest winds recorded in relation to the storm throughout its path.
Ishigaki Island , also known as ''Ishigakijima'', is a Japanese island south-west of Okinawa Hontō and the second-largest island of the Yaeyama Island group, behind Iriomote Island. It is located approximately south-west of Okinawa Hontō. It is within t ...
saw a peak gust of . Farther north at
Kadena Air Base (International Air Transport Association airport code, IATA: DNA, International Civil Aviation Organization airport code, ICAO: RODN) is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena, Okinawa, Kadena and Chatan, Okinawa, Chatan and the ...
on
Okinawa Island , officially , is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the Kyushu region. It is the smallest and least populated of the five Japanese archipelago, main islands of Japan. The island is ...
, gusts reached . Heavy rains accompanied these winds, with Yonaguni reporting during the storm's passage. Structural impact was relatively minor, mainly confined to damaged roofs on Yonaguni island. Three people sustained minor injuries in the region. Losses to agriculture, forestry, and fisheries across the
Yaeyama District is a district located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The district covers all of the Yaeyama Islands except Ishigaki and the disputed Senkaku Islands. As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 5,579 and the density of 15.37 persons ...
reached ¥360 million (US$2.9 million). A total of of crops sustained damage. In
Miyako-jima is the largest and the most populous island among the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Miyako Island is administered as part of the City of Miyako Island, which includes not only Miyako Island, but also five other islands. Geogr ...
, crops sustained significant damage from salt; relatively little rain coupled with strong winds allowed sea spray to travel farther inland than normal. Preliminary estimates placed losses at ¥94.52 million (US$761,000). On August 10, a family of four was swept out to sea near Irabu-jima by residual swells from the typhoon; three drowned while the fourth, an 8-year-old girl, was rescued.


Taiwan

On August 6, four people in
Su'ao Suao Township (), alternately romanized as Su-ao or Su'ao, is located in southern Yilan County, Taiwan, is an urban township that is famous for its seafood restaurants and cold springs. It is a terminus of National Highway No. 5, the Suao ...
,
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 ...
were swept away while watching waves. One person, a child, survived; two others are confirmed dead, and the fourth is still missing. By August 10, eight fatalities had been confirmed, while four others were reported missing. Additionally, 420 people sustained injuries. All 279 domestic flights were canceled on August 8, as well as at least 37 international flights. The center of the storm made landfall in eastern Taiwan at 04:40 a.m. local time on August 8. By mid-morning, Soudelor had maximum sustained winds of , according to Taiwan's
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 ...
(CWB). Northern and mountainous areas of Taiwan saw the strongest winds, with
Pengjia Islet Pengjia Islet (), also known as P'eng-chia Hsü, Hōka-sho, Agincourt, Dashihshan Islet, Chaolai Islet, P'eng-chia Yü or Pengchia Islet, is an islet north of Taiwan and is administered under Zhongzheng District, Keelung City. It is under Taiwan ...
reporting sustained winds of and a peak gust of . A gust of was reported in
Su'ao Suao Township (), alternately romanized as Su-ao or Su'ao, is located in southern Yilan County, Taiwan, is an urban township that is famous for its seafood restaurants and cold springs. It is a terminus of National Highway No. 5, the Suao ...
; however, this value was later retracted by the CWB due to possible accuracy concerns.
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, ...
in Taoyuan reported a gust of . These winds caused
Taipei 101 The Taipei 101 (; stylized in all caps), formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a 508 m (1,667 ft), 101-story skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan. It is owned by Taipei Financial Center Corporation. It was Council on Tall Buildings ...
's
tuned mass damper A tuned mass damper (TMD), also known as a harmonic absorber or seismic damper, is a device mounted in structures to reduce mechanical vibrations, consisting of a mass mounted on one or more damped springs. Its oscillation frequency is tune ...
to sway a record .
Taiping Mountain Taiping Mountain or Taipingshan () is a mountain in Datong, Yilan, Datong Township, Yilan County, Taiwan, Yilan County, Taiwan. It is one of Taiwan's three major forest recreation areas. At 1,950 meters (6,397 feet) above sea level, Taiping Moun ...
in eastern Taiwan's Yilan County saw the heaviest rains from the typhoon, with accumulations peaking at . Rainfall in the
Wulai District Wulai District ( Atayal: Ulay; ) is a mountain indigenous district in southern New Taipei City in northern Taiwan. It sits near the border with Taipei and is famous for its hot springs. It is the largest district in New Taipei, as well as the mo ...
reached in 24 hours, the second-highest on record behind
Typhoon Matsa Typhoon Matsa, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Gorio, was the second of eight Pacific tropical cyclones to make landfall on China during the 2005 Pacific typhoon season. The ninth tropical storm and fifth typhoon of the season, Matsa developed ...
in 2005. Twelve-hour accumulations amounted to a record . At the height of the storm, 4.85 million households lost electricity. This was the largest blackout on record in Taiwan due to a typhoon, surpassing the previous record of 2.79 million after
Typhoon Herb Typhoon Herb, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Huaning, was a deadly and destructive tropical cyclone that became the strongest and largest typhoon of that year’s Pacific typhoon season. Herb struck the Ryūkyū Islands, Taiwan and the ...
in
1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
. Water supply to 429,248 homes and land line telephone service to 64,992 homes was cut during the storm. A contaminated
Nanshi River The Nanshi River (; DT: Lamsiw kev) is a river in Taiwan. The river is governed by Water Management Office of Taipei City Government overseen by the Water Resources Agency. Geography The river flows through Wulai District and Xindian District ...
suffered a drastic overflow, and soon mixed with the primary water source of the Taipei-Keelung metropolitan area. The river's
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 ...
reached record levels in just two hours, catching Taipei's Water Department off-guard. The excess water overwhelmed the regional purification system. As a result, the water supply to approximately 5 million households in
Taipei , nickname = The City of Azaleas , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country ...
was polluted for the next few days. Agricultural damage in Taiwan exceeded NT$3.03 billion (US$94.8 million). The banana crop suffered the greatest impact, with damaged; losses from the crop reached NT$460.15 million (US$14.3 million). Six
windmill A windmill is a machine operated by the force of wind acting on vanes or sails to mill grain (gristmills), pump water, generate electricity, or drive other machinery. Windmills were used throughout the high medieval and early modern period ...
s of
Taipower 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 ...
were destroyed. Approximately 100 people were listed as missing after contact was lost with Xiaoyi village (Siaoyi) in
Wulai District Wulai District ( Atayal: Ulay; ) is a mountain indigenous district in southern New Taipei City in northern Taiwan. It sits near the border with Taipei and is famous for its hot springs. It is the largest district in New Taipei, as well as the mo ...
of
New Taipei City 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 ...
during the storm on August 8. Reports from firefighters dispatched to search for residents reported that homes in the area had "disappeared" following a large landslide. All residents were later accounted for on August 10. A soldier was crushed to death while trying to clear debris on August 13.


China

Typhoon Soudelor killed 45 people in
eastern 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, a ...
after parts of the country were hit by the heaviest rains in a century. Total economic losses were counted to be ¥24.627 billion (US$3.97 billion). Making landfall 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 ...
around 10:10 p.m. local time on August 8, the storm brought damaging winds to coastal cities in the region. The storm is regarded as the most severe to strike Fujian Province in a decade. The strongest gust was 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 ...
while nearby
Fuzhou Fuzhou is the capital of Fujian, China. The city lies between the Min River (Fujian), Min River estuary to the south and the city of Ningde to the north. Together, Fuzhou and Ningde make up the Eastern Min, Mindong linguistic and cultural regi ...
saw gusts up to . Gusts in excess of typhoon force were almost entirely confined to Fujian.
Gale-force The Beaufort scale ( ) is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort wind force scale. It was devised in 1805 by Francis Beaufort a Hydrography, hydrographer in the Roy ...
winds extended into
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 ...
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 ...
. Much of East China saw torrential rains from the storm, with accumulations of at least reported in several provinces. Portions of Zhejiang Province saw 24‑hour rainfall totals with a
return period A return period, also known as a recurrence interval or repeat interval, is an average time or an estimated average time between events such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, or river discharge flows to occur. The reciprocal value of return p ...
of 100–120 years.
Wencheng County Wencheng () is one of the five counties in the prefecture-level city of Wenzhou, in southern Zhejiang province, with a population of 250,000 . The county is located in the southwest of Wenzhou city proper, and borders Ruian city, Taishun Coun ...
recorded during the same span – the heaviest in 100 years. Country-wide accumulations peaked at within
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 ...
. Soudelor's merger with a cold front over
Anhui Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiang ...
and
Jiangsu Jiangsu is a coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province in East China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its capital in Nanjing. Jiangsu is the List of Chinese administra ...
brought torrential rains to the region from August 9–10. The heaviest rains fell in central Jiangsu Province, peaking at along the central coastline.


Elsewhere

Typhoon Soudelor's proximity to the Philippines prompted
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 ...
to issue Public Storm Warning Signal#1, the lowest on a five-tier scale, for
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
Cagayan Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan (; ; ; isnag language, Isnag: ''Provinsia nga Cagayan''; ivatan language, Ivatan: ''Provinsiya nu Cagayan''; ; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Cag ...
provinces, including the Calayan islands, from August 6–8. Signal #2 was raised for Batanes on August 7. The storm's circulation enhanced the
southwest monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
and brought rains to
Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...
and portions of the
Western Visayas Western Visayas (; ; ) is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VI. The region comprises the islands of Panay and Guimaras Island, Guimaras. It consists of five Provinces of the ...
. Overall impacts were minor, with 58,255 people affected; 45,444 of these people sought refuge in public shelters. Agricultural damage in
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 ...
were at
The Philippine peso sign (₱) is the currency symbol used for the Philippine peso, the official currency of the Philippines. The symbol resembles a Latin script, Latin letter P with two horizontal strokes. It differs from the currency symbol u ...
363,000 (US$7,900). Hong Kong experienced its hottest day on August 8, since records began, as a result of air descending on the outer fringe of Soudelor. The
Hong Kong Observatory The Hong Kong Observatory is a weather forecast agency of the government of Hong Kong. The Observatory forecasts the weather and issues warnings on weather-related hazards. It also monitors and makes assessments on radiation levels in Hong ...
observed a temperature of , breaking the previous record of set in 1900 and 1990. Air pollution was also severe on August 7 and 8 across the entire territory, with readings on
Tap Mun Grass Island or Tap Mun is an island in Hong Kong, located in the northeastern part of the territory. Its area is . Administratively, it is part of the Tai Po District. There are about 100 people living on the island, and feral cattle are kno ...
reaching level 10. The typhoon's remnants brought locally heavy rain to parts of
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
on August 11, with accumulations reaching .


Retirement

Due to the destruction and deaths caused by the storm in the Northern Mariana Islands, Taiwan and China, the name ''Soudelor'' was officially retired at the Fourth Joint Session of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee and WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones during 2016. In February 2017, they chose the name '' Saudel'' to replace ''Soudelor''.


See also

* Weather of 2015 *
Tropical cyclones in 2015 During 2015, tropical cyclones formed in seven major bodies of water, commonly known as tropical cyclone basins. Tropical cyclones will be assigned names by various weather agencies if they attain maximum sustained winds of . During the year, on ...
* Typhoon Omar (1992) *
Typhoon Winnie Typhoon Winnie, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Ibiang, was the most destructive tropical cyclone to impact the People's Republic of China, Chinese provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangsu, and Shandong in 200 years. Originating fro ...
(1997) * Typhoon Haitang (2005) *
Typhoon Morakot Typhoon Morakot, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Kiko, was the wettest and deadliest typhoon to impact Taiwan in recorded history. The eighth named storm and fourth typhoon of the 2009 Pacific typhoon season, Morakot wrought catastrophic d ...
(2009) *
Typhoon Soulik (2013) Typhoon Soulik, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Huaning, was a powerful tropical cyclone that caused widespread damage in Taiwan and East China in mid July 2013. The storm originated from an upper-level cold-core low well to the northeast of ...
*
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 Nepartak (2016) * Typhoon Nesat (2017) * 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)


Notes


References


External links


JMA General Information
of Typhoon Soudelor (1513) from Digital Typhoon JMA Best Track Data
of Typhoon Soudelor (1513) -->
13W.SOUDELOR
from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
Latest humanitarian response information via ReliefWeb
{{2015 Pacific typhoon season buttons 2015 in the Northern Mariana Islands Soudelor Soudelor Soudelor Soudelor Soudelor 2015 disasters in China July 2015 in Asia July 2015 in the United States August 2015 Soudelor