Typhoon Ewiniar (2006)
Encyclopedia
Typhoon Ewiniar was the third named storm of the 2006 Pacific typhoon season
2006 Pacific typhoon season
The 2006 Pacific typhoon season had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2006, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November...

 and one that lasted for twelve days as a tropical cyclone, moving on a generally northward track. During its lifespan, it affected Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...

, Yap
Yap
Yap, also known as Wa'ab by locals, is an island in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It is a state of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap's indigenous cultures and traditions are still strong compared to other neighboring islands. The island of Yap actually consists of four...

, eastern China, the Ryūkyū Islands
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...

 of Japan, South Korea as well as North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

, briefly threatening to make landfall in North Korea before doing so in South Korea. Ewiniar is responsible for at least 181 deaths. However, an unofficial report stated that up to 10,000 people had been killed by flooding in North Korea, with 4,000 people missing.

Meteorological history

On June 29, a persistent tropical disturbance was classified as a tropical depression by the JTWC while east of Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...

. The depression moved northwestward and was upgraded to Tropical Storm 04W by the JTWC the next day on June 30, while the JMA named the storm Tropical Storm Ewiniar at around the same time. The name "Ewiniar" was submitted by the Federated States of Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia or FSM is an independent, sovereign island nation, made up of four states from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. It comprises approximately 607 islands with c...

, and refers to a traditional storm god of Chuuk
Chuuk
Chuuk — formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus — is an island group in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia , along with Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap. Chuuk is the most populous of the FSM's...

.

Ewiniar moved west-northwestward over the next two days, bringing heavy rain and localized flooding to the Yap Islands. Ewiniar turned to the northwest and reached its peak intensity of 130 knots (240 km/h or 150 mph) on the U.S. method of measuring windspeeds by one-minute averages, or 100 knots (185 km/h or 115 mph) on the international method of measuring windspeeds by ten-minute averages, and its minimum pressure of 930 hPa (mbar). Ewiniar turned northward and brushed eastern China, forcing evacuations in many cities.

Ewiniar gradually weakened as it moved over colder waters, and made landfall in South Korea on July 10 as a severe tropical storm, having briefly threatened to make landfall on impoverished North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

. Ewiniar passed within 50 km (31.1 mi) of Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...

 as it moved across the country before becoming extratropical over the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...

 the next day. Ewiniar had also earlier brushed the Ryūkyū Islands
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...

 of Japan.

People's Republic of China

As Ewiniar started to threaten the coast of China, the government
Government of the People's Republic of China
All power within the government of the People's Republic of China is divided among three bodies: the People's Republic of China, State Council, and the People's Liberation Army . This article is concerned with the formal structure of the state, its departments and their responsibilities...

 in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

 ordered emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...

s for all villagers in low-lying areas. A reported 7,634 people were evacuated from Ningbo
Ningbo
Ningbo is a seaport city of northeastern Zhejiang province, Eastern China. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, the municipality has a population of 7,605,700 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 3,089,180 in the built up area made of 6 urban districts. It lies south of the Hangzhou Bay,...

, and over 8,000 ships were asked to return to dock in harbours in Ningbo and Zhoushan
Zhoushan
Zhoushan or Zhoushan Archipelago New Area; formerly transliterated as Chusan, is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province of Eastern China. The only prefecture-level city of the People's Republic of China consisting solely of islands, it lies across the mouth of the Hangzhou Bay,...

. The municipal flood control headquarters in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

 also asked officials to prepare for the approaching typhoon, which was forecast to begin affecting the city on July 9.

Japan

As Ewiniar started to approach the Ryūkyū Islands
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...

, Sasebo Naval Base
United States Fleet Activities Sasebo
U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo is a United States Navy naval base, in Sasebo, Japan, on the island of Kyūshū. It provides facilities for the logistic support of forward-deployed units and visiting operating forces of the United States Pacific Fleet and designated tenant activities.- History :Sasebo...

 in Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....

 announced a Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 3 at 4 p.m. local time on July 7, while a day earlier, on July 6, the USS Harpers Ferry
USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49)
USS Harpers Ferry is the lead ship of her class of landing ship dock of the United States Navy. This warship was named for the town of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, which, because of the Federal arsenal there, was an important location during the Civil War. , Harpers Ferry is commanded by...

 had unanchored from the harbour for an area of safer weather conditions. The USS Essex
USS Essex (LHD-2)
USS Essex is a built at what is now Huntington Ingalls Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and commissioned on 17 October 1992 while moored at North Island NAS beside the Kitty Hawk . It is the fifth ship named for Essex County, Massachusetts...

 also evacuated the area on July 7. The USS Juneau
USS Juneau (LPD-10)
USS Juneau , an Austin-class amphibious transport dock, is the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the capital of Alaska...

 and USS Bowditch, however, both remained anchored in Sasebo, while the USS Guardian
USS Guardian (MCM-5)
USS Guardian , an , is the second U.S. Navy ship of that name.Guardian was laid down on 8 May 1985 by the Peterson Builders Inc., Sturgeon Bay, Wisc.; launched on 20 June 1987; and commissioned on 16 December 1989....

 and USS Safeguard were both moved to a nearby dry dock
Dry dock
A drydock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform...

.
All United States military
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...

 stations and bases on Okinawa were put into a Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 2 on July 7 with an upgrade to a Condition of Readiness 1 expected the following day, and Commander's Cup softball tournaments that had been scheduled for the weekend of July 8 and July 9 at Camp Hansen
Camp Hansen
Camp Hansen is a United States Marine Corps base located in Okinawa, Japan. The camp is situated in the town of Kin, near the northern shore of Kin Bay, and is the second-northernmost major installation on Okinawa, with Camp Schwab to the north...

 and Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma or MCAS Futenma is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan, northeast of Naha, on the island of Okinawa. It is home to approximately 4,000 Marines of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and has been a U.S. military airbase since the island was occupied...

 had to be postponed. Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 1E, which means that all outdoor activities are prohibited as there are sustained winds of at least 50 knots (95 km/h, 60 mph) in force, was declared early on the morning of July 9.

South Korea

As Ewiniar cleared the Ryūkyū Islands
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...

 and began to threaten the Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...

, the Korea Meteorological Administration
Korea Meteorological Administration
The Korea Meteorological Administration is the National Meteorological service for Korea. The service started in 1904 joining the WMO in 1956. Numerical Weather Prediction is performed using the Unified Model software suite.-External links:* * *...

 issued typhoon warnings for most of the country. The KMA also issued typhoon advisories for Liancourt Rocks
Liancourt Rocks
The Liancourt Rocks, also known as Dokdo or Tokto in Korean or in Japanese, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan . Sovereignty over the islets is disputed between Japan and South Korea...

 and Ulleungdo
Ulleungdo
Ulleungdo is a South Korean island in the Sea of Japan . Formerly known as Dagelet to the Europeans, Ulleungdo is about 120 km east of the Korean Peninsula...

.

United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 commands in South Korea were put into a Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness level 3, with Condition of Readiness 2 declared on July 8. TCCOR Level 1 was later declared by United States Forces Korea
United States Forces Korea
United States Forces Korea refers to the ground, air and naval divisions of the United States armed forces stationed in South Korea....

, which was cancelled after landfall on July 10.

Impact

Ewiniar affected many areas due to its track and relatively long life, killing at least 40 people along the way and leaving much damage in its path.

Yap and Palau

Early in its life as a tropical cyclone, Ewiniar affected Yap
Yap
Yap, also known as Wa'ab by locals, is an island in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It is a state of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap's indigenous cultures and traditions are still strong compared to other neighboring islands. The island of Yap actually consists of four...

 and Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...

, which fall under the warning jurisdiction of the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...

 office in Tiyan, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...

. Ewiniar caused coastal flooding in Yap of up to 5 feet (1.5 m), especially near the port and around the Colonia Bay area. Ewiniar also caused an island-wide power outage in Yap, although according to an NWS post-storm report, damage was minimised on Yap due to steadier structures after Super Typhoon Sudal of 2004
2004 Pacific typhoon season
The 2004 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2004, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November...

 tore through the islands. Damage was also reported to agriculture due to salt spray. The total amount of damage caused was estimated to be just over $100 thousand (2006 USD).

About 2.4 inches (61 mm) of rain fell on Yap, while Koror
Koror
Koror is the state comprising the main commercial centre of the Republic of Palau. It consists of several islands, the most prominent being Koror Island ....

 in Palau reported a 24-hour total of 1.88 inches (48 mm) of rain through 6 a.m. UTC on July 3. The peak wind gusts reported were 53 knots (98 km/h, 61 mph) on Yap
Yap
Yap, also known as Wa'ab by locals, is an island in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It is a state of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap's indigenous cultures and traditions are still strong compared to other neighboring islands. The island of Yap actually consists of four...

 at the Weather Service Office (WSO) in Yap and 46 knots (85 km/h, 53 mph) at the WSO in Koror. During its course through the islands, Tropical Storm Ewiniar also necessitated tropical storm warnings and watches
Tropical cyclone warnings and watches
Warnings and watches are two levels of alert issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local population and civil authorities to make appropriate...

 for Ngulu
Ngulu Atoll
Ngulu Atoll is a coral atoll of three islands in the Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia....

, Yap
Yap
Yap, also known as Wa'ab by locals, is an island in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It is a state of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap's indigenous cultures and traditions are still strong compared to other neighboring islands. The island of Yap actually consists of four...

, Koror
Koror
Koror is the state comprising the main commercial centre of the Republic of Palau. It consists of several islands, the most prominent being Koror Island ....

 and Kayangel
Kayangel
Kayangel is the northernmost state of Palau north of Koror. The land area is about . The population is 138 . The state consists of three atolls in different states of development:-Kayangel Atoll:...

. No deaths in Yap or Palau were reported due to Ewiniar.

People's Republic of China

Typhoon Ewiniar killed at least 34 people in China, with areas as far northwest as Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...

 and Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....

 affected by landslides. It is not known if the landslides were triggered directly as a result of Ewiniar, or whether it was caused by a combination of Ewiniar and other weather. Therefore, the deaths that can be attributed to Ewiniar from the landslides are assumed to be indirectly caused, and not directly. Average rainfall reported in Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...

 was 3.4 mm (0.133 inches) per hour from 6 a.m. July 9 through midnight July 10 (totalling about 61.2 mm or 2.4 inches). At least 300 flights out of Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

's Capital International Airport
Beijing Capital International Airport
Beijing Capital International Airport, is the main international airport serving Beijing, China. It is located northeast of Beijing's city center in an enclave of Chaoyang District that is surrounded by rural Shunyi District. The airport is owned and operated by the Beijing Capital...

 had to be delayed due to thunderstorms and effects of Ewiniar, while Air China
Air China
Air China is the flag carrier and one of the major airlines of the People's Republic of China. Based in Beijing Capital International Airport, Air China is the world's 10th largest airline by fleet size. The airline ranked behind its main competitors China Southern Airlines and China Eastern...

 and China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited is an airline headquartered on the grounds of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in Changning District, Shanghai, China. It is a major Chinese airline operating international, domestic and regional routes. Its main hubs are at Shanghai Pudong...

 cancelled flights to South Korea heading out of China. As Ewiniar did not affect the mainland directly, there are little to no reports of major damage.

Japan

Ewiniar hammered Okinawa with heavy rain, creating mass confusion and troubles for tourists. Flights and ferries out of Okinawa to neighbouring islands were cancelled, and as many as 3,500 tourists were left stranded at various airports because most hotels were already near full capacity. Other tourists reportedly stayed in the homes of some Okinawa residents, while some residents in landslide-prone areas evacuated to higher ground. Seven people were injured in Nanjo
Nanjo, Okinawa
is a city in the southern part of Okinawa Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.It was formed on January 1, 2006, from the merger of the town of Sashiki, and the villages of Chinen, Ōzato and Tamagusuku, all from Shimajiri District....

 from a fallen signboard, while an elderly woman in Nago City
Nago, Okinawa
is a city located in the northern part of Okinawa Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 60,598 and the density of 288 persons per km². The total area is 210.30 km². The city was founded on August 1, 1970, and hosted the G-8 Summit in 2000.-...

 and a young girl in Yaese
Yaese, Okinawa
is a town in Shimajiri District, Okinawa, Japan.Yaese was formed on January 1, 2006 by a merger between the town of Kochinda and the village of Gushikami . As of February 2008, Yaese has a population of 26,758 ....

 suffered wind-related injuries.

The highest winds reported during the storm were 34.9 m/s (78 mph, 126 km/h). These winds blew sand about 7 cm (3 in) deep off the beach and into residents' yards. Typhoon Ewiniar caused a reported 20,000,000 yen
Japanese yen
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 reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...

 ($
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

173,778) worth of sugar cane and vegetable damage, and farmers experienced profit losses when ripe fruits were unable to be shipped to Asian markets.

South Korea

In South Korea, much damage was reported. 150 km² (57.9 sq mi) of farmland was reported to have been flooded across the nation, while most domestic ferry and air travel was disrupted or cancelled. Landslides and flooding destroyed roads and levee
Levee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...

s, while in South Cholla province
Jeollanam-do
Jeollanam-do is a province in the southwest of South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the southern half of the former Jeolla province, remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea...

, a landslide damaged a temple. According to an official, floods also damaged over 600 homes and houses.

Rainfall totals varied from province to province. The KMA said up to 234 mm (9.36 inches) of rain had fallen on the southern areas of South Korea, while Hamyang County in South Kyongsang
Gyeongsangnam-do
Gyeongsangnam-do is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Changwon. It contains the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. Located there is UNESCO World Heritage Site Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple that houses the Tripitaka Koreana and attracts many...

 province reported a total rainfall of 199 mm (7.83 inches) to 260 mm (10.2 inches).

About 300 schools were ordered to be closed down in South Cholla, South Kyongsang and on Jeju
Jeju-do
Jeju-do is the only special autonomous province of South Korea, situated on and coterminous with the country's largest island. Jeju-do lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of Jeollanam-do Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946...

. However, two injuries were reported at a school in Jeju which ignored the orders. Injuries were also reported elsewhere across South Korea, while 62 people were killed due to Ewiniar.

North Korea

Due to the secrecy in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

, not much information is available on damage caused in the country. However, a TIME Asia
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...

 report on North Korea noted that Ewiniar left 60,000 villagers homeless. Floods in the country killed at least 141 people and left 112 others missing. However, an unofficial report stated that as many as 10,000 people may have been killed. Another report indicated that the typhoon caused a "disaster of biblical proportions", with an estimated 54,700 people being killed, mainly by landslides.

See also

  • 2006 Pacific typhoon season
    2006 Pacific typhoon season
    The 2006 Pacific typhoon season had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2006, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November...

  • Tropical cyclone
    Tropical cyclone
    A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...

  • List of tropical cyclones
  • Timeline of the 2006 Pacific typhoon season
    Timeline of the 2006 Pacific typhoon season
    The 2006 Pacific typhoon season had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2006, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between June and December...



External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK