Typhoon Babs (1998)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Typhoon Babs
Type=typhoon
Year=1998
Basin=WPac
Image location=Typhoon Babs 20 oct 1998 0455Z.jpg


Formed=October 19, 1998
Dissipated=October 27, 1998
1-min winds=135
Pressure=904
Da

Inflated=1
Fatalities=246 direct
Areas=Philippines, Taiwan
Hurricane season=1998 Pacific typhoon season

Super Typhoon Babs (international designation: "9811", JTWC designation: "20W") also known in the Philippines as Typhoon Loleng, was the second typhoon to strike the nation days after Typhoon Zeb made landfall.

Meteorological history

A tropical depression formed on October 13 and the next day it was upgraded to a tropical storm and was named Babs. Babs moved westward before stalling off the coast of the Philippines and drifting for several days. In proximity to Typhoon Zeb, the Babs barely strengthened until October 19.http://australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/1999/summ9810.txt]

Babs rapidly strengthened into a Category 4 typhoon with 140 mph (115 Kt) winds, then twelve hours later Babs reached a peak intensity of 155 mph before passing over Catanduanes Island on the 21st. The typhoon continued to move westward where it paralleled the coast of Luzon and then entered the South China Sea. Babs then recurved north and then northeast before dissipating west of Taiwan.

Impact

Just like Typhoon Zeb days earlier, Babs was very destructive to the Philippines. According to several observers, about 221 people were killed with 199 of them in the southern tip of Luzon. Elsewhere there were 22 fatalities. Catanduanes Island was hardest hit as 71 deaths were reported. Most of the deaths were caused by mudslides and flash flooding. Across the Philippines there were scattered reports of indirect deaths (mostly from snakebites and clean up accidents).

Babs left $6.57 billion dollars (1998 USD) and devastated the coconut and rice harvest which forced the country into an economic recession.

In Taiwan, the dissipating remnants of Babs left 24 people dead.

Due to destruction, its PAGASA name, Loleng, was retired after this season. Because PAGASA changed names in 2001 Pacific typhoon season, there is no need for a replacement name.

ee also

*List of tropical cyclones
*1998 Pacific typhoon season

References

External links

* [http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/w_pacific/1998H/BABS/track.gifTyphoon Babs track]