Tropical Storm Bilis

infobox Hurricane
Name=Severe Tropical Storm Bilis
Basin=WPac
Year=2006
Type=Tropical storm
JMAcategory=STS
JMAtype=STS
Image location=TS Bilis 2006 peak.jpg


Formed=July 8, 2006
Dissipated=July 16, 2006
10-min winds=60
1-min winds=55
Pressure=970
Fatalities=672
Da

Inflated=1
Areas=Philippines, Taiwan, southeast China
Hurricane season=2006 Pacific typhoon season

Severe Tropical Storm Bilis (international designation: "0604", JTWC designation: "05W", designated Typhoon Florita by PAGASA and sometimes known as just Tropical Storm Bilis) was a tropical storm that caused significant damage to areas of the Philippines, Taiwan, and southeastern China. It was the fifth tropical storm of the 2006 Pacific typhoon season recognized by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Bilis was the fourth tropical storm of the season. The storm was also designated a typhoon by PAGASA, though it was never officially designated as such by the JMA. The word "Bilis", submitted by the Philippines, means 'speed' or 'swiftness' in Tagalog.cite web|url=http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/jma-eng/jma-center/rsmc-hp-pub-eg/tyname.html#Column%20I|title=List of names for tropical cyclones adopted by the Typhoon Committee for the western North Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea|publisher=RSMC Tokyo - Typhoon Center|accessdate=May 20|accessyear=2006]

Despite never officially reaching typhoon strength, Bilis was responsible for $4.4 billion (2006 USD) in damage and 672 fatalities in the Philippines, Taiwan, and China. Most of the damage was caused by heavy rain, which triggered widespread flash flooding and landslides. Many of the areas Bilis flooded were later affected by Typhoon Kaemi, Typhoon Prapiroon, and intense Typhoon Saomai.

Meteorological history

A tropical disturbance developed northeast of Yap on July 7 and slowly increased in organization. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the disturbance later that day as it moved northwestward. By July 8, it had developed sufficient convection to be designated a tropical depression by the JTWC and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The depression continued to strengthen, and was designated Tropical Storm Bilis by the JMA early on July 9. The JTWC upgraded Bilis to tropical storm status later that day. On July 10, Bilis moved into the area of responsibility of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), and was designated Tropical Storm Florita for local warnings.cite web |url=http://www.australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/2007/summ0607.htm |title=Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary, July 2006 |accessdate=2006-10-13 |author=Padgett, Gary]

Over the next several days, Bilis moved generally northwestward toward Taiwan, slowly strengthening over open waters. Bilis was designated a severe tropical storm by the JMA on July 11, but the storm did not strengthen much further over the next few days due to a marginal upper-air environment and dry air entrainment. PAGASA upgraded the system to typhoon status on July 12, but the JMA never officially recognized the system as such in its advisories. Bilis reached its official peak intensity of 60 knots (110 km/h, 70 mph) later that day.cite web |url=http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/jma-eng/jma-center/rsmc-hp-pub-eg/Besttracks/bst2006.txt |title=2006 Pacific Typhoon Season Best Track Data |date=2007-02-04 |publisher=Japan Meteorological Agency]

Bilis made its first landfall in northern Taiwan on July 13, with an intensity of 55 kt (100 km/h, 65 mph). After moving across northern Taiwan, Bilis made its second landfall in Fujian, China early on July 14 at the same intensity, [cite web |url=http://www.cma.gov.cn/cma_new/tqyb/zhyj/t20060714_140251.phtml |title=强热带风暴登陆福建省霞浦 (Severe tropical storm lands in Fujian) |date=2006-07-14 |publisher=China Meteorological Administration] then weakened into a tropical depression over land the next day. Bilis lingered as a tropical depression over southeastern China before degenerating into a remnant low on July 16. Despite becoming a remnant low, the remnants of Bilis maintained their identity for several days while moving westward over China, bringing heavy rains to inland areas.

Preparations

On July 13, PAGASA issued Storm Signal Number 3, a warning for winds of 100ndash 185 km/h (62ndash 115 mph), for the Batanes and Calayan Islands. Storm Signal Number 2, for winds of 60ndash 100 km/h (37ndash 62 mph), was issued for northern Luzon, including the rest of Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Apayao. Storm Signal Number 1 (30ndash 60 km/h, 19ndash 37 mph) was raised for most of central Luzon, including much of the Cordillera Administrative Region and the northern half of the Ilocos Region.cite news |url=http://www.malaya.com.ph/jul13/news6.htm |title=No classes in typhoon-threatened areas |date=2006-07-13 |accessdate=2006-10-13 |author=Bengco, Regina et al. |publisher=Malaya] Schools and government offices in those regions were closed.

The provincial observatory of Fujian issued a typhoon warning for the province on July 11, well in advance of Bilis' final landfall. [cite web |url=http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/flood/174332.htm |title=Tropical Storm Bilis Turning into Typhoon as It Nears Fujian |date=2006-07-11 |accessdate=September 5 |accessyear=2006 |publisher=Xinhua News Agency] In response to the warning, officials evacuated over 800,000 people from Hunancite web |url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/VBOL-6RWGD5?OpenDocument |title=Death toll of tropical storm Bilis hits 482 in China |date=2006-07-21 |publisher=Xinhua News Agency] and 70,000 from Zhejiang. In addition, 256,000 fishermen and workers were evacuated from coastal areas in southeastern China, and 220,000 ships were ordered to return to port. [cite web |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-07/15/content_4835697_5.htm |title=Bilis hits Zhejiang |date=2006-07-15 |accessdate=September 5 |accessyear=2006 |publisher=Xinhua News Agency] In Shanghai, the evacuations caused significant rail and bus delays, and more than 210 flights in and out of the city were canceled prior to landfall. [cite web |url=http://news.163.com/06/0715/16/2M37PN4T0001124J.html |title=Shanghai cancelled flights today because of Typhoon "Bilis" (Chinese) |date=2006-07-15 |publisher=New People's Daily (Shanghai)]

Impact

Philippines

The strongest winds and heaviest rains were south and east of Bilis' center, and its outer rainbands swept across Luzon in the Philippines, causing heavy rains, wind gusts to tropical storm force, flash flooding, and landslides. Bilis was responsible for 45 million pesos in damage and at least 14 deaths, [cite web |url=http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/world/userobject1ai2180062.html |title=Typhoon Bilis leaves Philippines after killing at least 14 |date=2006-07-14 |publisher=Xinhua News Agency] including three in Baguio City, and six more in the Manila area.cite web |url=http://www.usatoday.com/weather/hurricane/2006-07-12-tropical-storm-bilis_x.htm |title=Powerful storm kills 9 in Philippines |date=2006-07-12 |publisher=Associated Press]

Taiwan

Damage was light in Taiwan, due to Bilis' quick movement across the northern coast of the island. The Republic of China government reported four deaths, two which where the deaths of fishermen from mainland China whose boat ran aground on Matsu Island. Another man was electrocuted in the city of Taipei as a result of the storm. The cause of the fourth death is unknown.cite web |url=http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/2006-07-14-bilas-china_x.htm |title=Tropical Storm Bilis swirls into China after battering Taiwan, Philippines |date=2006-07-16 |publisher=Associated Press]

People's Republic of China

The storm made its second landfall in Fujian, China, and caused 43 deaths and 3 billion Chinese yuan in damage, [cite web |url=http://env.people.com.cn/GB/1074/4598416.html |title=Strong storm "Bilis" has killed more than 150 people (Chinese) |date=2006-07-17 |publisher=China News/People's Network] mostly from flooding. Schools and tourist attractions in the province were closed for several days. [cite web |url=http://www.dnzb.cn/gb/content/2006-07/14/content_2151763.htm |title=Fujian defense - emergency notification (Chinese) |date=2006-07-14 |publisher=Quanzhou Evening News] Flooding killed 35 people in eastern Guangxi and 106 people in Guangdong.cite web |url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/LTIO-6RXQ45?OpenDocument |title=Cover-up claims as China storm toll leaps to 530 |date=2006-07-22 |publisher=Agence France-Presse] Eight more people were killed in Yunnan when a flash flood swept away some road workers' huts.cite web |url=http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__international_news/&articleid=278389 |title=Chinese storm toll climbs to 482 |date=2006-07-21 |publisher=South African Press Association] A weather station in Guangdong reported a 5-hour rainfall total of 360.6 mm (14.2 inches). [cite web |url=http://www.nmc.gov.cn/news/viewArticle.do?method=viewArticle&id=ff8080810c669adb010c717746f20017 |title=Bilis brings heavy rains to Fujian, Guangdong, and other places |date=2006-07-15 |publisher=China Meteorological Administration]

In Zhejiang, strong winds and heavy rain from Bilis caused 693 million yuan in damage, [cite web |url=http://202.102.135.87/newscenter/2006-07/15/content_1735584.htm |title="Bilis" brings strong rains to Zhejiang, amounts to 693 million yuan (Chinese) |date=2006-07-15 |publisher=Xinhua News Agency] and a wind gust to 43 m/s (155 km/h, 96 mph) was reported. [cite web |url=http://www.cma.gov.cn/cma_new/qxxw/t20060714_140202.phtml |title="Bilis" ravages coastal Zhejiang, Provincial Party Secretary Xi Jinping deploys emergency workers (Chinese) |date=2006-07-14 |publisher=China Meteorological Administration]

Several sections of the Beijing-Guangzhou railway, a main rail route in China, were blocked by flooding and landslides, causing many delays and diversions. One train was surrounded by floodwaters in Lechang, and passengers had to be evacuated to a nearby school. [cite web |url=http://news.sohu.com/20060717/n244293731.shtml |title=Guangdong Yue Chang record flood, 1,496 passengers trapped (Chinese) |date=2006-07-17 |publisher=Guangzhou Daily] At least 274 trains were affected and the train company refunded nearly 2 million tickets. After three days of repair work, the rail service resumed normal operations on July 18. [cite web |url=http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2006-07/18/content_339036.htm |title=Jing-Guang resumes normal operation after three days of repairs (Chinese) |date=2006-07-18 |publisher=Xinhua News Agency]

The most significant damage occurred in Hunan, where heavy flooding and mudslides destroyed over 31,000 homes and caused at least 345 deaths, with 89 people missing. Most of the damage and fatalities occurred in the village of Zixing, where local officials reported the flooding as the worst the area had seen in the past 100 years, and described the death toll as "unprecedented". In all, Bilis was responsible for 672 deaths, 208 people reported missing, and $4.4 billion (2006 USD) in damage to southeastern China.cite web |url=http://severe.worldweather.wmo.int/tcc/document/creport/Review_of_the_2006_Typhoon_Season(China).doc |title=Review of the 2006 Typhoon Season |date=2006-12-04 |author=Typhoon Committee |publisher=World Meteorological Organization]

Aftermath

Bilis and its associated flooding left over 400,000 people homeless, and over 2 million more had to be evacuated in the face of rising waters. [cite web |url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/EGUA-6SAKXC |title=China: Floods Emergency Appeal no. MDRCN001 |date=2006-08-02 |accessdate=September 5 |accessyear=2006 |publisher=International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)] Following the storm, the Red Cross Society of China provided food, blankets, and water purification kits to over 100,000 Hunan residents in mass evacuation shelters. The relief effort was complicated by an earthquake in Yunnan, [cite web |url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/KHII-6RZ528?OpenDocument |title=China: Floods DREF Bulletin No. MDRCN001 |date=2006-07-22 |accessdate=September 5 |accessyear=2006 |publisher=International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)] as well as three more tropical cyclones: Typhoon Kaemi, Typhoon Prapiroon, and Typhoon Saomai. All of the storms were stronger than Bilis, and exacerbated flooding and other problems in the region.

Because of the sudden large increase in the number of reported deaths in Hunan in a matter of hours, Chinese government officials accused local officials of covering up damage and casualty details. The Ministry of Civil Affairs sent a team to Hunan to investigate the allegations, and issued a notice stating that anyone found to be covering up any damage details would be held accountable.

The China Meteorological Administration released a press release after the storm and gave four reasons for the extensive damage. First, the storm decelerated after landfall and maintained its identity for 120 hours while moving south of due west. Secondly, the storm was asymmetric and rainfall concentrated in the southern semicircle. Also, the storm interacted with the active monsoon over the South China Sea, and the Hong Kong Observatory reported a 1-hour rainfall total of 115.1 mm (4.5 inches), a new record. [cite web |url=http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/news/2006/pre0716e.htm |title=Rainstorm on July 16, 2006 (Chinese) |date=2006-07-16 |publisher=Hong Kong Observatory] Finally, previous rainfall had made the area wetter than normal and more prone to flooding. [cite web |url=http://www.wmo.int/web/Press/Duan.pdf |title=Why were the impacts ofBilis and Saomai so severe? |accessdate=2006-12-01 |author=Duan Yihong |publisher=China Meteorological Administration]

At the 39th annual meeting of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee in Manila in December 2006, the name "Bilis" was retired, along with four other names. [cite web |url=http://www.cma.gov.cn/qxxw/t20061213_171681.phtml |title=39th session of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee held in the Philippines (Chinese) |date=2006-12-13 |accessdate=2006-12-13 |publisher=China Meteorological Administration] In December 2007, the committee selected the name "Maliksi" to replace Bilis on the Western Pacific basin name lists beginning in 2008. [cite web |url=http://www.webcitation.org/5TvESdRQg |title=http://www.webcitation.org/5TvESdRQg |date=2007-12-07 |accessdate=2007-12-11 |publisher=China Meteorological Administration]

ee also

* Tropical cyclone
* List of tropical cyclones

External links

* [http://agora.ex.nii.ac.jp/digital-typhoon/summary/wnp/s/200604.html.en Digital Typhoon page on Bilis]

References