Typhoon Durian

Landfall | Summary
Posting Date: November 30, 2006, 12:30:00 PM

The eye of Super Typhoon Durian made landfall over the eastern Philippine province of Catanduanes, 370 km east of Manila, between 7:00 and 8:00 AM local time (23:00 to 0:00 GMT) Thursday, November 30. Maximum sustained winds at landfall reached 231 kph. Rainfall amounts upwards of 300 mm have been reported. As of 21:00 UTC, November 30, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), put Durian at 120 km SE of Manila, with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph and gusts up to 231 kph. Typhoon-force winds extend approximately 74 km outward from the storm’s eye. Locally called “Reming,” Durian has uprooted trees, blown roofs off houses, and caused widespread power outages due to downed power lines. Some power suppliers shut down operations as a precaution before landfall, causing further blackouts. Residents of Catanduanes said the cyclone’s winds were so strong it felt like an earthquake. There have been reports of small houses being blown away in the vicinity of the city of Naga (about 270 km southeast of Manila), and of rescuers attempting to reach residents exposed to flying debris after the roofs of their houses were blown off. However, no casualties have been reported thus far. According to the Philippine National Disaster Coordinating Center (NDCC), 166 families have been displaced by flooding and destruction in Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, and Legazpi City. In addition, NDCC noted that several areas of Legazpi were under water, while an unspecified number of houses in Camarines Sur were damaged. Initially forecast to strike Manila, the eye of Durian has been pushed to the south by a high pressure system over the South China Sea, and will instead pass over the resort areas of Batangas province and Mindoro island. Between 2,000 and 3,300 ferry passengers on the islands of Luzon, Bicol, and Samar were stranded when the Coast Guard ordered all ferries into port. Domestic flights in the affected area have been cancelled, as have some international flights. Prior to the storm’s arrival, emergency officials advised residents of low-lying areas of the risk of flash flooding, while coastal residents were warned of storm surge. People in more mountainous regions were also warned of the potential for landslides. In all about 2,500 people have been evacuated to storm shelters, most around Naga. The JTWC’s latest forecast indicates that Durian will weaken some as it passes over the Philippines, and shift to a west-northwestward track once it crosses into the South China Sea. The Philippines have seen a great deal of typhoon activity this year. Durian is the 5th cyclone to hit the islands this year, following Chebi, Xangsane, Cimaron, and Chanchu. It should be noted that the northwest Pacific Ocean does not have a defined typhoon season akin to the Atlantic hurricane season, which closed today. Typhoons may occur at any time during the year, though they are more frequent in late summer and early autumn, when Xangsane and Cimaron both struck the Philippine islands and Shanshan hit Japan. The AIR tropical cyclone team is closely monitoring events. AIR will post additional information as the situation evolves.

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Posting Date: November 30, 2006, 12:30:00 PM