Typhoon Meranti

Pre-Landfall 2 | Summary
Posting Date: September 14, 2016, 2:00:00 PM

Super Typhoon Meranti delivered very strong wind, high storm surge, and flooding precipitation to southern Taiwan as it passed through Luzon Strait near noon local time Wednesday, September 14, 2016. The strongest storm in the world this year and the most intense typhoon since Super Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines in 2013, Meranti also impacted northern Philippine islands and made landfall on mainland China early Thursday local time.

Typhoon Meranti (pronounced me-run-ti and called “Ferdie” in the Philippines) experienced rapid intensification early in the week, with wind speed increasing more than 150 km/h (95 mph) in a 24-hour period. Although Meranti did not make landfall on Taiwan, most of the country has been impacted by the extreme winds and substantial precipitation— rainfall totals as great as 700 millimeters (28 inches) have been reported—due to the massive, 560-kilometer (350-mile) wind field.

Meranti closely follows deadly Typhoon Nepartak, which struck central and southern Taiwan and coastal China in July.

Disruption and Damage in Taiwan and the Philippines

As Super Typhoon Meranti passed through the Strait of Luzon, just off the south coast of Taiwan, the storm brought rough seas, a damaging surf, high storm surge, and heavy precipitation—in addition to extremely high winds—to southern Taiwan, resulting in dropped trees and power lines, some coastal flooding, and a high risk of mudslides in mountainous regions. A number of injuries have been reported, but no deaths to date.

The Taiwan Central Emergency Operating Center reported that approximately 1,500 people have been evacuated, many from mountainous areas with a high risk of mudslides. Upwards of 4,000 members of the military and police have been assigned to provide support for possible additional evacuations.

According to government authorities, more than 260,000 households have lost power in southern Taiwan, and two nuclear power plants reportedly were shut as a precaution. Throughout southern Taiwan, schools and businesses were closed, including in Kaohsiung City and the counties of Hualilen, Penghu, Pingtung, and Taitung. Travel has been widely impacted, with hundreds of domestic and international flights canceled, train service suspended, and bus service curtailed. In addition, the Maritime Port Bureau halted some service Tuesday and Wednesday because of dangerous sea conditions, including service to Green and Orchid islands.

The rough seas and storm surge produced by Meranti have resulted in boats being disabled, including a Kaohsiung freighter, which lost containers as it was swept away. Many vehicles, too, were washed away in flooded streets.

The heavy wind and flooding from Meranti is expected to delay some grain and oil shipments. State-owned Taiwanese oil refiner CPC Corp. and Formosa Petrochemical Corp., for example, shuttered ports in Kaohsiung and Mailiao.

The Taiwan Water Corp. warned that the storm could disrupt the water supply during the annual four-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which begins Thursday.

In the Philippines, the Batanes and Babuyan islands were most strongly impacted by Meranti, which tracked well north of Luzon Island and the capital city Manila. Power was lost to the entire province of Batanes Tuesday evening, and rescue teams were placed on standby. In addition, many farmers in affected islands harvested early to reduce crop loss.

Exposure at Risk

Taiwan faces a serious threat from flooding, which is greatest along the southwestern mountains due to orographic lifting combined with occasional South China Sea monsoon-scale influences. The heavily urbanized areas of Taipei and Kaohsiung have sustained heavy flood damage during typhoons in the past, including typhoons Nari (2001) and Morakot (2009), both of which produced unprecedented levels of flooding.

Strictly enforced building codes throughout the nation have resulted in structures with generally good wind resistance. Low- to mid-rise buildings in Taiwan typically have reinforced concrete frames with brick infill walls. Some masonry residential buildings can also be found, although the majority of these were built prior to 1950. In recent years, these residences have given way to mid-rise apartment buildings and three-story residences, with both types generally of masonry construction. Most buildings in the country are fairly new, however, and recent residences tend to be high-rise complexes built in clusters, predominantly reinforced concrete and many with ceramic façades (although some are steel).

The commercial and industrial buildings in Taiwan usually date to 1970 or later and generally are built to better structural standards than residences. About half of Taiwan’s commercial and industrial stock is made of steel while the rest is mostly reinforced concrete.

Insurance Impact

Damage to property in Taiwan is generally distributed equally between wind and flood, but storm surge damage can be appreciable, particularly along the west coast of Taiwan and can heavily affect the Taipei area and the Kaohsiung area through the Tamsui River and the Love River, respectively. (The deep bathymetry of the east coast minimizes storm surge risk on that side of the island.)

Taiwan’s residential buildings usually have commercial establishments on the first floor, while the upper stories are used for residential purposes. The mixed occupancy use in Taiwan makes the vulnerability of residential and commercial lines of business very similar.

China Landfall

Typhoon Meranti made landfall near Xiamen in Fujian Province early Thursday, September 15, local time with wind speed near 180 km/h (112 mph). A stronger storm than Typhoon Nepartak when it made landfall on China, Meranti brings a high risk of torrential precipitation that could result in flooding and mudslides.

In anticipation of the storm, the National Meteorological Center issued a red typhoon warning early Wednesday morning, local time. Preparations for evacuations are taking place, some train service has been canceled, and ships have been ordered to port.

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Posting Date: September 14, 2016, 2:00:00 PM