&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:Sarah_sept_11_1989_0512Z.jpg) Typhoon Sarah near peak intensity on September 11, 1989 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 5, 1989 |
| Dissipated | September 14, 1989 |
| Typhoon | |
| 10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
| Highest winds | 150 km/h (90 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 950 hPa (mbar); 28.05 inHg |
| Category 4-equivalent typhoon | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 230 km/h (145 mph) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 71 total |
| Damage | $175 million (1989 USD) |
| Areas affected | Philippines, Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, China |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1989 Pacific typhoon season | |
Typhoon Sarah, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Openg, was a powerful typhoon that caused extensive damage along an erratic path across the Western Pacific in September 1989. Originating from a disturbance within a monsoon trough in early September, Sarah was first classified as a tropical depression near the Mariana Islands on September 5. Moving quickly westward, the depression soon strengthened into Tropical Storm Sarah. On September 8, the storm abruptly turned southward and temporarily attained typhoon status. Following a series of interactions with secondary areas of low pressure, the storm turned northward the following day. By September 11, Sarah entered a region favoring development and underwent a period of explosive intensification. At the end of this phase, the storm attained its peak intensity as a Category 4–equivalent typhoon on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. The typhoon subsequently weakened rapidly and made two landfalls in Taiwan by September 12. After moving over the Taiwan Strait, Sarah made its final landfall in Eastern China on September 13 before dissipating the following day.
While the typhoon meandered near the Philippines, it brought several days of heavy rain to much of Luzon, triggering extensive flash flooding. At least 44 people perished across the country and another 200,000 were left homeless. Striking Taiwan as a strong typhoon, Sarah caused widespread wind damage that left approximately 840,000 residents without power. Excessive rainfall associated with the storm triggered flooding that washed away highways and inundated about 40,500 hectares (100,000 acres) of farmland. Throughout the island, Sarah was responsible for 19 fatalities and at least US$171 million (4.38 billion New Taiwan dollars) in damage.[nb 1] Four deaths also took place on the Gotō Islands. Additionally, four deaths took place offshore and another seventeen people were listed as missing.
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