&sq=&lang=&file=File:Muifa_2004-11-18_0235Z.jpg) Typhoon Muifa intensifying off the Philippines on November 17 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | November 14, 2004 |
| Dissipated | November 26, 2004 |
| 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 | 215 km/h (130 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 927 hPa (mbar); 27.37 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 108 direct |
| Damage | $18 million (2004 USD) |
| Areas affected | Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2004 Pacific typhoon season | |
Typhoon Muifa, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Unding,[1] was a strong typhoon during the 2004 Pacific typhoon season. The name Muifa is taken from the ume blossom.
The first of four consecutive tropical cyclones to strike the Philippines, a tropical disturbance became Tropical Depression 29W on November 14 and strengthened into Tropical Storm Muifa in the early of the 15th when centered east-southeast of Manila, the Philippines. Muifa turned back onto a west-northwest heading and intensified. It reached typhoon intensity on the 17th just prior to beginning a two-day clockwise loop. Late on the 18th, Muifa's intensity peaked at 130 mph (115 knots), still to the east of the Philippines. Unding, as PAGASA named it, made landfall very late on the 19th near Naga City with maximum winds of 80 mph (70 kn). The storm briefly lost typhoon strength for a day until it regained typhoon intensity in the South China Sea on the 21st. Muifa held onto typhoon status until late on the 23rd when its weakened to a tropical storm once more. By early on the 26th, a weakening Tropical Depression Muifa was located 250 nm south of Bangkok, Thailand. Later that day Muifa turned northward into an environment of increased wind shear and dissipated 120 nautical miles (220 km) south-southwest of Bangkok.
The highest 24-hour rainfall amount from the Philippines was 246.4 mm at Catanduanes between midday the 15th and 16th. The death toll reported from the Philippines was 68 dead, 160 injured, and 69 unaccounted for. A total of 26,238 houses were destroyed and 76,062 damaged; total damage reached $1.01 billion pesos ($17.96 million 2004 USD). The highest 24-hour rainfall amount reported in Thailand was 251.5 mm at the Prachuap Khiri Khan airport between the afternoon of the 25th and 26th. Floods and landslides triggered by the typhoon killed about 40 people, and 42 more people were reported missing.[1]