&sq=&lang=&file=File:Saomai_2000-09-10_0210Z.jpg) Saomai near peak intensity on September 10 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | August 31, 2000 |
| Extratropical | September 16, 2000 |
| Dissipated | September 19, 2000 |
| Very strong typhoon | |
| 10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
| Highest winds | 175 km/h (110 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 925 hPa (mbar); 27.32 inHg |
| Category 5-equivalent super typhoon | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 260 km/h (160 mph) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | >28 |
| Damage | $6.3 billion (2000 USD) |
| Areas affected |
|
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2000 Pacific typhoon season | |
Typhoon Saomai, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Osang, was a long-tracked and intense tropical cyclone that brought flooding rainfall in Japan and the Korean Peninsula in September 2000. The torrential precipitation in Japan was considered some of the worst in the past century.
Saomai, the second strongest typhoon in the western Pacific in 2000, developed from an area of disturbed weather in open sea on August 31. The system was initially quick to intensify, reaching an initial peak intensity as a typhoon on September 4. Wind shear caused a hiatus in Saomai's strengthening phase, and as a result Saomai weakened back to a tropical storm as it tracked northwest for the next few days. On September 9, the system regained typhoon intensity and began to rapidly intensify, reaching peak intensity on September 10 with maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h (109 mph).[nb 1] Over the ensuing two days Saomai would weaken slightly before making landfall on Okinawa Island. The typhoon later entered the East China Sea, where it recurved towards the northeast before making landfall on South Korea as a severe tropical storm, later transitioning into an extratropical cyclone on September 16. Saomai's remnants would move into Russia before dissipating three days later.
As a developing typhoon, the outer rainbands of Saomai affected the Mariana Islands, causing moderate damage. Localized power outages were reported, and damage totaled to US$650,000.[nb 2] Even before Saomai made landfall on Okinawa, the typhoon caused rough seas off the coast of Japan that resulted in several shipping incidents. Concurrently, the approach of a front into the country interacted with the typhoon, resulting in unprecedented rainfalls in Japan. Due to the floods, approximately 400,000 people were evacuated in three prefectures. In Nagoya, observed rainfall totals were the highest since records began in 1891. Despite making landfall on Okinawa, damage was not as severe, though several landslides and strong winds were reported. Overall, damage in Japan and its outlying islands totaled JP¥24.8 billion (US$223 million) and eleven fatalities were reported. As Saomai tracked near China, its outer rainbands and strong waves prompted the evacuation of 20,000 people and caused record high stream heights.
In South Korea, eight people were killed and damage figures equated to US$71 million. Widespread power outages took a toll on as many as 422,000 homes and heavy rains flooded numerous fields of crops. Minor damage occurred in North Korea, though the damage wrought by Typhoon Prapiroon earlier in the month was exacerbated by Saomai's impacts. In Russia, where the typhoon made landfall as an extratropical storm, nine people were killed due to car accidents spurred by rainfall caused by the Saomai. Overall, Saomai's effects resulted in the death of 28 people and roughly US$6.3 billion in damage.[1]
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- ^ "Loss events in Asia 1980 – 2013" (PDF). Munich Re. January 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2015.