 Surface analysis of Typhoon Trix on October 20 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | October 15, 1952 |
| Dissipated | October 26, 1952 |
| Typhoon | |
| 10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
| Lowest pressure | 965 hPa (mbar); 28.50 inHg |
| Category 4-equivalent typhoon | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 220 km/h (140 mph) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | >1,400 |
| Damage | >$60 million (1952 USD) |
| Areas affected | Palau, Philippines, Vietnam |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1952 Pacific typhoon season | |
Typhoon Trix was a devastating and deadly tropical cyclone of the 1952 Pacific typhoon season that severely impacted the Philippines and also affected the coast of Indochina, particularly Vietnam. As the eighteenth storm and twelfth typhoon of the season, Trix formed on October 15 as a tropical depression over Micronesia, being first tracked by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). Trix slowly strengthened as it moved westwards, before it rapidly intensified as it neared the Philippines. Slight weakening took place before the system passed over the country before restrengthening in the South China Sea. There, Trix degraded again for the second time and moved over Vietnam as a tropical storm before dissipating over Thailand.
The severe effects of Trix were on Visayas and southern Luzon, where croplands, houses and communication and transportation services were disrupted and destroyed as a result. The Philippine Weather Bureau warned people about rain-induced landslides, gusty winds and seas from the storm. UPI and AP called the system the worst in years due to its catastrophic aftermath. Many bodies were recovered and death toll were continuously increasing as several areas were slowly recovering from the disaster. The total casualty figure from the storm were at 995 while damages stood at $60 million, in which the majority are from Bicol region. In Indochina, over 405 were killed by the storm in various areas and damages were unknown. A French Air Force aircraft crashed in a mountain on October 29, killing 10 people and injuring one.