Typhoon Nari (2001)

Typhoon Nari, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Kiko, was an unusually long-lived category 3 typhoon which took an erratic, two week track near Taiwan during September 2001. It was the 16th typhoon to be named in the 2001 Pacific typhoon season.

Typhoon Nari (Kiko)

Typhoon (JMA scale)
Category 3 typhoon (SSHWS)
Typhoon Nari near peak intensity on September 11, 2001
Formed	September 5, 2001
Dissipated	September 21, 2001
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 140 km/h (85 mph) 1-minute sustained: 185 km/h (115 mph)
Lowest pressure	960 hPa (mbar); 28.35 inHg
Fatalities	104 direct
Damage	$443 million (2001 USD)
Areas affected	Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan and Southern China
Part of the 2001 Pacific typhoon season

Meteorological history

Map plotting the track and the intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

On August 31, 2001 a weak low pressure area formed south of Guam. By September 5, it merged with an monsoonal trough feeding it with moisture, and strengthened into the 26th tropical depression of the season northeast of Taiwan. A large, dry flow of air from the north west caused the storm to drift to the northeast where it became a tropical storm on the September 6th. Nari stalled near Okinawa, due to the subtropical ridge dipping near Japan, and became a typhoon on the 7th. On September 9, at around 7:00(UTC), Nari developed an eye, which collapsed 14 hours later due to dry air inflowing around the storm, associated with an upper level trough, causing the leading to the system's decrease in size, while becoming stationary. On September 10, Nari was pulled slightly to the east by the nearby Typhoon Danas, which was nearing Japan. At the same time, it made a small burst of convection, as wind shear lowered, and rapidly intensified into a category 3 typhoon, peaking reaching a peak of 115 mph (185 km/h) winds before weakening to a tropical storm on the 14th. It restrengthened to a typhoon, and as it continued southwestward, Nari reached 100 mph (160 km/h) winds before hitting northeastern Taiwan on the 16th. The storm drifted across the island, emerging into the South China Sea on the 18th as a tropical depression. It continued westward, and finally made landfall east of Hong Kong as a 65 mph (105 km/h) tropical storm on the 20th.

Impact

Flood in Taipei.

Striking two months after Taiwan's second deadliest typhoon, Toraji, Nari brought torrential rainfall to much of the island. Numerous landslides triggered by the storm's rain destroyed homes and buried people. At least 94 people were killed on the island due to the storm and 10 others were listed as missing. Agricultural losses from Nari were estimated at NT$2.9 billion (US$84 million).[1] In mountainous regions, more than 1,225 mm (48.2 in) of rain fell over a two-day span, leading to many rivers overflowing their banks. On September 17, some areas recorded a record-breaking 800 mm (31 in) during a single day, equivalent to four months of rain in Taiwan. At the height of the storm, an estimated 650,000 people were without power and 350,000 lost their water and telephone service. Most of the fatalities took place around the city of Taipei and nearby counties. The metro system in the city was severely damaged by floods and was not expected to be working for at least six months.[2]

Aftermath

In response to the severe damage, the Taiwanese government deployed roughly 8,000 soldiers to assist in search-and-rescue operations across the island. Nearly 10,000 people in northern and central Taiwan were relocated to shelters set up across the region.[2]

Already suffering from an economic downturn from the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, the economy of Taiwan was severely affected by Nari. Businesses across the island were shut down and the stock exchange was closed for several days. Moreover, after it reopened, there was significantly less stock activity as hundreds of thousands of residents were either unable to get to work or were hampered by travel issues.[2] The combination of the two events was estimated to have reduced the gross domestic product of Taiwan by 0.2%, roughly NT$19.4 billion ($560 million USD).

See also

• 2001 Pacific typhoon season
• List of wettest tropical cyclones

References

1. Alice Hung (September 21, 2001). "Eighth typhoon this year bears down on Taiwan". Reuters. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
2. Staff Writer (September 18, 2001). "Typhoon Nari kills 48 in Taiwan". BBC. Retrieved April 21, 2010.

External links

• The JMA's Best Track Data on Typhoon Nari (0116) (in Japanese)
• The JMA's RSMC Best Track Data (Graphics) on Typhoon Nari (0116)
• The JMA's RSMC Best Track Data (Text)
• The JTWC's Best Track Data on Typhoon 20W (Nari)