Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | August 23,2011 |
Extratropical | September 5,2011 |
Dissipated | September 7,2011 |
Severe tropical storm | |
10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
Highest winds | 95 km/h (60 mph) |
Lowest pressure | 970 hPa (mbar);28.64 inHg |
Tropical storm | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
Highest winds | 100 km/h (65 mph) |
Lowest pressure | 982 hPa (mbar);29.00 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 82 |
Missing | 16 |
Damage | $600 million (2011 USD) |
Areas affected | Japan |
IBTrACS / [1] | |
Part of the 2011 Pacific typhoon season |
Severe Tropical Storm Talas (formerly called Typhoon Talas),was an unusually large tropical cyclone that caused many deaths and severe damage to Japan. It was the 12th named storm and the 7th severe tropical storm of the 2011 Pacific typhoon season. Talas is known to have killed at least 82 people,and 16 more are still missing. The word Talas is a Filipino word meaning sharpness. [2] It followed five months after Japan was hit by a large tsunami.
Throughout Japan,Talas brought heavy rainfall leaving roads flooded. Extremely heavy rainfall of 66.5 millimeters per hour was observed,with rainfall of 69.0 mm in Yamanakako,Yamanashi,and 49.5 mm in Ichinoseki,Iwate which exceeded overall records for the entire month of September. Some 3,200 people were evacuated in 16 prefectures after extremely heavy rain. Some 700 houses were completely inundated by floods in eastern and western Japan and about 9,500 households in nine prefectures across the nation suffered power outages. More than 400 flights were cancelled leaving approximately 34,000 stranded.
In post-analysis,the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) downgraded Talas from a minimal typhoon to a severe tropical storm.
Late on August 22, an area of low pressure developed to the west of Guam. [3] At midnight that day, the system became sufficiently well organized that the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) started tracking it as a tropical depression. [4] On August 23, the system moved into an environment of low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures prompting the JTWC to issue a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) on it. [5] By August 25, the system grew strong enough that the JMA upgraded it to a tropical storm, naming it Talas. [6] Soon the system developed long and expansive convective banding along the eastern and south-western periphery of the broad low level circulation center, similar to a monsoonal depression. The JTWC initiated advisories on the system, designating it with 15W. The JTWC originally anticipated a fujiwhara effect of Typhoon Nanmadol, a stronger tropical cyclone to the west of Talas. [7]
However, the two cyclones moved far away from each other with at least 1,000 nautical miles (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) of distance between them. This prompted the JTWC to change its forecast on the system, from turning west and interacting with Nanmadol, to continuously move north and intensify into a typhoon. [8] This prompted the JMA to upgrade Talas to a severe tropical storm with winds of 50 knots (95 km/h; 60 mph). [9] Multiple competitive steering ridges caused Talas to move in a poleward direction with stronger winds in the periphery and weaker winds near the center. A tropical upper tropospheric trough (TUTT) caused subsidance in the atmosphere which caused a disturbance in the outflow towards the northwest of the system. However, another TUTT cell to the northeast opened an outflow channel which kept Talas from being destroyed by shear. [10] Talas was very loosely organized with a relatively open circulation center and very low consolidation around the core. Convection was also displaced towards the periphery and stronger wind shear kept Talas from strengthening. [11]
Talas, being located in a very weak steering environment hardly moved in 24 hours and was effectively trapped between strong subtropical ridges and an anticyclone. Talas failed to strengthen for a very long time and remained loosely organized with all the convection located in the periphery. [12] Early on August 28, Talas started to strengthen after a whole day in dry winds. The low-level circulation center started to get consolidated with deep convective bands wrapping into it. Talas was expected to make landfall over central Japan with strong winds. [13] Talas then moved into an environment favorable for slow development, with moist winds and significantly warm sea surface temperatures. The center became well organized with convective bands tightly wrapped into it. [14] Wind shear decreased and the center was wrapped with more tightly curved banding. The JTWC reported that there was more confidence in the strength and position of the system. They JTWC reported that they were expecting a peak intensity of 90 knots (165 km/h; 105 mph). [15]
Soon, the subtropical ridge to the west of the storm weakened and the subtropical ridge to the east of the system pushed Talas to the west. As a result, Talas accelerated towards the west maintaining strength and outflow. [16] An upper-level cyclone over the system suppressed the convection and kept it from reaching the center. Therefore, Talas remained weak and did not strengthen further. Convection never managed to consolidate the center and convective banding remained well away from the fully exposed low-level circulation center. [17] Convective banding completely encircled the LLCC but never managed to consolidate over the LLCC because of the strong upper-lever cyclone over the storm. Talas was being steered by a mid-level anticyclone, a part of the developing omega block. [18] On September 1, Talas developed a large annulus of nearly 110 nautical miles (205 km; 125 mi) in diameter with multiple weak circulations cyclonically rotating around a centroid within the center. Fragmented deep convective banding broadly wrapped the low-level circulation center with an upper-level cyclone over the center and anticyclonic flow around the periphery of the storm. [19]
Soon, Talas turned towards the Kansai region of Japan maintaining intensity with cloud tops warming around the expansive, nearly cloud-free 140 nautical miles (260 km; 160 mi) wide low level circulation center (LLCC). Gale-force winds were extending to over 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) towards the north. [20] The convective banding continued to expand more and more with the outer rainbands already brushing parts of Japan. Coastal areas in the nation have already reported gale-force winds several hours before landfall, while the Omega block continued to drive Talas towards the nation. [21] Land interaction weakened Talas, prompting the JMA to downgrade Talas from a typhoon to a severe tropical storm with winds of under 60 knots (110 km/h; 70 mph). [22]
On September 2, Talas accelerated towards Japan and started making landfall over Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. As a result, convective cloud tops started to warm up and banding became more fragmented. Talas maintained its large annulus with better poleward outflow enhanced by the strong mid latitude westerlies. [23] After making landfall over Aki, Japan early on September 3, Talas moved into an area of moderate wind shear (15–20 knots) along the western edge of a deep-layered subtropical ridge with a mid-latitude trough approaching from the northwest. [24] [25] As a result, the LLCC started weakening and slowed down over land. Also, the mid-latitude trough located to the northwest of the system started to weaken, which made the JTWC anticipate Talas to turn northwestward and accelerate as it enters the Sea of Japan. [26] However, Talas slowly drifted north and entered an area of strong wind shear (30–50 knots). On becoming exposed to wind shear and strong upper-level westerlies, Talas became grossly elongated to the northeast and convective banding became more shallow and fragmented. [27] On entering the cold waters of the Sea of Japan, Talas accelerated north at over 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph). The central convection became significantly eroded and was displaced to the north-east as Talas was exposed to a very strong wind shear of over 50 knots (95 km/h; 60 mph) that made the LLCC very distorted and difficult to pin-point. Talas was embedded in a baroclinic zone and the JTWC anticipated an extratropical transition, which prompted them to issue their final warning on the system. [28] On September 5, the JMA issued their final warning on the system, reporting that Talas had become extratropical over the Sea of Japan. [29] [30]
As the storm strengthened into a severe tropical storm (typhoon operationally), the residents of Tokyo, Japan were informed to stay updated and stock up for Talas. Heavy rains and strong winds which could trigger flash flooding and landslides were expected. [31] Also, a strong rainstorm of 50 millimetres (2.0 in) – 70 millimetres (2.8 in) per hour was expected. [32] Talas was expected to cause rainfall and strong winds for an unusually long period of time because of its slow movement. [33] Worries grew as the typhoon was heading towards the area which was previously devastated by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Parts of Tohoku where the tsunami occurred are still in ruins. [34]
Talas slowed down on approaching Japan, bringing heavy rainfall to the southern coast. In Shunan, Yamaguchi, extremely heavy rainfall of 66.5 millimeters per hour was observed, with rainfall of 69.0 mm in Yamanakako, Yamanashi, and 49.5 mm in Ichinoseki, Iwate which exceeded overall records for the entire month of September. [35] As the typhoon approached, The Fujisankei Classic, an annual golf event on the Japan Golf Tour was disrupted by the heavy rain. [36] Heavy rains triggered flash flooding, which killed one person, and injured 17 leaving three more missing soon after the landfall. [37] Some 3,200 people were evacuated in 16 prefectures after the typhoon slammed the island nation with extremely heavy rains. [38] The Central Japan Railway Company had to suspend its bullet train services on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line between Gifu-Hashima and Maibara railway stations because of the storm. [39] More than 300 houses were flooded while several landslides were reported since the storm's landfall in southern Japan. Also, since the storm was moving unusually slow, it worsened the condition. [40] NHK confirmed that the number of dead was 27, the number of injured was 106 and the number of missing was 49. [41]
Some 700 houses were completely inundated by the floodwaters spawned by Talas in eastern and western Japan and about 9,500 households in nine prefectures across the nation were without power after power outages. More than 400 flights were cancelled leaving some 34,000 stranded. [42] Most of the devastation occurred in Osaka, where a flooded river washed away two complete houses and a landslide destroyed four houses. Extremely heavy rainfall of as high as 170 centimetres (67 in) was dumped over Osaka since Talas approached Japan. [43] The heavy rainfall triggered obvious flooding in the rivers, but so extreme that an entire bridge was washed away. [44]
I have to think about how to help the people of the town deal with this disaster. Only after that can I think about my family. I hope that I can find my wife soon to send off my family with my daughter.
Talas poured record rainfall across the nation stranding thousands, turning towns into lakes and washed away cars, setting off mudslides. The storm also damaged the Nijō Castle, a flatland castle located in Kyoto, Japan. [46] On September 5, Japanese rescue workers started digging through the debris to look for the missing since the number of missing is unusually high. [47] Death toll continued to rise after the intense mudslides and flooding triggered by Talas. CNN reported that local authorities raised the death toll to 29 and the number of missing to 56. The Japanese government started an emergency search-and-rescue operation to begin reconstruction of damaged communities and to find those missing. [48] Ever since the typhoon approached land, Talas continuously dumped heavy rain over the Wakayama, Nara and Mie prefectures turning a large portion of the area to swamps. More than 750 Self-Defense Forces have been deployed in order to help local police and firefighters with the rescue and search operations. Talas broke a record of 1,322 millimetres (52.0 in) rainfall that fell on the southern town of Takachiho in Miyazaki Prefecture in September 2005. Talas's rainfall also exceeded the year round average of rainfall that falls over the city of Tokyo. [49] Most of the deaths were reported in Wakayama Prefecture where at least 17 people are reported to have been killed. The typhoon caused most of the substantial damage in the Kii Peninsula, that is located just a few hundreds of kilometers south of the tsunami-ravaged coast. As of 2023, landslides and infrastructure damage are still highly evident throughout the Kii peninsula, including damage to the Kumano Kodo World Heritage sites. [2] The death toll continued to rise rapidly and on the same day, Kyodo News updated the number of deaths to 32 and the number of missing to 57. Japan's newly elected Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said "We will do everything we can to rescue people and search for the missing". [50] Both remnants of Talas and the outflow of Tropical Storm Noru together brought heavy rainfall of over 400 mm in Hokkaido. [51]
Electric and telephone lines in Mie, Nara and Wakayama prefectures were damaged, leaving some 194,000 households in the Kansai Electric Power Company's area with power outages. [52] On September 6, aid-laden helicopters landed in the hardest-hit areas while police, firefighters and soldiers started clearing roads and debris so that they could distribute food, medicine and other assistance. [53] However, thousands of people remained isolated for a long time because of the bad conditions of the roads, that prevented rescue workers from quickly reaching the victims. Relief materials such as canned food, rice balls, and drinking water were being supplied to the victims since the operation was started. [54] Talas death toll continued to rise rapidly since the landfall. On September 7, the death toll was said to have increased to 40 with 50 people still missing. [55] Later the same day, death toll continued to rise and reached 54 after reports from the search and rescue operations listed more people as dead. [56] Soon, Air Worldwide reported that the total losses caused by Talas in Japan could have exceeded US$600 million. [57] On September 8, the death toll rose to 59, while 50 others were still missing. Hundreds more remained stranded after several roads were damaged by the typhoon. [58]
The 2008 Pacific typhoon season was a below average season which featured 22 named storms, eleven typhoons, and two super typhoons. The season had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2008, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
Typhoon Neoguri, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Ambo, was the earliest tropical cyclone on record to strike China. The first named storm in the 2008 Pacific typhoon season, named after the Korean word for raccoon dog, it formed from a low pressure area on April 13 to the east of the Philippine island of Mindanao, and after crossing the island it intensified into a tropical storm in the South China Sea. Environmental conditions allowed for quick strengthening, with Neoguri attaining typhoon status on April 16. The typhoon reached its peak intensity on April 18 as it approached the island of Hainan, and subsequently it turned northward. Due to increased wind shear and cooler waters, Neoguri rapidly weakened and made landfall as a minimal tropical storm in southern China on April 19.
The 2009 Pacific typhoon season was a below average season that spawned only 22 named storms, 13 typhoons, and five super typhoons. It was also recognized as the deadliest season in the Philippines for decades. The first half of the season was very quiet whereas the second half of the season was extremely active. The season's first named storm, Kujira, developed on May 3 while the season's last named storm, Nida, dissipated on December 3.
The 2011 Pacific typhoon season was a below average season that produced a total of 21 named storms, 8 typhoons, and four super typhoons. This season was much more active than the previous season, although both seasons were below the Pacific typhoon average of 26. The season ran throughout 2011, though most tropical cyclone tend to develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Aere, developed on May 7 while the season's last named storm, Washi dissipated on December 19.
Typhoon Nanmadol, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Mina, was the strongest tropical cyclone in 2011 to hit the Philippines and also the second most intense tropical cyclone worldwide in 2011, and the first of the year to directly impact Taiwan and the rest of the Republic of China (ROC). Becoming the eleventh named storm, the seventh severe tropical storm and the fourth typhoon of the 2011 Pacific typhoon season, Nanmadol made a total of three landfalls killing 26, and causing widespread damage worth US$26,464,591. The area of low pressure that was about to become Nanmadol formed on August 19. It drifted north and became a tropical depression on August 21, a tropical storm on August 23 and a typhoon on the same night. Nanmadol reached peak strength with winds of 105 knots and 140 knots threatening the Philippines with heavy rain and flash flooding.
Typhoon Roke, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Onyok, was a powerful and persistent tropical cyclone that affected Japan, including some areas that had been damaged by Talas just a few weeks prior. It was the fifteenth named storm, the tenth severe tropical storm, the sixth typhoon of the 2011 Pacific typhoon season and overall, the 27th tropical cyclone to be monitored by the Japan Meteorological Agency during the year.
Typhoon Nesat, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Pedring, was the most powerful tropical cyclone to directly impact China since 2005. It also struck the Philippines during the 2011 Pacific typhoon season, killing 98 people. It is the 17th named storm, the 11th severe tropical storm, the 7th typhoon and overall, the 30th tropical cyclone to be monitored by the Japan Meteorological Agency(JMA) during the year. Nesat came exactly two years after Typhoon Ketsana made landfall in the Philippines as the most devastating typhoon in the 2009 Pacific typhoon season with a damage of US$1.09 billion and 747 fatalities. Nesat was also the first of twin tropical cyclones to batter the Philippines within one week during September 2011, the second was Nalgae.
Typhoon Guchol, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Butchoy, was a powerful tropical cyclone which became the first typhoon to make landfall in Japan on June since 2004. The storm formed as tropical disturbance south-southeast of Pohnpei on June 7, and was upgraded to a tropical depression on June 10. The system later intensified in favorable conditions, and reached typhoon intensity on June 15. It reached peak intensity late on June 17, before making landfall over Japan as a typhoon on June 19. The system became extratropical shortly after traversing Japan and was last noted by the Japan Meteorological Agency on June 22.
Typhoon Kai-tak, known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Helen, was a mild tropical cyclone that affected China, Vietnam and Laos. It was the seventh typhoon and the thirteenth named storm of the 2012 Pacific typhoon season. The storm killed 41 people and caused a sum of US$765 million in losses. Kai-tak can be tracked back to the broad area of disturbance embedded in a monsoonal trough that was first spotted, early on August 10. It was only at midnight, on August 16, when the JMA officially declared Kai-tak a typhoon. On the morning of August 17, the windspeed dropped to 60 knots and was no longer a typhoon. The typhoon caused heavy damage in China's two provinces killing four people and causing huge economic loss. Kai-Tak slammed the northern Philippines triggering flash floods and landslides and killing at least ten people, one week after deadly monsoon rains battered the country. In Vietnam, Kai-Tak has stormed across the country's north bringing high winds and floods to several areas including the capital Hanoi.
This timeline documents all of the events of the 2011 Pacific typhoon season, the period that tropical cyclones formed in the Western Pacific Ocean in 2011. Most of the tropical cyclones formed between May and November 2011. The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator between 100°E and the International Date Line. Tropical storms that form in the entire Western Pacific basin are assigned a name by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Tropical depressions that form in this basin are given a number with a "W" suffix by the United States' Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). In addition, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigns names to tropical cyclones that enter or form in the Philippine area of responsibility. These names, however, are not in common use outside of the Philippines.
Typhoon Matmo, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Henry, was the first tropical cyclone to impact Taiwan in 2014. It was the tenth named storm and the fourth typhoon of the 2014 Pacific typhoon season. The typhoon is believed to be one of the main reasons behind the crash of TransAsia Airways Flight 222, which occurred a day after it made landfall. There were fifty-four passengers on board and a crew of four, of whom 48 were killed. Taiwan News reported that "first suspicions hinted" the accident might be related to Matmo. The typhoon developed from a cluster of thundershowers consolidating around an area of low pressure in the doldrums. It initially followed a westward track, then made a sharp northwest turn before making landfall on Taiwan, and then China. After moving further inland, Matmo slowly curved back northeastwards and became extratropical before its remnants affected the Korean Peninsula.
Severe Tropical Storm Mekkhala, known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Amang, was an early-season tropical cyclone that made landfall over the Philippines in January 2015. Mekkhala killed three people in the Bicol Region and caused light crop damage. Notably, the storm disturbed Pope Francis’ visit to the country after the victims of Typhoon Haiyan on November 8, 2013. Although the storm also caused an airplane crash in Tacloban, nobody was hurt in the incident.
Typhoon Mindulle was a strong tropical cyclone which affected Japan in August 2016. The ninth named storm and second typhoon of the 2016 Pacific typhoon season, Mindulle was first noted as a low-pressure area northwest of Guam on August 17. Two days later, it was upgraded into a tropical storm, being named Mindulle. Gradually intensifying, Mindulle peaked as a Category 1-equivalent hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale on August 22 before making landfall in Chiba Prefecture later that day. Mindulle rapidly weakened, dissipating the next day.
Typhoon Chaba, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Igme, was the fourth most intense tropical cyclone in 2016 and the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in South Korea since Sanba in 2012. Chaba also caused 7 deaths in the country. Typhoon Chaba was the eighteenth named storm and the eighth typhoon of the 2016 Pacific typhoon season. Chaba originated as a depression around the east-northeast of Guam. Being in a marginally favorable environment, JMA proceeds to name the system as Chaba. On September 28, JTWC gave its identifier as Tropical Depression 21W. Its LLCC starts to improve, prompting the JTWC to upgrade into a tropical storm. Chaba entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility, receiving the name Igme as it moved northwestwards. Chaba became more symmetrical which later ensued its rapid intensification.
Typhoon Damrey, known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Ramil, was a strong tropical cyclone that affected the Philippines and Vietnam during early November 2017. Damrey first originated as a tropical depression over the Philippine archipelago of Visayas on October 31. Emerging into the South China Sea a few days later, the system strengthened into the second deadliest and twenty-third named storm of the 2017 Pacific typhoon season. Rapidly intensifying, Damrey became the season's tenth typhoon on November 3, reaching its peak intensity as a Category 2 on the same day. Damrey made landfall over Khánh Hoà, Vietnam on November 4 and began to rapidly weaken, fully dissipating on November 5.
The 2021 Pacific typhoon season was the second consecutive to have below average tropical cyclone activity, with twenty-two named storms, and was the least active since 2011. Nine became typhoons, and five of those intensified into super typhoons. This low activity was caused by a strong La Niña that had persisted from the previous year. The season's first named storm, Dujuan, developed on February 16, while the last named storm, Rai, dissipated on December 21. The season's first typhoon, Surigae, reached typhoon status on April 16. It became the first super typhoon of the year on the next day, also becoming the strongest tropical cyclone in 2021. Surigae was also the most powerful tropical cyclone on record in the Northern Hemisphere for the month of April. Typhoons In-fa and Rai are responsible for more than half of the total damage this season, adding up to a combined total of $2.02 billion.
The 2022 Pacific typhoon season was the third consecutive season to have below average tropical cyclone activity, with twenty-five named storms forming. Of the tropical storms, ten became typhoons, and three would intensify into super typhoons. The season saw near-average activity by named storm count, although many of the storms were weak and short-lived, particularly towards the end of the season. This low activity was caused by an unusually strong La Niña that had persisted from 2020. The season's first named storm, Malakas, developed on April 6, while the last named storm, Pakhar, dissipated on December 12. The season's first typhoon, Malakas, reached typhoon status on April 12. The season ran throughout 2022, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and October. Tropical storms Megi and Nalgae were responsible for more than half of the casualties, while typhoons Hinnamnor and Nanmadol both caused $1 billion in damages.
The 2023 Pacific typhoon season was the fourth consecutive below-average season and became the third-most inactive typhoon season on record in terms of named storms, with just 17 named storms developing, only ahead of 2010 and 1998. Despite the season occurring during an El Niño event, which typically favors activity in the basin, activity was abnormally low. This was primarily due to a consistent period of negative PDO, which typically discourages tropical storm formation in this basin. The season was less active than the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season in terms of named storms, the fourth such season on record, after 2005, 2010 and 2020; and the first during an El Niño event. The season's number of storms also did not exceed that of the 2023 Pacific hurricane season. Only ten became typhoons, with four strengthening further into super typhoons. However, it was very destructive, primarily due to Typhoon Doksuri which devastated the northern Philippines, Taiwan, and China in July, becoming the costliest typhoon on record as well as the costliest typhoon to hit mainland China, and Typhoon Haikui in September, which devastated China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The season was less active in Southeast Asia, with no tropical storm making landfall in mainland Vietnam.
Tropical Storm Linfa was a weak, short-lived but deadly and destructive tropical cyclone that was the twelfth wettest tropical cyclone on record and the second of nine tropical cyclones in a row to strike Vietnam in 2020, a little under a month after the less damaging Tropical Storm Noul. The fifteenth named storm of the 2020 Pacific typhoon season, Linfa originated from a tropical depression which formed just to the west of the Philippines on October 6. After passing through the island nation, the storm emerged into the South China Sea and slowly gained strength, earning the name Linfa on October 10 on approach to Vietnam. On the next day, Linfa had reached peak strength and made landfall in Vietnam, marking the beginning of a devastating series of floods in the country and worsening the already active monsoon season. Linfa quickly dissipated as it moved inland, but associated thunderstorms continued for several days.
Tropical Storm Haitang was a weak tropical cyclone which impacted China and Southeast Asia. The nineteenth named storm of the below-average 2011 Pacific typhoon season, Haitang developed from a disturbance in the South China Sea. After being recognized as a tropical depression on September 24, Haitang would peak as a minimal tropical storm before making landfall in Hue, Vietnam. Haitang would rapidly weaken once inland, dissipating in Laos in September 27.
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