Due to its close proximity to Hong Kong,the HKO once again issued the highest signal category in anticipation of the storm,Hurricane Signal No.10,just two years after Typhoon Saola battered the territory. Wipha continued to track closely over Hong Kong and Macau,bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall to the territories. The storm made landfall over Taishan in Guangdong Province on July 20 as a minimal typhoon,and it gradually weakened afterwards as it headed west-southwestward towards the Gulf of Tonkin. The storm later made its second landfall between Hưng Yên and Ninh Bình in Northern Vietnam as a weakening tropical storm. It continued moving inland until before eventually dissipating on July 23.
Wipha helped enhance the southwest monsoon and generated flooding and landslides that caused extensive damage in the Philippines,leaving 40 people dead and eight others missing.
Meteorological history
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity,according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
At 02:00 PHT (18:00 UTC) on July 18, Crising was upgraded into a tropical storm and named Wipha by the JMA. The storm later moved northwestward, passing near Santa Ana, Cagayan and then the Babuyan Islands as it continued to intensify.[5] On July 19, the JTWC followed suit, upgrading the monsoon depression into a tropical storm and designated it as 09W.[citation needed] At 08:00 PHT (00:00 UTC) on the same day, Wipha was upgraded to a severe tropical storm.[6]
Later, the JTWC reported that Wipha gradually intensified into a minimal typhoon due to favorable environmental conditions. At 17:50 CST (09:50 UTC) on July 20, the storm made landfall over Taishan, in Guangdong Province, China.[7][8] After skirting through Guangdong, Wipha slowed down and slightly weakened into a tropical storm over Beihai, Guangxi Province, before entering the Gulf of Tonkin. On July 21, despite the weakening trend, satellite imagery continued to show Wipha as relatively well-organized, with well-defined convective bands wrapping into an obscured low-level circulation center (LLCC),[9] and was reupgraded by the JMA to severe tropical storm status on July 22.[citation needed] At around 10:00 ICT (03:00 UTC), the storm moved through the Gulf of Tonkin, gradually weakening before making another landfall in the provinces of Hưng Yên and Ninh Bình in Vietnam (previously Thái Bình and Nam Định) on July 22.[10][11] Shortly afterwards, the JTWC issued its final warning as Wipha continued to move inland. On July 23, the JMA also downgraded Wipha to a tropical depression, acknowledging that it had moved over land. Its remnants moved west-southwestward as it tracked on the southern periphery of the subtropical ridge to the north until it dissipated on that day.[citation needed]
As Wipha continued threatening Hong Kong, the HKO issued a Standby Tropical Cyclone Signal No.1 on July 18 and forecast that the storm would pass around 50km (31mi) south of the territory.[23] As the storm edged closer to the territory, HKO raised to Northeast Gale or Storm Signal No. 8 at 00:20 HKT (16:20 UTC) on July 20.[24] At least 515 flights in Chek Lap Kok International Airport were either canceled or delayed in preparation for the storm.[25][26]
An Increasing Gale or Storm Signal No.9 was issued at 07:20 HKT (23:20 UTC) as winds intensified and conditions deteriorated across Hong Kong. The warning was later upgraded to Hurricane Signal No.10 at 09:20 HKT (01:20 UTC) on July 20, marking the first time the highest-level storm signal had been raised since Typhoon Saola back in September 2023.[27] The highest signal was kept in force for more than six hours. As a result, all schools and non-essential public services were closed, emergency shelters were opened, and residents were advised to stay indoors and keep windows closed.[28] Additionally, an Amber Rainstorm Warning and a Red Rainstorm Warning came successively into force from 15:10 HKT (07:10 UTC) to 18:10 (10:10 UTC), indicating that the intense rainbands associated with Wipha would continue to bring frequent and heavy downpours to the territory.[26][29] As Wipha gradually moved away from the territory, the agency lowered the signal to the Southeast Gale or Storm Signal No.8 at 16:10 HKT (08:10 UTC) before further downgrading it back to Strong Wind Signal No.3 as the winds continued to weaken progressively.[30][31] Shortly after that, all the warning signals were discontinued.[32][33]
Macau
On July 18, the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) warned that Wipha may skirt within 80km (50mi) of the territory.[34] On July 20, the SMG hoisted a Signal No.10 in Macau as it moved close to the territory. It was the first time the highest signal there was raised since Typhoon Saola in 2023.[35][36] A yellow storm surge warning was also issued, stating that flooding of up to one metre (3feet 3inches) above road level may occur in low-lying areas.[37][38][39]
Thailand
The Thai Meteorological Department issued a warning for heavy rainfall from Wipha in 41 provinces, including the capital Bangkok, and cautioned that waves of 2–4m (6.6–13.1ft) could affect coastal areas in the country.[40]
Wipha (known locally as Crising), combined with the subsequent Tropical Storm Francisco (Dante) and Typhoon Co-may (Emong),[51] helped enhance the southwest monsoon, triggered floods in the Philippines[52] and affecting more than 9.5million people,[53] of which 193,000 were displaced.[51] The storm killed 40 people, including nine in Metro Manila, eight in Calabarzon, six in Western Visayas, three in Ilocos Region, Northern Mindanao, Cordillera Administrative Region and Negros Island Region, two each in Central Luzon,[54]Mimaropa,[55]Bicol[56] and Cagayan Valley,[57] and one each in Bangsamoro, Davao and Caraga Regions,[58][59] with 33 more injured and eight others missing. Damages from Wipha reached ₱19.66 billion(US$399.28 million),[54] while 161 roads and 17 bridges were rendered impassable.[51] Around 8,466 houses were destroyed, while 64,593 others were damaged.[54] Power outages occurred in 76 cities and municipalities.[60] More than 100 domestic flights were canceled, stranding 8,695 passengers,[61] while 1,280 people and 118 vessels were stranded in 42 ports nationwide.[62][63] But according to NDRRMC, total damage by Wipha, Francisco and Co-may reached ₱16.51 billion(US$335.15 million) in infrastructure and ₱4.86 billion(US$98.61 million) in agriculture for a total of ₱21.36 billion(US$433.77 million).[64]
The United States pledged ₱13.8 million(US$280,203.05) in humanitarian aid to the Philippines to be disbursed through the World Food Programme.[77] The US military sent aircraft to deliver aid.[78]
The Victoria Harbour view after the HKO issued Hurricane Signal No.10 on July 20
At least 33 people sought medical treatment,[83] 711 reports of fallen trees were received[84] and 277 people sought evacuation.[84] Partial flooding was reported at a shopping center[where?] as a result of the torrential rains and strong winds brought by the storm.[26] Due to the effects of the storm, on July 20, the Hong Kong Observatory issued a red rainstorm signal at 15:45 HKT (07:45 UTC).[85][non-primary source needed] On July 22, another amber rainstorm signal was issued at 20:00 HKT (12:00 UTC).[86] Sources[who?] said that the estimated nominal damages of the storm in Hong Kong could reach of up to HK$2 billion(US$257.4 million) when it struck the territory on July 20.[87]
Macau
140 flights were reportedly canceled while 13 other flights were rescheduled in Macau International Airport. Five people were injured by the storm in the territory.[36]
China
Flooding caused by heavy rains related to Wipha killed two people and left 10 others missing in Shandong Province, where homes were damaged and villages were cut off.[88] In Jinan, 364mm (14.3in) of rain was recorded, flooding two villages and damaging 19 homes.[89] Damage in China reached 1.91billion yuan (US$266million).[90]
Vietnam
The province of Nghệ An was severely affected by the storm.[91] In the province, five people died due to flooding, landslides, and fallen trees.[92] The communes of Mỹ Lý, Nhôn Mai, Mường Xén and Tri Lễ were heavily affected. Four others were injured, and 3,654 homes were damaged or flooded. Total economic damages reached 3.767trillion VND (US$149.3million) as of August 6.[93] Damage by the storm reported in Ninh Bình Province was estimated at 386.15billion VND (US$15.3million)[94] and in Thanh Hóa province reached 382 billion VND (US$15.1 million).[95] The remnants of storm caused heavy rain in Đồng Tháp Province and damage was estimated at 21.2 billlion VND (US$840,000).[96]
In Phú Thọ, strong winds and heavy rains killed one person and damaged 304 homes, nine schools, a health center, and an administrative building.[97]Lạng Sơn recorded one fatality and 165 damaged buildings.[98] One death was also reported in Tân Lạc district, Hòa Bình province. In Hanoi, 941 downed trees and fallen branches were reported, blocking roads and affecting traffic in the city.[99] Four people were also injured in Thanh Hóa and Lâm Đồng province.[100] In Thái Nguyên province, one person died after a wall collapsed, another was injured and 261 homes were damaged, with an additional 40 homes damaged in Cao Bằng province.[101] Two fishermen were left missing, 58 boats sank and 154 homes were damaged in Hà Tĩnh province.[102] The sinking of the Wonder Sea tourist boat in Ha Long Bay, which occurred shortly before Wipha entered the South China Sea, was eventually deemed to be unrelated to the storm.[103]
Thailand
Despite being far from the storm, the island of Phuket and the nearby Krabi province were affected by strong winds attributed to Wipha. One woman was killed and another was injured by a falling tree in Phuket, while another man was swept out to sea while swimming and drowned; both fatalities were Chinese tourists.[104] The island of Koh Samui was also battered by heavy rains and strong winds from Wipha.[105]
The remnants of Wipha triggered flooding in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Nan, Chiang Rai, and Udon Thani. At least 130 homes were damaged in Nan Province.[106]
Laos
Severe flooding reported in Luang Prabang, Phongsaly, Xiangkhouang, Vientiane, Houaphanh and several other regions across northern Laos.[107] Across 34 districts and 262 villages in the country, four people were killed, six suffered injuries, four were left missing, affected 15,000 families and damaged more than 2,200 homes, of which 183 were destroyed.[108] Damage in Khammouane Province reached 108 billion LAK (US$5 million).[109]
Myanmar
Heavy rains related to Wipha caused severe flooding in Myawaddy, with water levels in the Great Tenasserim River rising by over 1m (3.3ft), raising concerns about potential destruction to homes in the area.[110] A dam collapsed due to rising water levels in the Sittaung River, exacerbating flooding in the town of Madauk.[111] Floods killed four people and reportedly caused extensive damage in Mong Pawk.[112]
India
The remnants of Wipha reintensified into Depression BOB 04 in the North Indian Ocean. As a result, Kolkata recorded 186mm (7.3in) of rain in 15 hours from July 24 to 25, while Alipore recorded 120mm (4.7in) in 24 hours. Gusts of 50km/h (31mph; 27kn) and flooding was recorded in the city.[113]
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