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Context

A report on the impact of Typhoon Doksuri in Beijing and Fujian province, China, along with its effects on other northern Chinese provinces.

Details

• More than 31,000 people from Beijing have been evacuated since July 30, 2023, due to Typhoon Doksuri.
• Beijing's average rainfall reached 140.8 mm, and the Fangshan area experienced a maximum of 500.4 mm of rainfall, the highest in the city's history.
• The Beijing hydrological station issued a red rainstorm alert, the highest level, in nine districts of the city.
• The Dashi River was expected to experience floods as per the alert.

Impact on Transportation and Infrastructure

• Hundreds of flights were canceled, and railroads, highways, and schools were closed in Beijing due to the heavy rain and flooding.
• The Beijing Public Transportation Group reported that 358 bus routes were affected, with 261 routes suspending operations.

Doksuri's Path and Impact in Fujian Province

• Doksuri entered the eastern seaboard of China through coastal Fujian province on July 28, 2023.
• It caused heavy flooding in Fujian, affecting more than 880,000 residents in the province, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Northern Chinese Provinces Affected

• Since July 29, Typhoon Doksuri brought intense rainfall to at least five northern Chinese provinces.
• Ninety-five more weather warnings were issued across the country.

Flooding Preparations in Hebei Province

• In Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province, more than 20,500 people were evacuated to prepare for flooding.
• State media estimated direct economic losses of over $430 million due to the typhoon.

Casualties and Continuing Threat

• Two people have died, and two others are missing due to the storm in China.
• Heavy rains are expected to continue as the situation remains critical.

Additional Typhoon Khanun and Climate Observations

• Typhoon Khanun, China's sixth typhoon of 2023, is moving closer to the country.
• Doksuri has been the most powerful typhoon among the six in 2023 and comes after a period of record heat in China.
• Local media noted that this is the first time since 2011 that such a heavy rainfall warning has been issued.

About Typhoon Doksuri

• Typhoon Doksuri was a powerful tropical cyclone that caused extensive damage in the Philippines, Taiwan, and China, in late-July 2023.
• The fifth named storm and third typhoon of the 2023 Pacific typhoon season, Doksuri started as a low-pressure area in the Philippines, far off the coast of Mindanao.
• Tracking northwestward, it rapidly intensified into a typhoon over the Philippines prior to making landfall over the Babuyan Islands.
• Doksuri then made landfall in Taiwan as a Category 5 super typhoon, before making landfall in Fujian, China as a Category 4 typhoon.

About Typhoon

• A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that occurs in the western Pacific Ocean and is equivalent to a hurricane or cyclone in other regions.
• Typhoons are intense, rotating low-pressure weather systems characterized by strong winds and heavy rainfall.

Formation and Life Cycle

• Typhoons form over warm ocean waters (typically at least 26.5°C or 80°F) in tropical and subtropical regions.
• They start as tropical depressions and intensify into tropical storms with sustained wind speeds of 39 to 73 mph.
• If the wind speeds exceed 74 mph, the storm becomes a typhoon.

Naming Conventions

• Typhoons are given names to facilitate communication and reduce confusion when multiple storms occur in the same region.
• Different countries and regions have their naming systems for typhoons.

Impact and Damage

• Typhoons can cause widespread damage due to their strong winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges.
• High winds can uproot trees, damage buildings, and disrupt power and communication lines.
• Heavy rainfall leads to flooding and landslides, especially in mountainous regions.

Storm Surges

• Storm surges are the abnormal rise in sea level caused by the strong winds and low atmospheric pressure of a typhoon.
• They can lead to coastal inundation and pose a significant threat to coastal communities.

Typhoon Categories

• Typhoons are categorized based on their wind speeds using various scales like the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
• Categories range from Category 1 (weakest) to Category 5 (strongest), indicating the potential for damage.

Impact on Agriculture and Economy

• Typhoons can have severe implications for agriculture, damaging crops and affecting food production.
• The economic impact of typhoons includes property damage, disruption of businesses, and potential losses in the tourism sector.

Typhoon Preparedness and Mitigation

• Early warning systems and weather monitoring are crucial for preparing communities and minimizing casualties.
• Coastal areas often have storm shelters, and evacuation plans are essential to ensure the safety of residents.
• Long-term measures include building resilient infrastructure and implementing policies to reduce the vulnerability of communities to typhoon impacts.

Climate Change and Typhoons

• Climate change can influence typhoon behavior, with some studies suggesting that warmer sea surface temperatures may lead to more intense storms.
• The relationship between climate change and typhoons is an area of ongoing research and debate.

Regional Impact and Variability

• The frequency and intensity of typhoons can vary from year to year and across different regions.
• Some areas, like the western Pacific, are more prone to typhoons than others.

PRACTICE QUESTION Q)  How can climate change influence the behavior of typhoons, and what are the challenges in implementing long-term strategies for typhoon preparedness and adaptation? (150 words)

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/over-31-000-evacuated-from-beijing-as-typhoon-doksuri-breaks-rainfall-records-90916