Typhoon Zeb
Encyclopedia
Typhoon Zeb was a very powerful Category 5 typhoon with a minimum central pressure reading of 900 millibars and 180 mph sustained winds.
trough. The low then became a tropical depression south of Guam
.http://australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/1999/summ9810.txt On October 10, the system reached tropical storm strength and was named Zeb. Zeb then moved westward before reaching typhoon status northwest of Palau
. Overnight, the storm explosively intensified from a 70 mph tropical storm to a 180 mph supertyphoon on the 13th. While maintaining its strength, Zeb made landfall on the island of Luzon
. Zeb then turned a north-northwesterly course while weakening to a Category 2 storm.
Zeb then later recurved and brushed past Taiwan
before accelerating towards Japan
on the 17th. Now downgraded to a tropical storm, Zeb struck the islands of Kyūshū
and Shikoku
before merging with a cold front on the 18th.http://australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/1999/summ9810.txt
During its life it also absorbed Tropical Storm Alex.
Joseph Estrada
made an immediate response after the killer storm. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/195281.stm In Taiwan, Zeb left 25-31 people dead and $56.7 million dollars (1998 USD) in damage when it brushed past Taiwan.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/195281.stm In its dissipating stage two people were killed on Okinawa Island
and six more on mainland Japan. Most of them were from mudslides. The final death toll in Japan was twelve.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/195281.stm
The final death toll was 99 dead and $834 million dollars (1998 USD) in damage.
Meteorological history
Zeb formed out of a low pressure system that emerged from a monsoonMonsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
trough. The low then became a tropical depression south of Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
.http://australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/1999/summ9810.txt On October 10, the system reached tropical storm strength and was named Zeb. Zeb then moved westward before reaching typhoon status northwest of Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
. Overnight, the storm explosively intensified from a 70 mph tropical storm to a 180 mph supertyphoon on the 13th. While maintaining its strength, Zeb made landfall on the island of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
. Zeb then turned a north-northwesterly course while weakening to a Category 2 storm.
Zeb then later recurved and brushed past Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
before accelerating towards Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on the 17th. Now downgraded to a tropical storm, Zeb struck the islands of Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
and Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
before merging with a cold front on the 18th.http://australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/1999/summ9810.txt
During its life it also absorbed Tropical Storm Alex.
Impact
83 people died in the Philippines and there was severe damage on the island of Luzon. About most of the rice harvest was ruined and the town of Baguio reported 994.6 mm of rain.http://australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/1999/summ9810.txt About six provinces were declared disaster areas as PresidentPresident
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Joseph Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
made an immediate response after the killer storm. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/195281.stm In Taiwan, Zeb left 25-31 people dead and $56.7 million dollars (1998 USD) in damage when it brushed past Taiwan.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/195281.stm In its dissipating stage two people were killed on Okinawa Island
Okinawa Island
Okinawa Island is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, and is home to Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture. The island has an area of...
and six more on mainland Japan. Most of them were from mudslides. The final death toll in Japan was twelve.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/195281.stm
The final death toll was 99 dead and $834 million dollars (1998 USD) in damage.
