Typhoon Mangkhut, known in thePhilippines asTyphoon Ompong, was a powerful and catastrophictropical cyclone that caused extensive damage inGuam, thePhilippines, andSouth China in mid-September 2018. It was the strongest typhoon to strikeLuzon sinceMegi in 2010, and the strongest to make landfall in the Philippines sinceMeranti in 2016.[1] Mangkhut was also the strongest typhoon to affect Hong Kong sinceEllen in 1983.[2]
Over the course of its existence, Mangkhut left behind a trail of severe destruction in its wake. The storm caused a total of $3.77 billion (2018 US) in damage across multiple nations, along with at least 134 fatalities: 127 in the Philippines,[4][5] six in mainland China,[6] and one in Taiwan.[7]
On September 5, 2018, theJoint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) began monitoring a tropical disturbance near theInternational Date Line.[8] Steady development ensued over the following days, and the system organized into a tropical depression on September 6, though operationally, theJapan Meteorological Agency (JMA) did not classify the system as a tropical depression until September 7.[9] The depression soon intensified into a tropical storm, upon which itreceived the nameMangkhut.[10][9] Throughout the next two days, the system underwentrapid intensification. Tightbanding features wrapped around a developingeye feature. Favorable environmental conditions hastened Mangkhut's development, including lowwind shear, ampleoutflow aloft, highsea surface temperatures, and highocean heat content.[11] Mangkhut achieved typhoon strength on September 9.[12][9] A well-defined 18 km (11 mi) eye became evident on satellite imagery as the typhoon approached theNorthern Mariana Islands andGuam. The JTWC analyzed Mangkhut as a Category 2-equivalent typhoon with one-minute sustained winds of 165 km/h (103 mph) as it tracked nearRota, around 12:00 UTC on September 10.[13] The JMA assessed the storm's ten-minute sustained winds to be 155 km/h (96 mph) at this time.[14][9]
Typhoon Mangkhut approachingLuzon, Philippines on September 14
Substantial intensification ensued on September 11, as Mangkhut traversed thePhilippine Sea. A second bout of rapid intensification took place as the storm consolidated significantly; a well-defined 39 km (24 mi) eye became established during this time.[15] The JTWC analyzed Mangkhut to have reached Category 5-equivalent intensity by 06:00 UTC, an intensity it would maintain for nearly four days.[16] The JMA assessed that the typhoon's central pressure bottomed out at 18:00 UTC, with 10-minute sustained winds of 205 km/h (125 mph) and a central minimum pressure of 905 hPa (mbar; 26.73 inHg).[17][9] The JTWC noted additional strengthening on September 12, and assessed Mangkhut to have reached its peak intensity at 18:00 UTC, with one-minute sustained winds of 285 km/h (175 mph).[18] The typhoon made landfall inBaggao, Cagayan at 2:00 a.m.PST on September 15 (18:00 UTC on September 14), as a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon, with 10-minute sustained winds of 205 km/h (125 mph) and 1-minute sustained winds of 260 km/h (160 mph).[1] This made Mangkhut the strongest storm to strike the island ofLuzon sinceTyphoon Megi in 2010, and the strongest nationwide sinceTyphoon Haiyan in 2013.[19]
Traversing the mountains of Luzon weakened Mangkhut before it emerged over theSouth China Sea on September 15. The typhoon subsequently made landfall again on the Taishan coast ofJiangmen,Guangdong,China, at 5 p.m.Beijing Time (09:00 UTC) on September 16, with two-minute sustained winds of 45 m/s (160 km/h) according toChina Meteorological Administration.[20][21][22][23] Following landfall, Mangkhut quickly weakened while moving westward. Late on September 17, Mangkhut dissipated over Guangxi, China.[24]
Tropical cyclone warning signals were hoisted by thePhilippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration as early as September 13. Preemptive and forced evacuations were implemented, especially in theIlocos,Cagayan Valley andCordillera administrative regions, the three regions widely expected to be severely affected by Mangkhut (Ompong). School class suspensions were announced as early as September 12 in preparation for the approaching typhoon.[25][26][27][28] Medical and emergency response teams were placed on standby, and₱1,700,000,000 worth of relief goods were prepared by September 13.[29]
On September 12, as Mangkhut was forecast to severely threaten Hong Kong, theHong Kong Government convened an inter-departmental meeting to discuss possible responses to the storm.[30]
On September 14, the Hong Kong Government held a rare cross-department press conference over the preparation for Mangkhut,[31] reminding Hong Kong citizens to "prepare for the worst". That night, theHong Kong Observatory issued the Standby Signal No. 1 when Mangkhut was 1,110 kilometres (600 nmi) away from Hong Kong, the farthest distance on record.[32]
On September 15, citizens living in Tai O and Lei Yue Mun were evacuated from these low-lying areas that have historically been very prone to storm surge.[33] The Hong Kong Observatory issued the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 in the afternoon.[34]
On September 16, as Mangkhut maintained its course towards the Pearl River Estuary, the Hong Kong Observatory issued the Gale or Storm Signal No. 8 during midnight.[35] After dawn, as local winds rapidly strengthened, Hong Kong Observatory issued the Increasing Gale or Storm Signal No. 9.[36] At 9:40 a.m., the Hong Kong Observatory issued the Hurricane Signal No. 10, the highest level oftropical cyclone warning signals inHong Kong.[37] This marked only the third time that this warning has been issued for the region since1999, the others being withTyphoon Hato in2017 andTyphoon Vicente in2012.[38] The signal was held for ten hours, the second longest duration ever, only behind the eleven hours duringTyphoon York in 1999.[39] The typhoon passed 100 kilometers south of Hong Kong at its closest, the joint second farthest for a Hurricane Signal No. 10, with Typhoon Vicente only behind 2025'sTyphoon Ragasa.[40]
On September 15, the meteorological bureaus of most cities inGuangdong issued red alerts for Typhoon Mangkhut, which is the highest level of alerts in Guangdong.[41][42] The Guangxi Meteorological Bureau also issued a red alert for the typhoon at 5:00 p.m. Beijing Time.[43] On the next day, the Meteorological Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality issued a red alert for rainstorm, which is the highest level of alerts inShenzhen.[44][45]
The Fujian Meteorological Bureau issued an orange alert for the typhoon, the second-highest alert level, on September 15.[46]
On September 16,National Meteorological Center of CMA renewed a red alert for Typhoon Mangkhut, which is the highest level of alerts in China.[47] On the same day, the Hainan Meteorological Bureau issued an orange alert for the typhoon.[48] In Guangdong's provincial capitalGuangzhou, schools, public transportation, and businesses were closed across the entire city for the first time since 1978.[49][50]
Sailors remove debris in Guam following Typhoon Mangkhut
After the center of Mangkhut passed near Guam, about 80% of the island lost electricity.[51] The typhoon caused $4.3 million in infrastructural damage in Guam.[52]
Mangkhut making landfall over Baggao, Cagayan in Luzon on September 14
After sweeping through Luzon, it left a trail of destruction. Almost all buildings inTuguegarao,Cagayan's provincial capital experienced some sort of damage due to the typhoon.[53] The typhoon blew away roofs, uprooted trees, destroyed buildings, and blocked roads with debris. Shards of glass was blown through the corridors in a hotel in Santa Ana. InManila, extreme rains caused widespreadflooding in urban areas.[54] Atornado was reported inMarikina, easternMetro Manila, at around 5:30 p.m.Philippine Standard Time on September 14, injuring two people.[55] Over 105,000 families evacuated from their homes,[56] and several airports in northern Luzon closed and airlines cancelled their flights until September 16.[57]
On September 22, police confirmed that the typhoon had caused at least 127 fatalities;[4][5] eighty deaths occurred in the collapse of a small mine in the town ofItogon, Benguet, where dozens of landslides buried homes.[58] Philippine police also stated that another 111 people remained missing, as of September 22.[4]
Francis Tolentino, a political adviser of PresidentRodrigo Duterte, announced that an estimated 5.7 million people nationwide had been affected by the storm.[68] Luzon suffered extensive losses which more than doubled the expected worst-case scenario outlined by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.
As of October 5, the NDRRMC estimated that Mangkhut causedPHP33.9 billion (US$626.8 million) in damages in the Philippines, with assessments continuing.[69]
A thirty-year-old female teacher visiting Fenniaolin Beach inYilan County was swept out to sea by a wave. Her body was recovered two days later.[70][71]
Shattered windows at Two Harbourfront inHung Hom, Hong Kong
Mangkhut was the most intense typhoon to strike Hong Kong sinceTyphoon Ellen in1983; the highesttyphoon warning signal No. 10 remained in place for ten hours.[2][72] An hourly mean wind of 81 km/h (50 mph) and gusts up to 169 km/h (105 mph) were recorded at theHong Kong Observatory inTsim Sha Tsui, while onCheung Chau island these figures reached 157 (98) and 212 km/h (132 mph) respectively. The strongest winds in Hong Kong near sea level were recorded at the remoteWaglan Island, with ten-minute sustained winds of 180 km/h (110 mph) gusting up to 220 km/h (137 mph).[72] These winds caused the territory's many skyscrapers to sway and shattered glass windows; notably, the curtain walls of the Harbour Grand Kowloon were blown out by the winds.[73] A construction elevator shaft on a high-rise under construction inTai Kok Tsui collapsed onto an adjacent building, which had to be evacuated by police.[74] Many roads were blocked by fallen trees and other debris, including major arteries such asLockhart Road in Wan Chai andKam Sheung Road, and service on theMass Transit Railway (MTR) was halted on all above-ground sections of track.[75][76]
People climb over trees to go to work the morning after Typhoon Mangkhut nearImmigration Tower inWan Chai
InSai Kung, multiple yachts and boats were sunk with one in particular pushed by the storm and beached next to a pedestrian promenade. Strings of seafront fence blocks were wrecked by the power of the waves. A sewage treatment plant was damaged. Animals were left stranded in the ocean.[78]
About 1,219 people sought refuge in emergency shelters opened by theHome Affairs Department.[79] TheHong Kong International Airport cancelled and delayed a total of 889 international flights. More than 200 people were injured, but no fatalities were reported.[80][81] Due to the substantial damage and disruption caused by the typhoon, theEducation Bureau announced that all schools would be closed on September 17 and 18.[75] Insurance claims in Hong Kong amounted toHK$7.3 billion (US$930 million).[82]
The day after the storm, massive crowds filled the territory's MTR system, which operated at a reduced level of service on some lines as some sections of the tracks had been blocked by debris.[83] Most of the city's 600 bus routes also went out of service due to blocked roads.[84]
The ceiling of the Oriental Pearl Terminal Station waiting area was blown away by strong winds.
A storm surge of up to 1.9 metres (6 ft 3 in) affected Macau. About 21,000 homes lost power and 7,000 homes lost internet access,[85] and forty people were injured. For the first time in history, allcasinos in Macau were closed.[86] TheMacau International Airport cancelled 191 flights on Saturday and Sunday (September 15 and 16).[85] Total damage in Macau was estimated to be 1.74 billionpatacas (US$215 million).[87] 40 injuries were reported and more than 5,500 people were evacuated.[88]
Typhoon Mangkhut caused the evacuation of over 2.45 million people.[22][23] InShenzhen, the storm caused power failures in thirteen locations, flooded the Seafood Street, and caused 248 tree falls.[89] Transport was shut down in Southern China,[90][91] and at least four people in Guangdong were killed in the typhoon.[92][93] InGuangzhou, markets, schools and public transport were closed or limited in the wake of the storm on Monday, September 17, and residents were requested to minimize non-essential travel. Ferry services from Zhuhai's Jiuzhougang Port to Shenzhen and Hong Kong were suspended indefinitely. The Civil Air Defense Office of Guangzhou Municipality (Municipal Civil Air Defense Office) cancelled the annual air-raid drills scheduled for September 15 to avoid causing panic as Typhoon Mangkhut approached.[94] Schools inBeihai,Qinzhou,Fangchenggang, andNanning were closed on September 17.[95][96] The trains to Guangxi were also closed on September 17.[97]
In total, the storm killed six people and caused CN¥13.68 billion (US$1.99 billion) in damage.[98]
Due to its catastrophic damage and high death toll inLuzon, thePAGASA retired the nameOmpong from their tropical cyclone naming lists and will never be used again as a typhoon name within thePhilippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). It was replaced withObet in 2019 and it was first used in2022 season.
The nameMangkhut was also officially retired during the 51st annual session of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee from rotating typhoon lists in February 2019. In July 2020, the Typhoon Committee subsequently choseKrathon as its replacement name.[99]
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Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression
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