=== Report on Typhoon 0414 ===

== (RANANIM) ==

[September 21 ---- 24, 2004]

Prepared by Huang Chunliang

{Part I} Landfall obs

According to the NMC warnings, Typhoon 0414 (Rananim) made landfall in Shitang Town, Wenling City (a sub-city of Taizhou City), Zhejiang Province around 12/1200 UTC with a MSW of 45 m/s and a CP of 950 hPa. Interestingly, the town of Shitang has been exactly the place where sees the first sunbeam of the new century in Mainland China on Jan 1, 2000.

After rampaging through southern Taizhou City, northern Wenzhou City, northern Lishui City and Quzhou City, Rananim eventually leaved from Zhejiang Province and entered Jiangxi Province as a tropical storm around 13/0300Z. The storm didn't finish its 22-hr journey in northern Jiangxi Province until 14/0100Z, by which time it had weakened to a depression.

Tropical Depression Rananim then moved through southeastern Hubei Province and northeastern Hunan Province, where it finally dissipated as a significant tropical cyclone.

{Part II} Rainfall obs

Zhejiang Province

During the 72-hr period ending at 14/00Z, rains >200 mm were recorded in 35 weather stations, among which, 14 stations reported rains >300 mm with Shabu (located in Huangyan District, Taizhou City), Zhuxi (located in Xianju County, Taizhou City) and Wugen (located in Wenling City----a sub-city of Taizhou City) ranking the top three and reporting 454 mm, 453 mm and 436 mm, respectively. However, it should be noted that it was a hydrological station that reported the most torrential rain during the typhoon----Futou, Yueqing City (a sub-city of Wenzhou City) recorded a 24-hr accumulation of 703.5 mm, which turned out to be the new record for Zhejiang Province's daily rainfall amounts.

Jiangxi Province

During the 60-hr period ending at 15/00Z, Rains >100 mm were recorded in 39 counties/cities, among which, Lushan, Yongxiu, Xinjian, Jinxian, Dongxiang, Fengcheng and Yujiang reported rains >200 mm with Lushan reporting the highest amount of 268 mm (200 mm out of the total fell during the 24-hr period ending at 14/00Z).

Hunan Province

Rains >100 mm were recorded in 9 stations during the 24-hr period ending at 15/00Z with Qiyang County reported the highest amount of 120.6 mm.

Taiwan Region

Neuchusan, Hsinchu County reported the highest storm total of 345 mm during the 35-hr period ending at 12/03Z.

Other Provinces

Some of the stations located in Fujian, Hubei, Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu also reported torrential rains during the typhoon.

{Part III} Wind obs

Typhoon-force winds were reported in the coastal region of Zhejiang Province with gusts exceeded 40 m/s being recorded by 11 stations, among which, Dachen Dao (WMO58666, 28.45E 121.88, Alt 84m) reported the highest gusts topping 58.7 m/s--a new record for the station--at 12/0721Z. Other significant gust obs included: Shamen, Wenling City----53.5 m/s, Sanjiaotang, Sanmen County----46.4 m/s.

Most areas of Shanghai Municipality reported peak gusts of Beaufort Force 7 to 9 during the storm.

{Part IV} Damage and Casualties

Mainland China (including Zhejiang)

Over 18,000,000 residents in Mainland China were affected by the typhoon. Official statistics indicated that Typhoon Rananim had killed 168 people and caused 20.1 billion yuan of direct economic losses in the mainland.

Zhejiang Province

Typhoon Rananim killed at least 164 people (falling houses killed 109; landslides claimed 28 lives; another 27 died in flooding or other accidents caused by the storm) and left 24 still missing in Zhejiang Province and, more than 1,800 people were injured in the storm. Direct economic losses of the province were estimated at 18.1 billion yuan (2.2 billion US dollars). Official statistics indicated that the typhoon affected 765 towns of 75 counties/cities/districts in the province, where 64,300 houses were toppled, 55,000 livestock were killed and infrastructure destroyed. The typhoon also destroyed 1,163 kilometers of road, damaged many embankments and water conservancy facilities and cut off power supply and communication. Some 467,900 people were evacuated and more than 9,900 ships were called back before the catastrophe.

{Part V} Strongest Typhoon to Hit Zhejiang in 48 years

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has evaluated TY RANANIM <NMC 0414> as the strongest landfall typhoon for the Chinese Mainland since TY SALLY <NMC 9615> (made landfall in Wuchuan, Guangdong Province on Sep 9, 1996) or for Zhejiang Province since TY WANDA <no number was assigned by NMC, which did not begin to number tropical storms until 1959> (made landfall in Xiangshan, Zhejiang Province on Aug 1, 1956).