Typhoon Mangkhut which wreaked havoc in different parts of Asia is a natural disaster caused by a tropical cyclone. Countries affected by Typhoon Mangkhut were the Philippines, Southern China, and the coastal region of Hong Kong.
Discussing tropical cyclones also known with different names in various parts of the world. The eastern North Pacific and North Atlantic Ocean cyclones are called hurricanes, while in the western North Pacific of the Philippines, Japan, and China they are known as typhoons.
Typhoon Mangkhut made its first landfall on 14th September 2018 on the northern Philippines, it was a difficult Friday. By Saturday, fierce winds were replaced by flood, hindering access and aid to affected victims. At least two people were killed as the world’s strongest typhoon, locally known as Ompang hit southeast of the Philippines.
The Archipelago of more than 7,100 islands has been hit by an average of 20 tropical storms or typhoons each year, and killed hundreds and sometimes thousands of people. The storms created above warmer waters of the Pacific Ocean close to the equator have the Philippines’ islands often the first major landmass hit as they move north-west. Closeness to the equator, being a reason for the frequency in occurrence. However, as Typhoon Mangkhut continued with heavy rain, an area of illegal mining was hit with a landslide, affecting their shelter building.
Mangkhut had its storm winds moving at 270 kilometers per hour (165 mph), stronger than Hurricane Florence. Typhoon Mangkhut also is known as ‘super typhoon’ made its landfall with fierce winds and heavy rain, shorting down business activities as most people abandoned their homes to safe areas based on “signal four” warning alert raised by the Philippines state weather service.
Typhoon Mangkhut moved to China after the Philippines where it made its landfall in Guangdong, China’s most populous province, which was late afternoon Sunday, killing four people before heading to the neighboring Guangxi province around midnight.
The storm continued with its havoc by shattering windows, tore off scaffolding and roofs from skyscrapers, shook the high building, and leaving low-lying areas with serious flooding as waves of more than three meters smashed the coast. Hundreds across the Pearl River Delta in the gambling hub of Macau were left without power supply amid extensive flooding, as millions of people were moved to safety.
The last region to be discussed on the impact of Typhoon Mangkhut disaster in Hong Kong. As Hong Kong managed to avoid the same as the Philippines, a good number of people as many as 391 in Hong Kong sought medical attention during the storm, hundreds sought refuge at temporary shelters and schools were closed.
On the next day after the horrible effect of the Typhon in Hong Kong, in the neighborhood of Heng Fa Chuen, trees were down, some ripped up by their roots, roads and footpaths blocked, school venture on the roadside smashed by an uprooted tree. Residential towers in the neighborhood were left without electricity and clean water.
Most people are left with many questions and so I would also ask.
- How can science and technology help curb such disasters?
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