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Hurricane Season 2009: Typhoon Ketsana (Western Pacific)09.28.09
September 28, 2009 by Rob Gutro, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center The tropical depression (17W) that formed on Friday, September 25 brought deadly flooding rains and mudslides through the northern Philippines over the weekend, killing at least 140 people and flooding many cities. Tropical Depression 17 W, now named Ketsana, and also named Ondoy in the Philippines, dumped record-breaking rainfall there over the weekend. PAGASA, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration noted the total rainfall on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. surpassed the highest 24-hour rainfall that the weather bureau recorded back in June 1967 for Manila. The rainfall generated from Ondoy (Ketsana) during its first six hours over land measured 13.43 inches (341 millimeters). The old record from 42 years ago was 334 millimeters in 24 hours.Typhoon Ketsana NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite data confirmed the rainfall from its orbit in space. TRMM showed rainfall between 200-600 millimeters (mm) (7.8-23.6 inches) in the northern Philippines over the weekend from September 25-28. The product was developed in the Laboratory for Atmospheres of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. by the TRMM precipitation research team. More than 116,000 are being sheltered, and the flooding affected more than 400,000 people in Manila and surrounding areas. People either fled or sought refuge on the roofs of buildings or their homes. Reports indicated that as much 25 percent of Manila was flooded, and clean water, food, cooking gas and medicines are difficult to find. Cars and trucks that were swept away by floodwaters were left in piles with mud and other debris. Some hospitals have also been reported damage from flooding. Rescue operations and updates were posted on a blog from the Philippines, the Manuel L. Quezon III blog: http://www.quezon.ph/2009/09/26/how-to-help/. According to the blog, "On Sunday, 27 September, we distributed over 2100 relief packages to three communities within Metro Manila and today, 28 September, are in the process of loading our trucks with over 3000 packs to be distributed to prioritized communities." Authorities estimated that on September 27, 25% of Manila remained submerged. A video posted by C.Magno on YouTube on September 27 at 10:30 a.m. local time showed several feet of floodwaters with floating cars and trucks around the hospital at Bagyong: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPbPCLOxAlI. Residents in the Philippines can call the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) Emergency Numbers: 912-5668, 911-1406, 912-2665, 911-5061. Help hotlines: 734-2118, 734-2120. Red Cross: 143, 527-0000 Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA): 136 Philippine Coast Guard: 527-6136 Bureau of Fire Protection Region III (Central Luzon) Hotline: (045) 9634376 Victory Fort is opening its doors to those affected by the typhoon. Call 813-FORT. On September 28 at 1500 Zulu Time (11 a.m. EDT), Ketsana (Ondoy or 17W) had moved into the South China Sea and strengthened into a typhoon. Ketsana had maximum sustained winds near 90 knots (103 mph). It was located about 200 nautical miles east of Hue, Vietnam, near 16.2 north and 110.6 east. It was moving west-northwest near 10 mph, and generating waves 26 feet high. Typhoon Ketsana is now forecast to make landfall in Hue, Vietnam tomorrow September 29. Hue is the capital city of Thua Thien - Hue province, Vietnam with a population of 340,000. It was the imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty between 1802 and 1945, and is well known for its monuments and architecture. Two more tropical depressions have also now formed in the Western Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines and may threaten the country later this week as typhoons. Tropical Depression 18W was located 590 nautical miles east-southeast of Guam, and Tropical Depression 19W was located 280 nautical miles south-southwest of Guam on September 28. |
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