Flooding — one of the deadliest phenomena worldwide. September was a catastrophic month due to multiple flooding events. The three main flooding disasters were Super Typhoon Yagi, Storm Boris, and Hurricane Helene. Let's dive into how these disasters occurred and their impacts.
Super Typhoon Yagi
On August 30, the Japan Meteorological Agency monitored a low-pressure area that would later develop into a tropical cyclone. Tropical Storm Yagi made landfall in Casiguran, Aurora, Philippines on September 2. A day after barreling across the Philippines, Yagi underwent rapid intensification and strengthened about 60 kt (70 mph) in just 24 hours. The storm later peaked as a Category 5 super typhoon with winds of 160 mph. Afterward, the typhoon slightly weakened and made landfall near Wenchang, Hainan, China as a Category 4 typhoon, the strongest to hit Hainan since Typhoon Rammasun in 2014. Yagi re-intensified in the Gulf of Tonkin and peaked again as a Category 4 typhoon before making landfall in Haiphong, Vietnam.
Yagi devastated several areas, including southern parts of China, Philippines, Vietnam, and Myanmar. In the Philippines, Yagi caused at least 20 deaths and at least $60 million in damage. In southern China, damages totaled at least $12 billion and in Hainan, more than 50,000 houses were damaged or destroyed. In Vietnam, Yagi destroyed more than 200,000 hectares of crops. Some areas recorded more than two feet of rain, including Lào Cai and Thái Bình which both measured about 30 inches! Deadly landslides and flooding killed hundreds in both Vietnam and Myanmar. Yagi caused more than $16 billion in damage, killed over 800 people, and became the third-costliest typhoon in recorded history.
Storm Boris
Cold air was driven south across the United Kingdom and collided with warm air in the Mediterranean Sea on September 11-12. As a result, a low-pressure area formed and moved erratically east and then north. A cut-off low developed and was named Boris, which later became stuck between two high-pressure areas. Boris caused catastrophic flooding in Austria, Czechia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary.
Unprecedented rainfall burst river banks and caused dams to fail, flooding many communities in central Europe. In Austria, cities including St. Pölten and Lilienfeld recorded over 14 inches of rain. In Czechia, Jeseník and Šerák measured around 18 inches. In Poland, dams failed in Stronie Śląskie and Lwówek Śląski, flooding houses and streets. In Romania, flooding damaged infrastructure and submerged homes in several towns. In Slovakia and Hungary, the Danube River overflowed its banks and flooded parts of Bratislava and Budapest. Storm Boris killed over 25 people and caused more than €2 billion in damage.
Hurricane Helene
On September 22, a low-pressure area developed in the western Caribbean. A couple days later, the National Hurricane Center named Tropical Storm Helene and the large and broad storm steadily intensified. On September 26, Helene underwent rapid intensification due to low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures. The hurricane rapidly intensified to its peak as a Category 4 major hurricane with winds of 140 mph. At September 27 3:10 UTC, Helene made landfall southwest of Perry, Florida. Afterward, the hurricane accelerated through Georgia and North Carolina before dissipating over Tennessee.
Helene was a catastrophic hurricane and brought significant impacts to areas including Florida and North Carolina. In Keaton Beach, Florida, 90% of homes were destroyed. Manatee and Sarasota counties suffered major damage, totaling around $1 billion. In Georgia, over a million people lost power due to powerful winds causing trees to fall on power lines. The Chattahoochee River overflowed its banks, which led to water rescue teams evacuating dozens of people. In North Carolina, more than 100 people have been killed and damages totaled over $50 billion. Some places such as Busick received over 30 inches of rain. Also, landslides and floodwaters destroyed bridges and washed away roads, isolating communities including Asheville in western North Carolina. In South Carolina, wind gusts exceeded 70 mph in multiple areas and Helene produced several weak tornadoes. Unfortunately, Helene caused more than $80 billion in damage and at least 200 deaths.
Conclusion
Super Typhoon Yagi, Storm Boris, and Hurricane Helene all caused flooding and significant damage. Yagi devastated northern Vietnam, Boris devastated central Europe, and Helene devastated Florida and North Carolina. Extreme flooding events have become more frequent due to climate change and hopefully we will be better prepared for future natural disasters.
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