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User:Tavantius/Typhoon Ruth (1991)

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Typhoon Ruth (Trining)
Typhoon Ruth near peak intensity on November 26
Meteorological history
FormedOctober 19, 1991
ExtratropicalOctober 31, 1991
DissipatedNovember 3, 1991
Violent typhoon
10-minute sustained (JMA)
Highest winds215 km/h (130 mph)
Lowest pressure895 hPa (mbar); 26.43 inHg
Category 5-equivalent super typhoon
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds270 km/h (165 mph)
Lowest pressure892 hPa (mbar); 26.34 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities82
Missing22
Damage$127 million (1991 USD)
Areas affectedPhilippines, Taiwan
Part of the 1991 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Ruth, also known as Typhoon Trining,[1] was an intense, destructive, and deadly typhoon which impacted the Philippines during October 1991. The thirty-first depression, twenty-second tropical storm, fifteenth typhoon, third super typhoon, and first violent typhoon of the 1991 Pacific typhoon season, Ruth developed from a tropical disturbance between Chuuk and Pohnpei. Developing into a depression on October 19, Ruth steadily intensified. However, as it tracked west-northwestward across the Philippine Sea, it undergone rapid intensification, becoming a super typhoon intensity just a few days later. However, soon after, Ruth began weakening as it neared Northern Luzon. Tracking northwestward then west-southwestward due to the interaction between a mid-tropospheric trough and the subtropical ridge, Ruth made landfall in northern Luzon with winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) before weakening into a tropical storm over land. A weakening Ruth would recurve south of Taiwan, later dissipating on October 31.

Impacting Philippines during October 1991, Ruth prompted the evacuation of 13,600 residents living near Mount Pinatubo due to fears of mudslides, while authorities issued Public Storm Warning Signals, including the first instance of PSWS #4. 82 fatalities and 55 injuries were attributed to the typhoon, with another 22 individuals being missing. Major cities like Baguio experienced heavy damage, with fatalities occurring due to falling trees and mudslides. The capital, Manila, suffered extensive power outages which affected over 6 million residents, while heavy rainfall led to catastrophic flooding and landslides, notably on Kennon Road. Overall, Typhoon Ruth inflicted approximately USD$126.55 million in damages. The typhoon's remnants later contributed to adverse weather conditions in the Ryukyu Islands. Elsewhere, offshore Taiwan, a cargo ship sank, causing the loss of 18 crew members. In response to the disaster, President Corazon Aquino declared a state of calamity in affected regions and initiated relief efforts.

Meteorological history

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File:Ruth 1991 path.png
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

The system that later became Typhoon Ruth originated from a tropical disturbance which was located between the islands of Chuuk State and Pohnpei.[2]

Preparations and impact

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Philippines

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Due to concerns about potential mudslides, authorities evacuated 13.6 thousand people who were living less than 10 km (6.2 mi) from Mount Pinatubo to safer areas.[3] Philippine Airlines suspended domestic flights from October 27–28.[4] Public Storm Warning Signals were issued throughout Luzon, with PSWS #3 being hoisted for Cagayan, Batanes, and Isabela.[5] PAGASA tested its modified PSWS by issuing the first instance of PSWS #4 on October 27 due to the typhoon.[6] In Baguio, a family of three were killed after their house was crushed by a falling tree.[7] Another thirteen died elsewhere in the city due to either being trapped in their homes or being crushed by mudslides or fallen trees.[4]

Three people were injured due to falling trees, with heavy winds also causing the city to lose power.[8] A bus station and small hotel sank below ground level due to Ruth's heavy rainfall.[9] Ruth's winds would destroy over 30% of the tobacco crop, also destroying many of the barns where the crop would be processed.[10] The PAGASA station in Basco, Batanes recorded 616.4 millimetres (24.3 in) of rain, which made Ruth (Trining) the wettest cyclone in the city until Typhoon Krathon (Julian) produced 727.8 millimetres (28.7 in) of rainfall on October 1, 2024.[11] In La Union, three people drowned. Elsewhere, in Abra and Ilocos Sur respectively, a person was hit by flying debris.[4] In Manila, a sailor died when he was smashed by huge waves into the wall of his tugboat. Many power lines were snapped due to Ruth, causing massive traffic jams and stalling factories for hours.[4] These caused the city to temporarily lose power, affecting over 6 million people.[12]

Kennon Road was closed due to landslides caused by Ruth.[13] The province of Isabela received a maximum rainfall of 120.6 mm (4.75 in) on October 27 due to Ruth.[14] In Ilocos Sur, the campus and gymnasium of the Narvacan National Central High School was damaged by the typhoon, with its electricity and water supply destroyed in the process.[15] Heavy rain from Ruth would cause lahars to form on the southwestern flank of Pinutabo, with one travelling down the Marella River and another being observed on the Santo Tomas River, causing the debris dam in Mapanuepe Lake to be swept away. More lahars would be seen in the Pasig-Potrero River, the river's highest since 1654.[16] In total, 82 people died, 55 were injured, and 22 went missing.[1] Later estimates revealed that in the Philippines, Ruth caused P3.072 billion (USD$120 million) in damage.[17][1]

Elsewhere

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The remnants of Ruth would help stimulate a frontal low which was stalling south of the Ryukyu Islands, primarily impacting the islands of Ishigaki and Miyako-jima. 18.44 million yen (USD$137 thousand) of damage would occur, primarily due to a forest road and ten farm roads sustaining impact. Additionally, the system produced heavy rainfall, which peaked in Ohara, which received 152 mm (6.0 in) and Hateruma, which received 122 mm (4.8 in).[18][17]

On October 28, a spokesman for Taiwan's National Armed Forces noted that due to the typhoon, they had lost contact with the Panamanian-registered cargo ship Tung Leng south of Penghu, causing the 21 crewmen of the ship to be listed as missing.[4] Later reports would indicate that the freighter had sank west of Taiwan, causing the deaths of 18 of the crewmen.[2] Elsewhere, the 14 Filipino and 4 Japanese sailors who were the crew of the Southern Crosshad to be saved after the freighter sank due to heavy seas produced by the typhoon.[2][12]

Atermath

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President Corazon Aquino declared a state of calamity for portions of Luzon.[19] The government spent P180 million (USD$6.55 million) to repair Kennon Road, which was later closed due to landslides in May 1992.[20][17] The Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, headed by American ambassador Frank G. Wisner, donated USD$25,000 to the Department of Social Welfare and Development to be used for relief supplies.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c National Disaster Coordinating Council; Office of Civil Defense Operations Center (December 2003). "Destructive Typhoons 1970-2003". Baseportal. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Typhoon Ruth (25W)". 1991 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report (PDF). Guam, Mariana Islands: Joint Typhoon Warning Center. 1992. pp. 132–135. Retrieved 2 October 2024. (text version)
  3. ^ UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs (November 1991). Typhoon Ruth Information Reports 4–5 (Report). ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Typhoon leaves 22 dead in Philippines". UPI Archives. United Press International. 28 October 1991. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Typhoon threatens Philippines". No. 280. Bend, Oregon: The Bulletin. Associated Press. 27 October 1991. p. 3. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  6. ^ Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration; Department of Science and Technology (March 2018). DOST-PAGASA Annual Report On Philippine Tropical Cyclones (2017) (PDF). Quezon City, Philippines. p. 13. ISSN 2672-3190.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^ "TYPHOON RUTH KILLS AT LEAST 15 IN PHILIPPINES". Deseret News. 28 October 1991. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Typhoon Ruth kills three in Philippines". Palm Beach County, Florida: The News. 28 October 1991. p. 3. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  9. ^ a b United States Agency for International Development Office of U. S. Foreign Disaster Assistance. OFDA Annual Report. The Office. p. 48.
  10. ^ Agricultural Trade Highlights. Foreign Agricultural Service, United States Department of Agriculture. November 1991. p. 21. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  11. ^ Rojas, Ariel. "Wettest day in Batanes: Julian dumps more than two month's rain in 24 hours". ABS-CBN. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Guerrero, Eileen (28 October 1991). "Typhoon Ruth weakens after killing nine". Vol. 121, no. 253. Norwalk, Connecticut: The Hour. p. 9. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Baguio gets hit again". Vol. V, no. 257. Manila Standard. 28 October 1991. p. 38. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  14. ^ Department of Agriculture; Cagayan Valley Integrated Agricultural Research Center; W. V. Contillo (1992). Agro-Meteorological Data Monitoring Form (January-December 1991) (PDF). Ilagan, Philippines: Province of Isabela. p. 1. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  15. ^ Narvacan National Central High School (1993). "School History". Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  16. ^ McClelland, Lindsay, ed. (October 1991). "Report on Pinatubo (Philippines)". Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network. 16 (10). Smithsonian Institution. doi:10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199110-273083. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  17. ^ a b c "Foreign Currency Units per 1 US Dollar, 1950-2023" (PDF). Pacific Exchange Rate Service. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  18. ^ Digital Typhoon: Weather Disaster Report (1991-918-05) (Report). Tokyo, Japan: KITAMOTO Asanobu. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
  19. ^ Newman, Steve (3 November 1991). "Earthweek: A Diary Of The Planet". Schenectady, New York: The Daily Gazette. p. 15. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  20. ^ Logarta, Louis T. (3 June 1992). "Kennon road reopens Friday". Vol. VI, no. 112. Manila Standard. p. 32. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
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