Typhoon Fitow
| Typhoon (JMA scale) | |
|---|---|
| Category 2 (Saffir–Simpson scale) | |
Typhoon Fitow at peak intensity on October 5
|
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| Formed | September 29, 2013 |
| Dissipated | October 7, 2013 |
| Highest winds |
10-minute sustained: 140 km/h (85 mph) 1-minute sustained: 165 km/h (105 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 960 hPa (mbar); 28.35 inHg |
| Fatalities | 12 total |
| Damage | $10.4 billion (2013 USD) |
| Areas affected | Taiwan, China, Japan |
| Part of the 2013 Pacific typhoon season | |
Typhoon Fitow, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Quedan, was the strongest typhoon to make landfall in Mainland China during October since 1949. The 21st named storm of the 2013 Pacific typhoon season, Fitow developed on September 29 to the east of the Philippines. It initially tracked north-northwestward, gradually intensifying into a tropical storm and later to typhoon status, or with winds of at least 120 km/h (75 mph). Fitow later turned more to the west-northwest due to an intensifying ridge to the east, bringing the typhoon over the Ryukyu Islands with peak winds of 140 km/h (85 mph) on October 5. The next day, the typhoon struck China at Fuding in Fujian province, with a landfall pressure of 955 mbar (28.2 inHg) according to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA). Fitow quickly weakened over land, dissipating on October 7.
Across its path, Fitow spurred many airlines to cancel flights and caused other transport disruptions. In Japan, the typhoon damaged 1,464 houses and left about 6,800 households without power on Miyako-jima. Heavy rainfall in Taiwan flooded houses and caused mudslides that closed two highways. Damage was heaviest in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces in China near where Fitow struck. In the latter province, rainfall peaked at 803 mm (31.6 in) in Yuyao, which flooded 70% of the town with up to 3 m (9.8 ft) of waters; as a result, the floods were the worst in a century for Yuyao, which disrupted aid distribution in the storm's aftermath. Across China, Fitow damaged about 95,000 houses and left at least 159,000 other houses without power. The storm also flooded about 75,000 hectares (185,000 acres) of fields and killed thousands of fish at fish farms. Damage in the country reached ¥63.1 billion (2013 RMB, $10.3 billion USD), of which ¥6 billion (RMB, $1 billion USD) was from insured losses, the second-costliest event on record. There were also 12 deaths in China, eight of them related to electrocutions.
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