Typhoon Peggy (1986)

Super Typhoon Peggy (Gading)

Typhoon (JMA scale)
Category 5 (Saffir–Simpson scale)
Typhoon Peggy near peak intensity on July 6 east of the Philippines
Formed	July 3, 1986
Dissipated	July 11, 1986
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 205 km/h (125 mph) 1-minute sustained: 260 km/h (160 mph)
Lowest pressure	900 hPa (mbar); 26.58 inHg
Fatalities	422+
Damage	$2.5 million (1986 USD)
Areas affected	Philippines, China
Part of the 1986 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Peggy, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Gading, was a very intense super typhoon that formed during the 1986 Pacific typhoon season. At the time of its occurrence, the typhoon was documented by PAGASA as the eight strongest Philippine typhoon on record.

Typhoon Peggy made landfall in the Philippines on July 9 and made landfall in China on July 11. Peggy caused at least 333 deaths and $2.50 million (1986 USD) in damage.

A tropical depression developed on July 3 east of the Philippines, and strengthened to a tropical storm the next day. It steadily strengthened to a typhoon, then continued to intensify and reached a peak strength of 130 knots (240 km/h; 150 mph) – Category 5 on the SSHS – on July 7. As Peggy continued westward, it slowly weakened, and hit northeastern Luzon on July 9 as a 90 knots (170 km/h; 100 mph) 90 kn Category 2 typhoon. A slight weakening of the subtropical ridge brought Peggy northward, where it hit southeastern China as a 55 knots (102 km/h; 63 mph) tropical storm on July 11. In Hong Kong, winds gusted to 78 knots (144 km/h; 90 mph) at Tate's Cairn and rainfall totals reached 449 millimetres (17.7 in) at Tai Mo Shan. Peggy's fury resulted in 333 casualties and US$2.5 million (1986 dollars) in damage, mostly from torrential flooding. It weakened and later dissipated into a remnant low on July 12.

Heavy rainfall and gusty winds peaking at 86 km/h (55 mph) throughout Guam led to residential flooding, damaged crops, washed-out roadways, and scattered power outages.(ATCR) The island’s annual Fourth of July parade, as well as a naturalization ceremony for 571 new citizens, were both cancelled. Farther north, in Saipan of the Northern Mariana Islands, downed transmission lines forced authorities to discontinue power as a safety precaution.

In Baguio and surrounding towns, at least 44 people were killed, many of which occurred in landslides while they slept. Two major roads to the city were severed by landslides and floodwaters up to 10 ft (3 m) deep. More than 600 families were evacuated after a lake threatened to overflow its banks. Outside the city, high winds blew down houses and a landslide hit a mining camp, forcing residents to seek refuge in a school and gymnasium. At least 17 people were drowned or electrocuted across the provinces of Ilocos Sur, Bulacan and Pangasinan, including two people in Manaoag that were electrocuted while wading through floodwaters ridden with downed electrical wires, and two men that were electrocuted in Tondo while climbing a steel ladder. Eight other fatalities occurred throughout the provinces of Pampanga and Zambales. The Office of Civil Defense noted that 68,428 citizens spread throughout 11,388 families were evacuated from their submerged homes in the fishing town of Malabon. In Manila, schools and offices were closed, flooded streets delayed or stopped traffic, and wide areas of the city were without power as officials feared the spread of fire and downed power poles. At least 25 people were killed in the suburb of Quezon City, including four that were crushed in a shack. Domestic flights to northern provinces were canceled by Philippines Airlines in the aftermath of destroyed bridges, flooded roads, and landslides. One man was killed in the capital's suburb, Parnaque. The Philippine Navy sent two amphibious trucks as well as several small boats to aid in the evacuation of 10,500 families from Cavite and the fishing village of Navotas. Alert levels were raised at the United States Clark Air Base, though operations continued as normal there. At least 29 people died between the Benguet and Mountain provinces. Initial reports suggested 247,246 people across 41,216 families in all fled their flooded homes and took shelter in evacuation centers across the provinces of Beguet, Pangasinan, La Union, Cavite, and Rizal, as well as metropolitan Manila. At least 1,624 houses were damaged or destroyed, leaving 9,744 people homeless. Within 10 towns in Nueva Ecija province, another 116,420 people in 19,405 families sought refuge in churches, schools, and municipal halls. In three northern provinces, the total cost of damage topped $10.6 million. Joker Arroyo, aide to then-President Corazon Aquino, blamed severe flooding in Manila on the "inefficient drainage system inherited from the previous administration" of Ferdinand Marcos, who was overthrown in a revolt five months prior. Total crop losses in the Philippines approached $27 million, while property damage was estimated at $4.5 million.