Typhoon Emma was a powerful typhoon that brought 140 mph (230 km/h) winds and 22 inches (560 mm) of rain to Okinawa (then US territory of the Ryukyu Islands) and South Korea. Emma left 77 people dead and over $8 million (1956 USD) in damage. Emma was one of several typhoons to cause significant damage to Okinawa during the mid-1950s.
Forming from a tropical disturbance near the Mariana Islands, Emma churned southwest before gaining typhoon status on September 3. Emma then recurved after reaching Category 3 status. Moving west-northwest, Emma reached a peak intensity of 155 mph (249 km/h) as it bypassed Okinawa. Emma then brushed South Korea and Kyūshū as a strong Category 3 typhoon before swinging to the northeast and hitting China and the far eastern Soviet Union.[1]
Preparationsedit
The Tokyo Weather Center began to issue warnings when Emma was spotted on September 3, east-southeast of Iwo Jima. During the preparations, bread and milk were stocked and U.S. installations in Okinawa were placed on alert. An army hospital in Ryūkyū was evacuated as patients were transferred to storm shelters where they had pie and beans.[2]
Most heeded typhoon watches, either evacuating or bolting storm shutters and stowing away light equipment. On Okinawa's eastern beaches however, more than a dozen marines who were unaware of the danger came to the beaches eager to surf in the thundering waves. Eleven of the Marines had already paddled out into open water when they realized the danger, but it was too late. A strong rip current had overwhelmed the soldiers and all eleven marines drowned.[3]
When the storm struck, it brought 143 mph (230 km/h) gusts that ripped apart runways and smashed hangars. Heavy rains brought flashfloods that damaged homes and buildings. A total of 1,059 millimetres (41.7 in) fell at Kadena Air Force Base in 21 hours on September 8.[4] By the time Emma left the battered island, there was $8 million (1956 US dollars) in damage.[3]
The U.S.-held island of Okinawa was hard hit by Emma. Numerous planes, runways and barracks were ether damaged or destroyed. The island was in the recovering phases when in 1957, Typhoon Faye, another powerful typhoon did the same damage ($11.3 million (1957 dollars)). Later the island was struck again by Typhoon Charlotte of 1959.[3]
Elsewhereedit
On Kyūshū, Emma brought 22 inches of rain that caused extensive flooding which left 34 people dead and thousands homeless. At its landfall near South Korea. Emma sank dozens of ships and wrecked homes and buildings. In all 42 people were dead and 35 missing, most of them fishermen.[3]
Loss of a hurricane hunteredit
Emma was also one of the few tropical cyclones to down a plane. It was a Boeing RB-50 hurricane hunter plane, which was sent up to study wind velocities in the storm's right front quadrant. The plane went down in the storm, taking all 16 crew members with it. Although no direct cause was stated, it was speculated that the winds of the typhoon caused the airplane to go into a tailspin. Another theory was that the low pressures caused the plane's altimeters to give a false reading, and that caused the pilots to assume that they were flying much higher than they actually were, causing them to continue flying on their assumed altitude until they crashed. The theory was also applied to what happened to a hurricane hunter which crashed during Hurricane Janet in 1955.[3]
JMA General Information of Typhoon Emma (5612) from Digital Typhoon
Disaster Information of Typhoon Emma (5612) from Digital Typhoon
Notesedit
^Unisys (2006)EMMA Best track 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine URL Accessed:October 11, 2006
^United States Army Typhoon Emma Report APO 343 URL Accessed:October 11, 2006
^ abcdeLongshore, David. Encyclopedia of hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones. Facts on File (1998) ISBN0-8160-3398-6
^J. L. H. Paulhaus (1973). World Meteorological Organization Operational Hydrology Report No. 1: Manual For Estimation of Probable Maximum Precipitation. World Meteorological Organization. p. 178.
April 15, 2024
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Typhoon Emma was a powerful typhoon that brought 140 mph 230 km h winds and 22 inches 560 mm of rain to Okinawa then US territory of the Ryukyu Islands and South Korea Emma left 77 people dead and over 8 million 1956 USD in damage Emma was one of several typhoons to cause significant damage to Okinawa during the mid 1950s Typhoon Emma Emma at peak intensity on September 3Meteorological historyFormedSeptember 1 1956 1956 09 01 DissipatedSeptember 11 1956 1956 09 11 Typhoon10 minute sustained JMA Lowest pressure930 hPa mbar 27 46 inHgCategory 4 equivalent super typhoon1 minute sustained SSHWS JTWC Highest winds250 km h 155 mph Overall effectsFatalities77 directDamage 8 million 1956 USD Areas affectedMariana Islands Izu Islands Okinawa Kyushu South Korea China Soviet UnionIBTrACSPart of the 1956 Pacific typhoon season Contents 1 Meteorological history 2 Preparations 3 Impact 3 1 Okinawa 3 2 Elsewhere 3 3 Loss of a hurricane hunter 4 See also 5 Sources 5 1 Book 5 2 World Wide Web 5 3 NotesMeteorological history edit nbsp Map plotting the storm s track and intensity according to the Saffir Simpson scaleMap keySaffir 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 nbsp Tropical cyclone nbsp Subtropical cyclone nbsp Extratropical cyclone remnant low tropical disturbance or monsoon depressionForming from a tropical disturbance near the Mariana Islands Emma churned southwest before gaining typhoon status on September 3 Emma then recurved after reaching Category 3 status Moving west northwest Emma reached a peak intensity of 155 mph 249 km h as it bypassed Okinawa Emma then brushed South Korea and Kyushu as a strong Category 3 typhoon before swinging to the northeast and hitting China and the far eastern Soviet Union 1 Preparations editThe Tokyo Weather Center began to issue warnings when Emma was spotted on September 3 east southeast of Iwo Jima During the preparations bread and milk were stocked and U S installations in Okinawa were placed on alert An army hospital in Ryukyu was evacuated as patients were transferred to storm shelters where they had pie and beans 2 Impact editEmma killed 77 people and caused 8 12 million 1956 dollars in damage across Okinawa and South Korea citation needed Okinawa edit Most heeded typhoon watches either evacuating or bolting storm shutters and stowing away light equipment On Okinawa s eastern beaches however more than a dozen marines who were unaware of the danger came to the beaches eager to surf in the thundering waves Eleven of the Marines had already paddled out into open water when they realized the danger but it was too late A strong rip current had overwhelmed the soldiers and all eleven marines drowned 3 When the storm struck it brought 143 mph 230 km h gusts that ripped apart runways and smashed hangars Heavy rains brought flashfloods that damaged homes and buildings A total of 1 059 millimetres 41 7 in fell at Kadena Air Force Base in 21 hours on September 8 4 By the time Emma left the battered island there was 8 million 1956 US dollars in damage 3 The U S held island of Okinawa was hard hit by Emma Numerous planes runways and barracks were ether damaged or destroyed The island was in the recovering phases when in 1957 Typhoon Faye another powerful typhoon did the same damage 11 3 million 1957 dollars Later the island was struck again by Typhoon Charlotte of 1959 3 Elsewhere edit On Kyushu Emma brought 22 inches of rain that caused extensive flooding which left 34 people dead and thousands homeless At its landfall near South Korea Emma sank dozens of ships and wrecked homes and buildings In all 42 people were dead and 35 missing most of them fishermen 3 Loss of a hurricane hunter edit Emma was also one of the few tropical cyclones to down a plane It was a Boeing RB 50 hurricane hunter plane which was sent up to study wind velocities in the storm s right front quadrant The plane went down in the storm taking all 16 crew members with it Although no direct cause was stated it was speculated that the winds of the typhoon caused the airplane to go into a tailspin Another theory was that the low pressures caused the plane s altimeters to give a false reading and that caused the pilots to assume that they were flying much higher than they actually were causing them to continue flying on their assumed altitude until they crashed The theory was also applied to what happened to a hurricane hunter which crashed during Hurricane Janet in 1955 3 See also editOther storms of the same nameSources editBook edit David Longshore Typhoon Emma Encyclopedia of Hurricanes Typhoons and Cyclones David Longshore New York Facts on File 1998 Pg 113 114 World Wide Web edit Typhoon Emma Report at the United States Army Center of Military History JMA General Information of Typhoon Emma 5612 from Digital Typhoon Disaster Information of Typhoon Emma 5612 from Digital Typhoon Unisys Typhoon Emma track Unisys Typhoon Emma Best track data from JTWC Notes edit Unisys 2006 EMMA Best track Archived 2016 03 04 at the Wayback Machine URL Accessed October 11 2006 United States Army Typhoon Emma Report APO 343 URL Accessed October 11 2006 a b c d e Longshore David Encyclopedia of hurricanes typhoons and cyclones Facts on File 1998 ISBN 0 8160 3398 6 J L H Paulhaus 1973 World Meteorological Organization Operational Hydrology Report No 1 Manual For Estimation of Probable Maximum Precipitation World Meteorological Organization p 178 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Typhoon Emma 1956 amp oldid 1171923446, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
