Super Typhoon “Doksuri” moves through the Luzon Strait, heads toward southern China

Typhoon “Doksuri” — known as Egay in the Philippines — intensified into a super typhoon on Wednesday, July 25, 2023, having reached a maximum sustained wind speed of 240 km/h (150 mph) — the equivalent of a category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic. The typhoon left at least 1 person dead and 2 injured in the Philippines and is now heading toward mainland China.

The center of the typhoon moved through the Luzon Strait, bringing heavy rains, widespread flooding and landslides to the Philippines, and leaving at least 1 person dead and 2 injured.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said flooding occurred across five regions and caused more than a dozen landslides.

Doksuri weakened from a super typhoon before it made landfall near remote northern Fuga Island in Aparri, Cagayan around 19:10 UTC on July 25, bringing up to 400 mm (16 inches) of rain to the region. Authorities also warned of tidal surges up to 3 m (10 feet).

The typhoon made a second landfall over Dalupiri Island at around 03:00 UTC on July 26.

The governor of Cagayan province, which suspended schools and closed offices, said more than 12 000 people were evacuated from coastal and mountain towns by Tuesday evening (LT). In addition, at least a dozen domestic flights from Wednesday through Friday, July 28, were canceled.

At 09:00 UTC on July 26, the center of Typhoon “Doksuri” was located about 782 km (486 miles) east-southeast of Hong Kong. It had a maximum 10-minute sustained winds of 165 km/h (105 mph), with gusts up to 240 km/h (150 mph), while maximum 1-minute sustained winds were at 185 km/h (115 mph).

The minimum central barometric pressure was 940 hPa and the system was moving northwest slowly.

The current forecast track takes Doksuri northwest toward southern China. While it’s not expected to make landfall in Taiwan, heavy rain is expected across the island and the government has suspended annual military drills until the threat passes.

China’s National Meteorological Information Center expects the system to make landfall somewhere between the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong on Friday morning (LT), July 28.

As a result, Fujian has upgraded the typhoon emergency warning to the third-highest level and asked fishing boats to return to port immediately and farmers to speed up their harvest.

The typhoon will continue weakening before it makes landfall in China, but it will still be powerful enough to deal significant damage.

Additionally, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs warned that Doksuri could go deep inland after landing, affecting high-stalk crops such as corn and even rice in rural areas.

References:

¹ Typhoon “Egay” – TCB #30 – PAGASA – July 26, 2023

² China, Philippines and Taiwan brace for Super Typhoon Doksuri – Al Jazeera – July 26, 2023

Featured image: Typhoon “Doksuri” at 07:30 UTC on July 25, 2023. Credit: JMA/Himawari-9, RAMMB/CIRA, The Watchers