Typhoon Sarah, known as the Miyakojima Typhoon in Japan, was a destructive typhoon, and among the deadliest on record in the western Pacific Ocean, killing around 2,000people. It formed during the peak of the busy 1959 Pacific typhoon season near Guam, and moved generally to the west-northwest. Continued observations from the hurricane hunters allowed the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) to track Sarah from its origins to its peak as a powerful typhoon, with maximum sustained winds estimated at 305km/h (190mph) on September15. Shortly thereafter, the typhoon struck the small Japanese island of Miyako-jima, where the barometric pressure fell to 908.1mbar (26.82inHg), the second-lowest on record for the country. Sarah turned to the north and northeast, weakening from its peak intensity. On September17, the typhoon made landfall just west of Busan, South Korea with winds of 185km/h (115mph), the nation's strongest landfall at the time and only to be surpassed by Typhoon Maemi in 2003. Sarah later became extratropical over the Japanese island of Hokkaido on September18, although the remnants persisted for several days, crossing into the Russian Far East and later dissipating on September23.
On Miyako-jima, Sarah damaged all of the crops and destroyed about 6,000houses. Damage was estimated at $2million,[nb 1] and there were seven deaths. The damage prompted the Japan Meteorological Agency to give Sarah the special name of the "Miyakojima Typhoon". However, the effects were worst in South Korea, and Sarah was described as the worst typhoon there in 50years. Wind gusts there peaked at 169km/h (105mph), the highest at the time in the country. High winds and waves heavily damaged the port of Busan. Nationwide, the storm destroyed over 14,000homes and left 782,126people homeless, causing over $100million in damage. At least 669people were killed in South Korea, and an additional 1,200fishermen were lost offshore the country. In Japan, widespread flooding killed 47people and destroyed 16,632homes.
Meteorological history
On September10, a tropical disturbance persisted within the Intertropical Convergence Zone near Pohnpei. When the hurricane hunters approached the system at 02:00UTC on September11, they observed a center with several small circulations about 130km (81mi) east of Guam. On that basis, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center[nb 2] classified the system as Tropical Depression Sarah. The depression passed near or just north of Guam, as tracked by radar. By late on September11, the hurricane hunters were reporting flight-level winds of 95km/h (60mph). Early on September12, the JTWC upgraded Sarah to a tropical storm after the circulation became better defined. The storm exhibited a parabolic trajectory that was slightly to the west of the typical September storm. It moved westward initially but gradually curved to the northwest. A hurricane hunters flight at 14:15UTC on September12 observed a 65km (40mi)eye diameter, prompting the JTWC to upgrade Sarah further to typhoon status, with maximum sustained winds of 120km/h (75mph).[1][nb 3]
After becoming a typhoon, Sarah quickly intensified; at 08:00UTC on September13, the hurricane hunters reported flight-level winds of 185km/h (115mph).[1] Subsequent analysis estimated that the typhoon attained these winds at 00:00UTC that day. At 12:00UTC on September14, the JTWC estimated that Sarah intensified to the equivalent of a Category5 on the Saffir–Simpson scale,[2] based on aircraft estimates. The typhoon intensified further, and late on September14 the hurricane hunters reported flight-level winds of 250km/h (155mph), estimating surface winds of 315km/h (195mph).[1] The intensity was adjusted slightly downward in a post-analysis, with peak winds of 305km/h (190mph) at 06:00UTC on September15 about 415km (258mi) east of Taiwan. In addition, the typhoon attained a minimum barometric pressure of 905mbar (26.7inHg).[2]
About three hours after Sarah reached peak winds, the typhoon moved directly over Miyako-jima, an island of Japan east of Taiwan. Sarah weakened while curving to the north, and it passed west of Okinawa late on September15.[1] The winds dropped quickly; by 24hours after peak intensity, Sarah's winds had decreased from 305 to 185km/h (190 to 115mph). The typhoon turned and accelerated to the northeast toward the Korean peninsula, re-intensifying slightly. By late on September16, the winds increased to 215km/h (135mph) while Sarah passed just east of Jeju island. The typhoon weakened again to winds of 185km/h (115mph) by 00:00UTC on September17.[1] That day, Sarah made landfall a few miles west of Busan, South Korea at that intensity;[1][3] this made Sarah the strongest typhoon to strike the country since records began in 1904, and it remained as such until Typhoon Maemi surpassed it in 2003.[3] The typhoon very quickly emerged into the Sea of Japan, its circulation becoming poorly defined. On September18, Sarah became extratropical after moving over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.[1] The remnants continued to the northeast initially before turning sharply westward, passing over Sakhalin. The circulation progressed into Primorsky Krai in the Russian Far East before turning back east. Former Typhoon Sarah struck Sakhalin a second time on September20 while moving east-southeastward. After passing through the Kuril Islands, the remnants of Sarah dissipated on September23.[2]
Early in its duration, Sarah brought gusty winds and passing showers to Guam.[1]
Shortly after reaching peak intensity, Sarah passed near the island of Miyako-jima.[1] The pressure there fell to 908.1mbar (26.82inHg), which was the lowest recorded for the station and the second-lowest on record for Japan, both as of 2003.[5] The typhoon produced sustained winds of 196km/h (122mph) and gusts up to 240km/h (150mph) before the anemometer broke. The winds destroyed over 6,000homes and wrecked all of the crops. Sarah also left the island without power for an extended period of time after damaging power lines. The combination of high winds and rough seas destroyed a fishing pier and 670m (2,200ft) of seawall,[1] as well as several tidal weirs.[6] Sarah also sank four fishing boats and damaged seven others.[7] On Miyako-jima, Sarah killed seven people, injured 88others, and left $2million in damage.[1] The heavy damage on the island prompted the Japan Meteorological Agency to give Sarah the special name of the "Miyakojima Typhoon".[8] Sarah was part of a series of typhoons striking the island in 1959, causing food shortages that forced the population to change their diet.[9] The storm brushed Okinawa with gusts of 135km/h (85mph).[1]
Sarah was the worst typhoon to strike the Korean peninsula in 50years.[1] The peak wind gust in South Korea was 169km/h (105mph), which was the highest for a typhoon at the time, with records dating back to 1904; as of 2010, the value has fallen to the ninth place.[10] Damage was heaviest at Busan where the storm struck. The port there sustained over $100,000 in damage, and nearby American military bases had over $900,000 in damage. Coastal floods washed away or damaged 15,379homes in the Busan area, leaving 25,834people homeless. The waves also damaged or sank 5,400boats. Nationwide, floods damaged 127,000hectares (313,000acres) of crop fields. Throughout South Korea, Sarah destroyed over 14,000homes and left 782,126people homeless, thousands of whom were injured. The Ministry of Social Affairs estimated property damage at over $100million, and the typhoon killed at least 669people.[1] After the storm, the CARE relief agency launched an appeal in the United States, collecting $18,500 worth of shoes and underwear for storm victims.[11] The Australian Red Cross also provided assistance to the country, including money, sheets, and blankets.[12] Due to the ongoing Korean War and Sarah, South Korea lost much of its fishing fleet, resulting in diminished catches over the subsequent decades.[13] The typhoon also caused a rise in the wholesale price index, in conjunction with political uncertainty.[14]
A fleet of 46boats left Oenarodo near Busan on August28 to fish near Komundo Island. The fleet failed to return after the passage of Typhoon Sarah, and local newspapers reported all 1,200fishermen were lost.[15]
Late in its duration, Sarah struck Hokkaido,[1] producing a 6m (20ft)storm surge at Taisei along the southwest coast that left behind a sediment layer 60m (200ft) inland.[16] Before the storm arrived, the United States evacuated planes from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni to Misawa Air Base, although Sarah approached closer to the latter base.[17] The storm affected much of the nation, flooding many communities,[1] including 14,360houses. Across the country, the typhoon damaged 778boats. The storm also damaged 3,566ha (8,810 acres) of crop fields. Nationwide, Sarah destroyed 16,632homes, injured 509people, and killed 47.[18]
Overall, Typhoon Sarah caused around 2,000deaths, making it among the deadliest typhoons on record.[19]
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center was established in 1959 to track typhoons in the western Pacific Ocean for United States government agencies operating in the region.[1]
Typhoon Sarah (11-18 September, 1959)(PDF) (1959 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report). Joint Typhoon Warning Center. pp.102–105. Archived from the original(PDF) on February 21, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
Kenneth R. Knapp; Michael C. Kruk; David H. Levinson; Howard J. Diamond; Charles J. Neumann (2010). 1959 Sarah (1959254N14148). The International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS): Unifying tropical cyclone best track data (Report). Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
F. Nanayamaa; K. Shigenob; K. Satakea; K. Shimokawaa; S. Koitabashic; S. Miyasakac; M. Ishiic (September 2000). "Sedimentary differences between the 1993 Hokkaido-nansei-oki tsunami and the 1959 Miyakojima typhoon at Taisei, southwestern Hokkaido, northern Japan". Sedimentary Geology. 135 (1–4): 255–264. Bibcode:2000SedG..135..255N. doi:10.1016/S0037-0738(00)00076-2.
Shri. P.G. Dhar Chakrabarti. Cyclones(PDF) (Report). South Asia Association of Regional Cooperation Disaster Management Center. p.3. Archived from the original(PDF) on October 10, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2015.