Boats pushed ashore in Sai Kung after Typhoon Mangkhut. Photo: May Tse
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https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2188102/philippines-has-mangkhut-struck-typhoon-names-list Health & Environment
Philippines has Mangkhut struck off typhoon names list
- Extent of death and destruction brought by September’s monster storm sees the name Mangkhut retired
Strong waves hit Heng Fa Chuen on Hong Kong Island during Typhoon Mangkhut in September. Photo: Sam Tsang
What’s in a name? Bad memories when it comes to typhoons, according to international meteorological experts.
A committee of storm specialists this week endorsed a proposal by the Philippines to remove the name Mangkhut from a list of approved monikers for new storms forming over Asia. The request was made in light of the extent of the destruction and death caused by the monster typhoon last summer.
The body operates under the World Meteorological Organisation and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. Its 14 members, representing countries and territories around the region, including Hong Kong, have been meeting in Guangzhou since Tuesday.
Choy Chun-wing, scientific officer at the Hong Kong Observatory, said: “It is common practice that the committee considers retiring the name of a tropical cyclone which has caused great human casualties or economic losses.
“The Philippines requested at the annual session that the name Mangkhut be removed, and the proposal was approved. The name was originally put forward by Thailand, which is now expected to propose a replacement at next year’s session.”
Mangkhut, meaning mangosteen in Thai, replaced the name Durian in 2008 after the latter typhoon killed at least 734 people and left 764 missing in the Philippines.
Typhoon Mangkhut was the most intense storm to hit Hong Kong since records began in the city. It triggered a typhoon signal No 10 from the Observatory, the highest in the authority’s warning system. The signal was left in place for 10 hours – the second longest duration since the second world war.
Maximum gusts of 256km/h were recorded at the Tate’s Cairn weather station on the morning of September 16 as Mangkhut made landfall.
Windows were blown out on this building in Hung Hom during Mangkhut. Photo: Felix Wong
Widespread flooding hit the city and tens of thousands of trees collapsed, which was followed by commuter mayhem the next day as many public transport services ground to a halt.
Choy said Hong Kong had yet to ask for a typhoon name to be dropped. Since 2002, 45 have been struck off by other members of the committee.
The body this week also approved the removal of the name Rumbia. Its four-day meeting, which began on Tuesday, will decide on replacements for three additional names belonging to typhoons that hit the region in 2017. These are Hato, Kai-tak and Tembin.
The name Hato will be substituted with Yamaneko, a Japanese word that means wildcat. Koinu, also a Japanese term, meaning puppy, will replace Tembin. And Kai-tak, contributed by Hong Kong, will be swapped with the name Yun-yeung.
“Yun-yeung has a double meaning,” Choy said. “It is the Cantonese word for a mandarin duck. At the same time, it is also the name of a popular Hong Kong-style drink mixing tea and coffee.”