Typhoons Leepi and Bebinca Are Bringing Heavy Rain This Week

Summer is China's typhoon season, and as if we hadn’t had enough typhoon warnings these past few weeks, it has been reported that a new tropical storm is threatening to hit China later this week.

Photo credit: https://www.hurricanezone.net/

Typhoon Leepi is set to strike the southern Japanese island of Kyushu in the early hours of August 15 and will be bringing high winds and heavy rain, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

At 11:30 p.m. August 14th, Leepi was 247 miles southeast of Sasebo and headed northwest at 18 mph. It was holding steady at 63-mph sustained winds and 81-mph gusts.

Shanghai's Meteorological Service has issued yellow alerts－the third level of China's four-tier color-coded warning system－for heavy rains and thunderstorms, with Typhoon Leepi expected to make landfall in Zhejiang, Guangdong province this week.

Additionally, another tropical storm named Bebinca has been forming quickly in the northern part of the South China Sea.

Warnings were in effect as NASA's Aqua satellite analyzed the storm located off the coast of southern China near Hainan Island and found powerful storms capable of dropping heavy rainfall. However, the slow movement of the storm will bring a significant risk for flooding.

Photo credit: NRL/NASA

Tropical storm Bebinca will bring several days of heavy rainfall to parts of China and Vietnam this week. The storm, which is currently located between Hainan and Hong Kong in the South China Sea, will slowly track westward from August 15th through August 17th. This track will take the tropical storm across the Leizhou Peninsula, Guangdong, the Peral River Delta and into the Gulf of Tonkin before making a final landfall in northern Vietnam.

In the past few hours, Bebinca edged slightly closer to the Pearl River Delta region. According to present forecast track, Bebinca is expected to be moving slowly and erratically. The typhoon is expected to circle offshore before reaching western coastal areas of Guangdong. Downpours have been forecast in western Guangdong and cities in the Pearl River Delta.

Bebinca will bring rough seas which will threaten shipping interests in the region. Wind damages will be localized and largely limited to tree damages and power outages due to wind gusts of 65-80 km/h (40-50 mph).

This magnitude of rainfall will likely result in widespread flooding and travel disruptions across the region.

The coastal region of southeast China from Macau westward through Guangxi province will endure daily downpours that will produce localized flooding and travel delays.

How to stay safe during a super typhoon:

1. Don't leave the house unless absolutely necessary. 

2. Do not use gas or electrical appliances that have been flooded.

3. Stay away from places that will likely be inundated by rising water or waves.

4. When evacuation is necessary, switch off your home's main power supply, place appliances and belongings at higher locations and close windows before leaving. 

5. Stay away from hanging wires and unstable structures (damaged houses, bridges, ports near rough waters, etc).

If a typhoon is coming, stay safe instead of insisting on diving or swimming; it is far too dangerous to do so.

Scan QR code in the image for typhoon track forecast

Source: Strats Stripes, mainichi.jp

Supervisor: Crystal Huang

Editor: SC

Co-Editor: Ed Bellin

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