Typhoon Babs
Typhoon Babs, named Loleng by PAGASA, was a powerful typhoon that struck the Philippines days after Typhoon Zeb hit the same area. The seventh typhoon of the inactive 1998 Pacific typhoon season, Babs formed on October 14 between the Philippines and Guam. The storm moved westward initially, failing to intensify initially due to the outflow from Typhoon Zeb to the northwest. Babs slowed and briefly turned to the south before advancing to the northwest, whereupon it explosively intensified into a strong typhoon. On October 20, the official Japan Meteorological Agency estimated peak 10‑minute winds of, while the unofficial Joint Typhoon Warning Center estimated peak 1‑minute winds of, making Babs an unofficial super typhoon. The storm struck the Philippine island of Catanduanes at that intensity and weakened slightly before hitting Luzon. Babs turned northward once in the South China Sea, later weakening due to unfavorable conditions and transitioning into an extratropical cyclone on October 27 in the Taiwan Strait.
Damage was heaviest where Babs first made landfall along the Philippine island of Catanduanes. Torrential rainfall rose waters by along a river, which inundated houses up to their roofs. Heavy rainfall affected much of Luzon and the northern Philippines, causing widespread flooding and landslides that isolated towns. Strong winds, peaking at in Virac, Catanduanes, left widespread areas without power. There was also heavy crop damage, with 222,882 tonnes of rice destroyed. Babs damaged or destroyed 403,623 houses in the Philippines, with overall damage estimated at ₱6.787 billion ; the typhoon also killed 303 people. Later, the storm's high waves injured surfers in Hong Kong. Heavy rainfall affected Fujian, causing ¥280 million in damage and five deaths. Torrential rainfall in Taiwan, reaching in Yilan City, flooded towns and caused landslides; there were three deaths on the island. The remnants later affected the Japanese island of Okinawa with rainfall and high waves.
Meteorological history
A tropical disturbance developed east-southeast of Guam on October 11, just four days after Typhoon Zeb originated in the same area. The American-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued a tropical cyclone formation alert on October 12, indicating development was imminent. However, the system did not develop into a tropical depression until 06:00 UTC on October 14, based on analysis from the Japan Meteorological Agency - the official warning center for the western Pacific Ocean. Three hours later, the JTWC began tracking the system as Tropical Depression 20W. At that time, the storm had moved south of Guam and was passing north of Palau.The nascent depression moved generally westward toward the Philippines. Initially, development was hindered by the outflow from Typhoon Zeb, which had struck Luzon and was moving northward. However, the depression was able to intensify into a tropical storm on October 15, at which time the JTWC named it Babs. Later that day, the storm reached 1‑minute winds of, and it entered the area of responsibility of PAGASA - the Philippine weather agency - which gave it the local name Loleng. On October 17, a tropical upper tropospheric trough to the northeast weakened the subtropical ridge, causing Babs to slow and drift to the south; the same trough restricted outflow, causing the circulation to become exposed from the convection. The trough weakened and the shear decreased on October 18, allowing the storm to restrengthen. On October 19, a ship in the proximity of Babs reported 10‑minute winds of, indicating that the storm was intensifying. At 00:00 UTC that day, the JTWC upgraded the storm to typhoon status, and the JMA followed suit 18 hours later. Babs explosively intensified subsequently as it developed a well-defined eye in diameter. At 12:00 UTC on October 20, the JMA assessed that the typhoon reached peak 10‑minute winds of, while the JTWC estimated peak 1‑minute winds of 250 km/h with a minimum barometric pressure of, making Babs an unofficial super typhoon. The gale-force winds extended northeast from the center, while the strongest winds extended from the eye. Around the time of peak intensity, Babs made landfall on the Philippine island of Catanduanes, where a weather station recorded a pressure of in Virac. However, the official lowest pressure from the JMA was.
The winds decreased slightly as Babs moved across Catanduanes, although it soon moved over open waters into Lamon Bay, where it struck Polillo Island. According to the JTWC, Babs had weakened to winds of on October 22 before quickly re-intensifying to winds of as it approached Luzon. At 18:00 UTC on October 22, Babs made landfall on Luzon about south of Baler, or south of where Zeb struck only eight days prior. The typhoon weakened further while crossing central Luzon, and it passed about north of Metro Manila before emerging into the South China Sea on October 23. By that time, the JMA had downgraded Babs to a tropical storm, although the agency soon re-upgraded the storm to typhoon status. For several days, Babs remained at the same intensity, sporting an eye with a wide area of gale-force winds. A trough gradually steered the storm toward the north, weakening the ridge. The same trough caused an increase in wind shear that led to Babs weakening. The storm reached its westernmost point on October 25 - about southeast of Hong Kong. Turning northeastward into the Taiwan Strait, even stronger wind shear caused Babs to fall apart, and the storm weakened into a tropical depression just off the southeast coast of China. On October 27, the JMA declared Babs as extratropical. The remnants accelerated to the northeast, passing south of Kyushu before dissipating on October 30.
Preparations
Shortly after Babs entered the PAGASA area of responsibility, government workers began closely tracking the storm and warned residents to be prepared. PAGASA issued a Public Storm Warning Signal #4 for Catanduanes, with lower warnings issued throughout Luzon and the Visayas. Metro Manila was placed under Public Storm Warning Signal #3 on October 22. In Catanduanes, evacuees utilized public schools as an emergency shelter, although many rode out the storm in their homes. The storm halted ferry service throughout the region, stranding thousands. Many residents in Samar slept in buses and cars for two days due to the cancellations. Bus service to the region was also halted. The stock and currency exchanges were closed during the storm. Officials advised residents in Metro Manila to remain indoors; government buildings and schools were closed, while Ninoy Aquino International Airport halted all domestic flights. In addition, 14 international flights were canceled. Manila South Harbor also kept all boats at port. Across the Philippines, Babs forced about 400,000 people to leave their houses. Many families waited to evacuate until the onslaught of the strongest winds, resulting in additional casualties.The Hong Kong Observatory issued a warning signal #3 due to the storm's threat to the territory on October 24. Beaches closed during the storms, and fishing boats were forced to remain at port. Several airports in Taiwan were closed. Two Russian ships were forced to ride out the storm in Xiamen.
Impact
Philippines
When Babs moved over Catanduanes, the weather station at Virac recorded wind gusts of. In Daet, Camarines Norte, near the typhoon's final Philippine landfall, sustained winds reached, with gusts to. Farther north in Luzon, Babs produced gusts of in Baler, Aurora. The typhoon also dropped torrential rainfall that caused flooding and landslides. On Mount Pinatubo, the rains resulted in a high landslide consisting of volcanic material, although nearby rivers at flood stage contained it. Workers at the Ambuklao and Binga dams had to release waters after the storm, which flooded rice fields and fish ponds along the Agno River. Elsewhere, heightened rivers in Camarines Sur flooded 24 towns. Five towns in Rizal province were flooded along a lake, including about 70% of the city of Angono. Flooding also affected portions of Manila.Just like Typhoon Zeb days earlier, Babs was very destructive to the Philippines, mostly throughout Luzon and into the Visayas. In Catanduanes where it first struck, several hours of torrential rainfall in the hills caused the Bato River to rise, which reached as high as the houses' roofs in some areas. Most houses lost their roofs and many had damage to walls, with furniture and other property drenched. About 80% of the buildings in the city of Virac were destroyed, and winds were strong enough to knock air conditioners out of windows. There was an island-wide power outage after high seas washed away a power generating barge. On Masbate, a landslide collapsed the entrance of a gold mining cave, with 14 of the 25 member crew rescued. High waves destroyed 125 homes in Catbalogan on Samar Island, while three fishermen required rescue.
Along its path through the Philippines, the high winds caused widespread power outages for several days. Many roads and highways were flooded for days or blocked by landslides, and several bridges were wrecked. In the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, the storm knocked over many coconut trees, and flooding damaged about of rice fields in Nueva Ecija. Nationwide, the storm destroyed 222,882 tonnes of rice. Agriculture damage was estimated at ₱2.3 billion. Overall, Babs destroyed 96,581 houses and damaged another 307,042, leaving about 130,000 people homeless. There were 303 deaths in the country with another 751 injured, mostly in the Bicol Region. This included 71 deaths in Catanduanes and 41 in Camarines Sur. Most of the deaths were related to landslides, flooding, electrocutions, snakebites, and cleanup accidents. In Catanduanes, residents dug mass graves due to the high number of fatalities. Total damage was estimated at ₱6.787 billion, which as of 2011 was the 9th costliest typhoon in the Philippines and the 5th costliest at the time.