Typhoon Ike

Typhoon Ike, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Nitang, was the second deadliest tropical cyclone in the 20th century in the Philippines. Ike originated from an area of disturbed weather southeast of Guam on August 21, 1984, and five days later, developed into a tropical depression. Following an increase in organization, the depression attained tropical storm intensity on August 27. Initially tracking west-southwest, the storm gradually gained strength as wind shear resulted relaxed and Ike became a typhoon on August 30. Continuing to rapidly intensity, Ike turned west and attained peak intensity on September 1, with the Japan Meteorological Agency estimating winds of 170 km/h (105 mph). At around 14:00 UTC that day, Ike made landfall on the northeastern tip of Mindanao. The cyclone emerged into the South China Sea on September 3 as a tropical storm before re-intensifying into a typhoon and moving onshore Hainan. Ike then struck the Chinese mainland as a tropical storm in Guangxi and dissipated on September 6.

During its formative stages, Ike brushed Guam, although its compact size reduced the extent of damage. Typhoon Ike also struck the Philippines a mere four days after Tropical Storm June inundated the northern portion of the Philippines and also was suffering from the nation's worst economic crisis since independence in 1946. It also left a path of destruction in the Philippines that at the time was unparalleled in its modern history. Most of the deaths were in the province of Surigao del Norte, where around 1,000 died, 330 others were wounded, and 80% of structures along with 27 towns were flattened. Typhoon Ike was considered the worst typhoon to affect the province in 20 years. Roughly 90% of homes in Surigao City were leveled, leaving 90,000 individuals homeless. Throughout Negros Island, over 4,000 dwellings were destroyed, resulting in nearly 75,000 people homeless after a river burst its banks. In the province of Bohol, Ike was the deadliest natural disaster in the province's history, with 198 fatalities in addition to 89,000 homes damaged or destroyed. Overall, 1,426 people were killed as a result of the typhoon in the archipelago. At the time, Ike was the deadliest typhoon to hit the country during the 20th century, surpassing the previous record of Typhoon Amy in 1951. A total of 1,856 people were injured. Furthermore, 142,653 homes were damaged and 108,219 others were destroyed. Nationwide, damage was estimated at $230 million, including $76.5 million from crop damage and $111 million from property damage. Following the storm, Philippines authorities initially distributed $4 million in aid but refused international aid. However, authorities reversed its decision on September 8 due to lack of local resources and started accepting foreign aid. In all, over $7.5 million was donated to the country to provide relief.

Ike was the worst tropical cyclone to strike the Guangxi province in China since 1954, where 14 people were killed. Across the country, around 13,000 structures were damaged or destroyed. Nationwide, 46 people were killed and 12,000 ha (29,651 acres) of sugar cane were destroyed. About 1,315,420 kg (2,900,000 lb) of vegetables were lost. Elsewhere, two people were killed and seven were listed missing in Thailand due to flash flooding.

The origins of Typhoon Ike can be traced back to an area of disturbed weather first identified as part of the region's monsoon trough southeast of Guam on August 21. Over the next few days, the disturbance failed to develop as a result of inhibiting wind shear which remained over the area. However, the shear quickly abated on August 25, allowing for convection to build and persist over the system's center of circulation; this prompted the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to classify the system at 06:00 UTC on August 26 as a tropical depression. Later that day, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert for the system, following a rapid increase in the system's organization. Tracking generally northward, it continued to improve in organization and became more compact, allowing both the JMA and the JTWC to upgrade the system to Tropical Storm Ike on August 27.

Ike's track northward brought it 165 km (105 mi) southwest of Guam before the tropical storm stalled and turned towards the west-southwest on August 28 as a result of a subtropical ridge to its north. Initially, persistent wind shear limited intensification, but data from the JTWC suggested that Ike briefly attained typhoon status on August 29. By August 30, an upper-level anticyclone became established over the system, resulting in favorable conditions aloft, and Ike entered a second intensification phase. At midday, both the JTWC and JMA estimated that Ike attained typhoon status. On August 31, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also monitored the storm and assigned it with the local name Nitang. Now assuming a more westerly bearing, Ike continued to rapidly strengthen; at 12:00 UTC on September 1, the typhoon reached its peak intensity with winds of 165 km/h (105 mph) and a barometric pressure of 950 mbar (hPa; 28.05 inHg) as analyzed by the JMA. Meanwhile, the JTWC estimated maximum intensity of 235 km/h (145 mph).

With maximum intensity, Ike made landfall on the northeastern tip of Mindanao at around 14:00 UTC on September 1, taking 30 hours to track across the southern extent of the Philippines. The cyclone emerged into the South China Sea on September 3, but due to land interaction, both the JTWC and JMA reported that Ike had weakened to a tropical storm upon its emergence. The storm tracked northwestward across the South China Sea over the next few days. Ike regained its former typhoon classification on September 3, according to the JTWC, and on September 4, according to the JMA. Several hours later, data from a Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicated that Ike had developed a 55 km (35 mi) wide eye. The JMA estimated that it reached a secondary peak intensity on September 4 with winds of 165 km/h (105 mph) and a pressure of 955 mbar (hPa; 28.20 inHg), only slightly weaker than its peak strength while the JTWC estimated a secondary peak of 185 km/h (115 mph). The combination of increased wind shear induced by a trough passing to the storm's north and the typhoon's proximity to land caused Ike to weaken. The storm made a September 5 landfall on Hainan as a minimal typhoon. The storm continued to weaken after crossing Hainan, with both the JTWC and JMA estimating that it moved into the Chinese mainland as a tropical storm while it was located 110 km (68 mi) southeast of Nanning. Thereafter, Ike quickly weakened inland and dissipated on September 6.

Prior to the typhoon's first landfall, a typhoon warning was issued by the Manila Weather Bureau for the Philippine provinces of Surigao del Norte, Agusan, Leyte, Samar, Camiguin, Bohol, Cebu, Misamis Oriental, and Negros. Local authorities warned at risk residents via radio to flee to higher ground due to the threat of destructive storm surge. Although no mandatory evacuation was in effect, local radio stations broadcast appeals for evacuation every 30 minutes under the direction of the Manila Weather Bureau.

When Ike began to turn towards the northwest on September 3, typhoon warnings were issued for coastal areas between Hong Kong and Beihai. Hundreds of cargo ships left port to escape the typhoon. In Zhanjiang, sandbagging operations took place in an effort to construct a barrier against Ike's storm surge. Hundreds of thousands of residents evacuated from coastal areas. Offshore, four foreign oil companies evacuated workers off of drilling rigs in the South China Sea. Further north, in Hong Kong, a No 1. hurricane signal was issued on September 4 and later that day was upped to a No 3. hurricane signal, but this signal was dropped once the storm dissipated inland.