Typhoon Ruby (1988)

Typhoon Ruby, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Unsang, was the strongest typhoon to strike the Philippines in 18 years. The tenth typhoon of the 1988 Pacific typhoon season, Ruby formed from an area of low pressure situated east of the Philippines on October 20. The storm steadily intensified as it moved west, and then west-northwest. After developing an eye, Ruby attained typhoon intensity on October 23 and began to strengthen at a brisker clip. Ruby reached maximum intensity later that day, before moving ashore along the central portion of Luzon early on October 24. The storm steadily weakened over land and this trend only continued after Ruby entered the South China Sea. On October 27, Ruby made a second landfall as a tropical storm on Hainan Island before dissipating the next day.

In addition to being the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines since 1970, Ruby also brought widespread damage to the country. Ten people died after a tornado wiped away six villages near Cagayan de Oro. Elsewhere in the province, five people were killed, and 26,000 were left homeless. Five people were killed and 40 others were presumed dead when a bus fell under a river on Panay Island. Eleven people died and 15,000 people lost their homes in Marikina, a suburb of Manila.

The passenger ferry MV Doña Marilyn sank in the Visayan Sea en route from Manila to Tacloban City. At least 77 of the 511 people on board died, though there were initial reports of 261 missing. At least 110,000 people were left homeless. Approximately 200,000 dwellings were damaged, including roughly 39,000 that were destroyed. Furthermore, 208 people sustained injuries. Overall, damage in the island nation totaled $268 million (1988 USD), including $40 million in crop damage and $228 million in infrastructure damage. On Hainan Island, offshore China, two people were killed and damage totaled $35.6 million. Elsewhere, the storm was responsible for $9.89 million in damages and one death in the Fujian Province. Overall, 288 people died as a result of the typhoon.

Typhoon Ruby, the last of four typhoons to form in the basin during October 1988, originated from an area of disturbed weather that formed on October 20; consequently, both the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) started tracking the system at 18:00 UTC that day. Following an increase in deep convection, a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) was issued by the JTWC early on October 21. At noon, the JTWC first classified the disturbance as a tropical depression while the JMA upgraded the disturbance into a tropical storm. At the time of classification, the cyclone was situated about 1,760 km (1,095 mi) east-southeast of Manila on October 21 and moved southwestwards at first. Early on October 22, the depression was upgraded into a tropical storm, and was given the name Ruby by the JTWC. The same day, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also monitored the storm and assigned it with the local name Usang.

Initially, the storm continued to track towards the southwest, before taking on a westward course typical of a "straight runner". During the afternoon of October 22, the JMA upgraded Ruby into a severe tropical storm. Both agencies estimated that Ruby attained typhoon status on October 23. Despite developing a pinhole eye, intensity estimates from the JMA suggested that Ruby only strengthened slightly over the next 24 hours. However, data from the JTWC suggested that Ruby rapidly strengthened during this period, ultimately attaining a peak wind speed of 230 km/h (145 mph), and a minimum barometric pressure of 950 mbar (hPa; 28.05 inHg). Meanwhile, the JMA estimated maximum intensity of 135 km/h (85 mph) and the same pressure. Ruby accelerated westward to a speed of about 27 km/h (17 mph) in the general direction of Luzon. While maintaining a small 30 km (20 mi) wide eye, it made landfall over central Luzon early on October 24, while according to the JMA still at maximum intensity. This made Ruby the most intense tropical cyclone to strike the main island of Luzon since Typhoon Patsy of the 1970 season. The system entered the South China Sea the morning of October 25.

Based on analysis from the JMA, Ruby was believed to have maintained its intensity over land, although the JTWC noted that Ruby weakened substantially over land. During the evening of October 25, when it was about 350 km (215 mi) west-northwest of Manila, Ruby started a weakening trend. Meanwhile, the storm's forward motion slowed down significantly, and Ruby turned towards the west-northwest late on October 26. Around this time, the JMA downgraded Ruby into a severe tropical storm. While moving in the general direction of Hainan Island, the JTWC estimated that Ruby lost typhoon intensity on the morning of October 27. Increased northeasterly wind shear took its toll on the storm, resulting in continued weakening. During the afternoon of October 27, Ruby struck the island of Hainan, with the JMA estimating winds of 95 km/h (60 mph). Land interaction with the rugged terrain of the island accelerated the weakening trend, and after becoming devoid of deep convection, the JTWC ceased tracking Ruby late on October 28. Eighteen hours later, the JMA followed suit.

Prior to the arrival of Ruby, storm warnings were issued in the Visayas Islands, the northern coast of Mindanao and south to central portions of Luzon. Manila's international airport canceled more than 25 domestic flights on October 24, though international flights operated normally. Classes were suspended on October 22 in Manila, along with most private businesses and government offices. There, all major banks and the city's two stock markets suspended operations on October 24. Numerous ships at U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay were evacuated in advance of Ruby and only "mission-essential personnel" were on duty. All six U.S. military bases in the Philippines were put on maximum alert as the storm neared. Due to Ruby's threat to Hong Kong, a No 3. hurricane signal was issued, but was dropped on October 27 once the storm receded.

Throughout the archipelago, Typhoon Ruby flattened homes, sank ships, and blew buses and trucks off freeways. Much of the entire island of Luzon lost power due to the typhoon. Ten people were feared dead, including one child, on October 23 when a tornado destroyed six villages near Cagayan de Oro. There, five others drowned in floodwaters triggered by flash flooding and 26,000 people were displaced from their homes. After the Agusan River overflowed its banks, 1,000 houses were destroyed, leading to more than 20,000 homeless. The Augsen Bridge was also destroyed by the typhoon. The typhoon killed fifteen people in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, six on Camiguin Island, three in Nueva Ecija, two in Surigao City and one in Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan and Iloilo. In Cugman, Cagayan de Oro, six fatalities were reported, and 1,000 dwellings were destroyed, which resulted in 20,000 people displaced from their residence. In Mindoro Island, twenty people were killed, and roughly 250 houses as well as a bridge were destroyed. Elsewhere, three miners died in a landslide in Davao. Six people drowned in Zamboanga del Sur. According to military reports, a bus fell under the Sibalom River after a 300 m-long (985 ft) bridge, which the bus was atop of, collapsed. Consequently, five people were killed and 40 others were presumed dead, most of whom were either trapped inside the bus or were swept away by flood waters. Seventeen others were rescued. Five people died in Zamboanga del Sur, including one in Pagadian City. Around 3,000 people were evacuated due to rough seas in Legazpi, Albay. Approximately 150 dwellings were flooded in Cebu City.