Typhoon Wanda was a large, powerful and deadly tropical cyclone that became one of the deadliest typhoons to impact China, and was the strongest typhoon to impact Zhejiang since Typhoon Nina in 1953. The eleventh depression, fourth named storm and second super typhoon of the 1956 Pacific typhoon season, Wanda originated as a tropical disturbance meandering around the Northern Mariana Islands. One day after initially being located, the disturbance was officially recognized as a tropical depression and shortly thereafter, a tropical storm. On July 27, the typhoon underwent rapid intensification where it quickly intensified into a strong typhoon. The typhoon reached its peak intensity on July 30, where the Japan Meteorological Agency estimated barometric pressure of 905 hPa (mbar) and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center estimated 1-minute sustained winds of . The typhoon made landfall in Ningbo on August 1, where it quickly weakened and eventually dissipated.

Meteorological history

A tropical depression developed southwest of Guam on July 25. It moved north-northeastward, passing east of the Northern Marianas. On July 27, it intensified into a tropical storm and was designated Wanda. On the same day, the storm turned more westward, steered by the subtropical ridge to the north. Low wind shear and warm waters allowed Wanda to intensify steadily, developing into an intense typhoon. On July 30, reconnaissance aircraft recorded a minimum pressure of , and the peak winds were estimated at . After passing through the Miyako Islands, Wanda weakened slightly and traversed the East China Sea. On August 1, the typhoon made landfall in eastern China near Zhoushan, Zhejiang, producing a pressure of ; this was the lowest pressure recorded in China from a tropical cyclone. Wanda slowly weakened while progressing through China, dissipating on August 5.

Impact Taipei on Taiwan recorded of rainfall over three days while the typhoon would pass to the north. Along the coast of Zhejiang, Wanda produced a storm surge that destroyed 465 seawalls and 902 boats. The storm also flooded crop fields, destroying 20,380 tons of wheat. Across Zhejiang, 2.2 million houses and 38.5% of the main roads were damaged during the storm. Nationwide, Wanda killed 4,935 people and injured 16,617 others.

+ Effects of Typhoon Wanda

See also

Other tropical cyclones of the same name

Notes

References

External links Digital Typhoon : Typhoon 195606 (WANDA) – National Institute of Informatics