 = Typhoon Imbudo = 
 
 Typhoon Imbudo , known in the Philippines as Typhoon Harurot , was a powerful typhoon that struck the Philippines and southern China in July 2003 . The seventh named storm and fourth typhoon of the season , Imbudo formed on July 15 to the east of the Philippines . The storm moved generally west @-@ northward for much of its duration due to a ridge to the north . Favorable conditions allowed Imbudo to intensify , gradually at first before undergoing rapid deepening on July 19 . After reaching typhoon status , Imbudo strengthened further to peak 10 – minute sustained winds of 165 km / h ( 105 mph ) on July 20 . The typhoon made landfall on northern Luzon near peak intensity on July 22 , but quickly weakened over land . Once in the South China Sea , Imbudo re @-@ intensified slightly before making its final landfall in southern China near Yangjiang on July 24 , dissipating the next day . 
 In the Philippines , Imbudo was the strongest typhoon in five years , causing widespread flooding and power outages in the Cagayan Valley for weeks . Damage was heaviest in Isabela province near where the storm struck . Most of the banana crop was destroyed , and other crops sustained similar but lesser damage . Imbudo disrupted transportation across much of Luzon . Nationwide , the storm damaged or destroyed 62 @,@ 314 houses , causing P4.7 billion ( PHP , $ 86 million USD ) in damage , mostly in the Cagayan Valley . There were also 64 deaths in the country . In Hong Kong , strong winds killed a man after knocking him off a platform . In China , damage was heaviest in Guangdong where the storm struck . Thousands of trees fell , and 595 @,@ 000 houses were wrecked . Hundreds of canceled flights stranded travelers across the region . In Guangxi , high rainfall increased water levels in 45 reservoirs to warning levels . In Guangxi and Guangdong , collectively 20 people were killed , and damage reached about ¥ 4 @.@ 45 billion ( CNY , $ 297 million USD ) . 
 
 = = Meteorological history = = 
 
 The origins of Imbudo were from a disorganized area of convection near Chuuk in the open western Pacific in mid @-@ July . With weak wind shear , the system slowly became better organized . On July 15 , the Japan Meteorological Agency ( JMA ) estimated that a tropical depression formed . The next day , the Joint Typhoon Warning Center ( JTWC ) issued a tropical cyclone formation alert ( TCFA ) , noting that outflow had increased due to an upper @-@ level low to the northeast . At 1800 UTC on July 16 , the JTWC initiated advisories on Tropical Depression 09W about 665 km ( 415 mi ) east of Yap . A subtropical ridge near Okinawa steered the nascent depression to the west @-@ northwest for much of its duration . With warm waters and favorable upper @-@ level conditions , the depression quickly organized , and the JMA upgraded it to Tropical Storm Imbudo on July 17 . 
 After becoming a tropical storm , Imbudo passed about 35 km ( 20 mi ) north of Yap . The JMA upgraded Imbudo to a severe tropical storm late on July 18 , around the same time that the JTWC upgraded it to a typhoon . An increase in outflow to the south and to the north from a tropical upper tropospheric trough ( TUTT ) caused a 36 ‑ hour period of rapid development beginning on July 19 . During that time , the JMA upgraded Imbudo to typhoon status , the Philippine Atmospheric , Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration ( PAGASA ) began issuing advisories as the storm approached the Philippines , and a 30 km ( 20 mi ) wide eye formed . At 1200 UTC on July 20 , the JMA estimated peak 10 minute sustained winds of 165 km / h ( 105 mph ) . At the same time , the JTWC estimated 1 minute sustained winds of 240 km / h ( 150 mph ) , making it a super typhoon . By late on July 20 , the typhoon had developed concentric eyewalls , and the TUTT was moving away , thus diminishing outflow . Imbudo maintained peak winds for about 12 hours , before the innermost eye contracted to a diameter of 11 km ( 7 mi ) in the midst of an eyewall replacement cycle . At 0300 UTC on July 22 , Imbudo struck northern Luzon , with 1 minute winds estimated at 205 km / h ( 125 mph ) by the JTWC . 
 Rapidly weakening over land , Imbudo emerged into the South China Sea about six hours after landfall . The JTWC estimated winds had decreased to 150 km / h ( 90 mph ) , although the agency estimated Imbudo quickly re @-@ intensified to a secondary peak of 165 km / h ( 105 mph ) in 1 minute winds . Dry air prevented convection from redeveloping significantly , and the eye had become large over open waters . At 0300 UTC on July 24 , Imbudo made its final landfall west of Macau , near Yangjiang , Guangdong . It was the strongest to hit the province since Typhoon Sally in 1996 , striking China with 10 minute winds of 140 km / h ( 85 mph ) , as estimated by the JMA . The storm rapidly weakened over land while moving over southern China . Late on July 25 , Imbudo dissipated near the border of China and Vietnam . 
 
 = = Preparations = = 
 
 Before Imbudo struck , officials evacuated over 14 @,@ 000 people to at least 60 shelters . Government offices were closed along the typhoon 's path , and schools were closed in the capital , Manila . PAGASA issued a number 4 warning signal , the highest level , for three northern provinces , indicating the imminent threat of a powerful storm . Despite the warning , a post @-@ storm survey in Isabela province indicated that 34 % were unaware of the storm 's arrival , while others believed the typhoon would not be as strong . In Manila , four flights were canceled at Ninoy Aquino International Airport , and the Manila Light Rail Transit System was shut down for two hours . Travel by ship and bus were halted in some areas . On July 22 before the storm struck , the Philippine military was put on red alert , increasing security at the presidential palace . The military stated it was due to the typhoon , although newspapers suggested it was to prevent a coup attempt ; a failed coup ultimately did occur on July 27 in what would become known as the Oakwood mutiny . 
 The Hong Kong Observatory issued a number 8 warning signal , indicating the potential for gale force winds within the territory . At Hong Kong International Airport , at least 100 flights were canceled or delayed . Most ferry and some bus lines were temporarily suspended . The threat of the storm caused 16 flights to be canceled and another 54 delayed at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport . On Hainan island , 32 canceled flights stranded about 1 @,@ 500 travelers . The threat of the storm forced British Prime Minister Tony Blair to shorten a trip to the territory . The Hong Kong Stock Exchange opened 30 minutes late as a result of the typhoon . On the mainland at Yangjiang , more than 30 @,@ 000 people evacuated ahead of the storm . 
 
 = = Impact = = 
 
 
 = = = Philippines = = = 
 
 Typhoon Imbudo was the strongest typhoon to strike Luzon since Typhoon Zeb five years prior , and was the fifth storm in eight weeks to affect the country . The typhoon left widespread areas flooded for several days . Cagayan Valley was largely isolated after a bridge was damaged in Ilocos Norte . Damage was heavy in the region , totaling P2.2 billion ( PHP , $ 40 million USD ) , and over 80 @,@ 000 people were displaced by the storm . Damage was heaviest in Isabela , where damage was estimated at P1.9 billion ( PHP , $ 35 million USD ) , mostly to crops and killed livestock . There , winds and rain knocked down trees and caused a province @-@ wide power outage . Most trees less than three years old fell during the high winds . In Isabela province , the banana crop was almost entirely destroyed , and most of the corn and rice crops were heavily damaged . The high damage caused the gross regional product , or overall economy of the Cagayan Valley , to decrease by 0 @.@ 3 % than what would have happened without the typhoon . 
 Power outages affected Metro Manila , and several billboards were damaged in the city , although there was minimal flooding in the capital . Adverse conditions caused the Manila Light Rail Transit System Line 1 to close for two hours , stranding hundreds . High winds knocked over a 12 m ( 40 ft ) tree that killed five on Romblon Island . The rains brought the Magat Dam on Luzon to capacity . Landslides blocked a national highway in Nueva Ecija with debris and fallen trees , which were quickly cleared within a few days . On Mindanao , flash flooding from the outer periphery of the storm affected 18 towns , killing 11 people . In Maguindanao in the southern Philippines , flooding washed away 50 houses , forcing over 2 @,@ 000 people to evacuate . Damage extended as far south as the Western Visayas . Across the Philippines , Imbudo damaged 62 @,@ 314 houses , of which about 20 % were destroyed . Housing damage was estimated at P1.2 billion ( PHP , $ 22 million USD ) , most of which in the Cagayan Valley . Overall damage in the country was estimated at about P4.7 billion ( PHP , $ 86 million USD ) . Of the total , about P1.9 billion ( PHP , $ 35 million USD ) was in agriculture damage . Imbudo killed 64 people in the Philippines , mostly in Cagayan Valley , and injured another 154 . 
 
 = = = Elsewhere = = = 
 
 Early in its developmental stages , Imbudo affected portions of Micronesia , particularly Ulithi . There , a weather station measured a peak wind gust of 85 km / h ( 53 mph ) ; winds of similar intensity were reported in Yap . Rainfall from Imbudo in Micronesia peaked at 226 mm ( 8 @.@ 89 in ) over a six @-@ hour period on Yap . The rainfall from the passing tropical cyclone caused $ 75 @,@ 000 in property damage and $ 25 @,@ 000 in agricultural and crop @-@ related damage . 
 Before Imbudo struck mainland China , it passed south of Taiwan , dropping heavy rainfall reaching 137 mm ( 5 @.@ 4 in ) in Taitung County . The outer rainbands reached as far as Okinawa , where 2 mm ( 0 @.@ 079 in ) was reported . 
 Peak rainfall in Hong Kong was 53 @.@ 5 mm ( 2 @.@ 11 in ) at Kwai Chung , only a day after Tropical Storm Koni dropped rainfall in the territory , and the highest storm surge was 1 @.@ 13 m ( 3 @.@ 7 ft ) at Tsim Bei Tsui . As the storm passed to the south , Imbudo produced winds of 101 km / h ( 63 mph ) on Cheung Chau , the highest in the Hong Kong territory , although a gust of 164 km / h ( 102 mph ) was observed at Tai Mo Shan . High winds killed a man after knocking him off a platform . The winds knocked down 83 trees , injuring 11 people . Rough waves injured 34 people traveling by boat near Lantau Island . In the territory , ten boats were damaged or sank , and one fishing pier was damaged . 
 At its final landfall in Guangdong , Imbudo produced strong winds , with a peak gust of 200 km / h ( 124 mph ) measured at Shangchuan Island . At Yangjiang , gusts reached 159 km / h ( 99 mph ) , causing eleven boats to sink . There , over 10 @,@ 000 trees fell due to the strong winds , more than half in the city , and 7 @,@ 649 homes were damaged or destroyed . In Zhanjiang , the storm damaged power lines and water pumps , leaving residents without access to water . Imbudo spawned tornadoes in Luoding and Zhanjiang , damaging dozens of houses and killing 6 @,@ 000 chickens . Throughout Guangdong , Imbudo destroyed 595 @,@ 000 houses and caused ¥ 1 @.@ 9 billion ( CNY , $ 230 million USD ) . There were at least eight deaths in the province . 
 In Hainan island to the south of the storm track , rainfall reached 230 mm ( 9 @.@ 1 in ) in Ding 'an County . Imbudo caused flooding in the capital Haikou , and several houses were wrecked . The typhoon affected most of the population , causing an estimated ¥ 55 @.@ 35 million ( CNY , $ 6 @.@ 7 million USD ) in damage . Heavy rainfall spread across southern China , peaking at 343 mm ( 13 @.@ 5 in ) at Hepu County in Guangxi province , which increased water levels in 45 reservoirs to warning levels . The Nanliu River in Bobai County rose to 50 @.@ 21 m ( 164 @.@ 7 ft ) , or 0 @.@ 71 m ( 2 @.@ 3 ft ) above flood stage . In Guangxi , 12 people died from storm damage or drowning , and at least 130 livestock were killed . Imbudo destroyed 4 @,@ 950 houses , 3 @,@ 170 of which in the city of Yulin , causing ¥ 499 @.@ 6 million ( CNY , $ 60 @.@ 3 million USD ) in damage in the province . Across southern China , the typhoon damaged over 10 million hectares ( 25 million acres ) of crop fields . 
 
 = = Aftermath = = 
 
 Immediately after the storm , the Philippine Air Force were mobilized to help deliver supplies and aid in search and rescue missions . On July 24 , President Gloria Macapagal @-@ Arroyo declared that the National Disaster Coordinating Council would provide assistance to citizens affected by the typhoon . The president requested P134 million ( PHP , $ 2 @.@ 5 million USD ) for farmers to buy new seeds , and P35 million ( PHP , $ 650 @,@ 000 USD ) to rebuild the hard @-@ hit Cagayan Valley , where Arroyo visited days after the storm struck . The government ultimately spent about P24 million ( PHP , $ 435 @,@ 000 USD ) in emergency aid for relocating storm victims , search and rescue operations , and assistance . In Mindanao , officials prepared 800 bags of rice and various other food supplies due to the storm . Power and water outages persisted across Luzon for up to three weeks , causing many factories otherwise undamaged to close . In Isabela province , 25 Tzu Chi volunteers provided supplies to 2 @,@ 873 houses . The Philippine government provided rice , sardines , and coffee to many affected houses . Damaged houses were supposed to receive 1 @,@ 000 pesos , although few received the monetary aid . In the town of San Mariano in Isabela province , most farmers incurred more debt and continued their same general farming practice , despite sustaining heavy losses from the storm . 
 In 2004 , the World Meteorological Organization retired the name Imbudo and replaced it with Molave . The PAGASA name Harurot was replaced with Hanna for the 2007 season . 
 
 