2006 Pacific typhoon season
The 2006 Pacific typhoon season was a near-average season that produced a total of 23 named storms, 15 typhoons, and six super typhoons. The season ran throughout 2006, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Chanchu, developed on May 9, while the season's last named storm, Trami, dissipated on December 20. Also, this season was more active, costly, and deadly than the previous season.
2006 Pacific typhoon season
The strong winds due to the storm resulted in 70% of flights being cancelled, delayed or diverted in the Hong Kong International Airport, the highest since the opening in 1999. However, the airport remained open throughout the storm passage and many flights successfully landed or took off on August 3. Inbound flights were rerouted to nearby airports and outbound flights were cancelled or postponed. On landfall in Guangdong province, China, it forced the evacuation of some 660,000 people and caused an estimated 5.4 billion Chinese yuan worth of damage. 77 people were reported killed. It also affected Hunan, Guangxi and Hainan. Prapiroon degenerated into an area of low pressure on August 6.
Maria formed out of a tropical depression over the open waters of the western Pacific Ocean. On August 5, the JMA classified the depression as a tropical storm while the JTWC kept it as a depression. The storm quickly strengthened into a typhoon the next day, reaching its peak intensity with winds of 130 km/h (80 mph) early on August 6. The storm gradually weakened as it began to recurve, causing it to parallel the southeastern coast of Japan. On August 9, Maria weakened into a tropical depression and later into an extratropical cyclone before dissipating on August 15. Maria had only minor effects in Japan, mainly heavy rains which were estimated to have peaked over 400 mm (15.7 in) on the Izu Peninsula. One person was killed after being struck by lightning and six others were injured.
The JTWC identified a tropical depression near the Caroline Islands late on August 4 UTC. The JMA designated it as such at 12 a.m. UTC August 5. Nine hours later, the JTWC upgraded Tropical Depression 08W to a tropical storm, three hours before the JMA named it Saomai. The name is from the Vietnamese "", meaning "Morning Star", a reference to the planet Venus.