On Wednesday, July 24, Typhoon Gaemi struck the Philippines, bringing heavy rain and floods that resulted in the capital Manila’s streets being submerged, schools and offices closed, and flights canceled. Although Gaemi did not make landfall in the Philippines, it intensified the monsoon rains, causing landslides and floods in the past few days.
Authorities declared a state of calamity in the capital region, affecting a population of 13 million. The Philippine National Disaster Agency reported that the storm has caused at least 12 deaths, with over six hundred thousand people displaced, and some areas submerged up to neck-deep in water.
The Philippine Coast Guard reported 260 passengers and 16 vessels stranded in ports; the airport authority stated that 114 flights departing from Manila were canceled. The financial markets were also closed.
In the densely populated Manila, rescue teams were deployed across the city on Wednesday to aid in evacuating residents from low-lying homes. People waded through waist-deep waters with umbrellas or used small boats and shopping carts to navigate through the flooded streets.
Glaiza Escullar, a senior meteorologist, mentioned that within the past 24 hours, the capital experienced rainfall exceeding 200 millimeters (8 inches), which she described as “not uncommon” during the peak monsoon season in July and August.
Authorities and disaster officials reported landslides in Batangas province in southern Manila, leading to the deaths of a pregnant woman and three children, while three major roads in the mountainous region of Benguet province were blocked.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for disaster agencies to provide assistance to remote communities and prepare supplies during a briefing on Wednesday. Emergency funds were requested by mayors of the 16 cities in the Manila area.
In Marikina, a riverside city, emergency rescue teams waded through chest-deep floodwaters, using rubber boats to rescue residents from submerged homes.
Evacuee Ladylyn Bernas shared with Reuters: “Floodwaters reached the second floor of our house, all our belongings were destroyed, everything got wet, nothing was salvaged.”
In Taiwan, at least three people lost their lives and over 220 were injured due to the strong winds and heavy rains caused by Typhoon Gaemi. The storm made landfall in northeastern Taiwan late Wednesday night, touted as the strongest storm the island has faced in eight years.
Taiwan remained on high alert with schools and businesses closed, over 500 flights canceled, and military exercises postponed. Some streets in Taipei were impassable due to flooding, and there were fewer cars on the roads than usual. Long queues were observed at supermarkets as people stocked up on food and water.
It is projected that Typhoon Gaemi will make landfall in mainland China on Thursday with sustained wind speeds of 145 to 160 kilometers per hour (90 to 100 miles per hour).
Fujian province’s coastal areas are expected to bear the brunt of the storm, with heavy rainfall predicted for the remaining days of the week in Fujian, southern Zhejiang, and Jiangxi provinces.
By the weekend, the remnant storm of Gaemi is likely to spread heavy rainfall to northern regions of China, such as Henan, Shanxi, and Hebei provinces.
Multiple provinces in China have experienced severe flooding in the past two weeks, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate. The floods and landslides have caused blocked roads, destroyed homes, impacted crops and livestock, resulting in devastating economic losses.
Southern, central, and eastern China have been hit by torrential rains, causing the flood season to arrive two months earlier than usual.
In Henan province, the floods followed a period of high temperatures, making planting and irrigation of important crops extremely challenging.
China has been grappling with concurrent drought, extreme heatwaves, and floods in various regions in recent weeks, exacerbating the already severe weather conditions, with forecasts indicating a continuation of these conditions.