Typhoon Kajiki (2025): A Comprehensive Analysis from Formation to Aftermath
Executive Summary: Key Facts
International Name: Typhoon Kajiki
International Number: 2513 (JTWC: WP192025)
Philippine Name: Isang
Naming Origin: Japan, meaning "Swordfish"
Lifespan: August 22 - 26, 2025 (78 hours)
Peak Intensity: Severe Typhoon (150 km/h 10-min avg; 165 km/h 1-min avg)
Minimum Pressure: 950 hPa
Key Impact Zones: Philippines, China (Hainan), Vietnam, Thailand, Laos
Primary Hazards: Destructive winds, extreme rainfall, widespread flooding, landslides
Reported Fatalities: At least 8 (7 in Vietnam, 1 in Thailand)
Estimated Damage: Tens of millions of USD (Preliminary)
The name Kajiki, evoking the swift and pointed swordfish, proved tragically apt for the thirteenth named storm of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season. International number 2513, Kajiki was a storm of dramatic ferocity, characterized by its rapid intensification and a path of destruction that stretched across Southeast Asia. This report provides a detailed analysis of its journey, impacts, and the critical lessons it leaves behind.
1. Formation and Meteoric Rise
The genesis of Kajiki was first identified as a tropical disturbance (designated INVEST 90W) east of the Philippine Eastern Visayas on August 19, 2025. It quickly organized into a tropical depression, making its initial landfall in Casiguran, Aurora Province, Philippines on August 20. The Philippine atmospheric agency, PAGASA, assigned it the local name Isang.
After traversing Luzon, the system emerged into the warm waters of the West Philippine Sea on August 22, where it found the fuel for explosive growth. PAGASA raised Signal No. 1 for northern provinces, an early warning of the impending threat. By the morning of August 23, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) upgraded it to a tropical storm, bestowing the international name Kajiki.
Kajiki's intensification was remarkably swift. Fueled by high sea surface temperatures, it transformed from a tropical storm into a Severe Typhoon in less than 24 hours.
Key Meteorological Parameters Timeline
| Date/Time (UTC+8) | Position (Lat, Long) | Central Pressure | Max Wind Speed | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22 | - | 998 hPa | 15 m/s | Tropical Depression |
| Aug 23, 08:00 | 17.3°N, 116.7°E | 998 hPa | 18 m/s (65 km/h) | Tropical Storm |
| Aug 24, 00:00 | 17.4°N, 112.8°E | 980 hPa | 100 km/h | Severe Tropical Storm |
| Aug 24, 15:00 | 17.4°N, 110.3°E | 950 hPa | 165 km/h | Typhoon (Peak) |
| Aug 26, 08:00 | 18.8°N, 103.2°E | 998 hPa | 18 m/s | Tropical Storm (Weakened) |
2. Path of Impact: A Regional Perspective
2.1 The Philippines: Compound Threats
Even in its formative stages, Kajiki's low-pressure circulation acted as a magnet, enhancing the southwest monsoon and acting as a "suction pump" for oceanic moisture. This synergy threatened Metro Manila with extreme rainfall and significant flooding risks. Authorities, heeding the warning, preemptively evacuated nearly 2,000 residents near Mayon Volcano to mitigate the risk of lahars and landslides.
2.2 China: Averted Direct Hit, Major Preparations
Hainan Province, China, bore the brunt of the preparedness efforts. As Kajiki churned towards the island, the highest Red Typhoon Warning was issued. In an exceptional display of precaution, Sanya City implemented the "Five Stop" order (suspending classes, work, business, transport, and sailing). Massive evacuations were orchestrated:
- Over 20,000 people relocated from high-risk areas
- More than 30,000 fishing vessels recalled to port
- Offshore operations evacuated 2,500+ personnel
Though the storm's core narrowly missed a direct landfall, its outer bands still lashed Sanya with fierce winds and rain, toppling trees and affecting over 102,500 people. However, the robust pre-emptive measures ensured a rapid recovery, with power restored to 277,000 households within hours.
2.3 Vietnam and Mainland Southeast Asia: Direct Landfall and Devastation
Kajiki made its official landfall on August 25 in Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam, as the country's fifth typhoon of the year. Despite the evacuation of over 325,000 coastal residents, the storm's impact was severe.
Winds of 130-160 km/h caused widespread damage:
- 7 fatalities were reported initially
- Infrastructure: Nearly 7,000 houses were damaged, 331 power poles toppled causing massive blackouts, and roads were severed
- Agriculture: A staggering 28,800 hectares of rice paddies were inundated, threatening food security and livelihoods
Weakening to a tropical depression, Kajiki pushed inland, bringing heavy rainfall and flood risks to Laos and northern Thailand, where it claimed one additional life.
3. Response, Recovery, and Lessons Learned
The response to Kajiki was a testament to regional disaster management capabilities. Vietnam mobilized 16,500 soldiers and 107,000 militia for evacuations and rescue. International organizations like the IOM activated emergency responses, drawing on lessons from past storms.
The contrasting outcomes of Kajiki (lower mortality, significant damage) and the much more deadly 2024 Typhoon Nakri underscore a critical insight: preparedness saves lives. Kajiki's story is not just one of destruction, but also of successful mitigation. The proactive "Five Stop" policy in Hainan and large-scale evacuations in Vietnam undoubtedly prevented a higher human toll.
4. Conclusion: A Precedent for a New Climate Reality
Typhoon Kajiki exemplified the "short-lived but intense" storms becoming more common in a warming world. Its rapid intensification was likely fueled by above-average sea surface temperatures, a trend linked to climate change.
Its journey from a minor disturbance to a fierce typhoon and its cross-border impacts highlight the imperative for:
- Enhanced Forecasting: Investing in models that better predict rapid intensification
- Regional Cooperation: Strengthening data and resource-sharing mechanisms across nations
- Resilient Infrastructure: Building back better to withstand future events
- Preemptive Action: Kajiki proves that the cost of preparation is always less than the cost of recovery
It stands as a powerful case study for the value of decisive, early action in the face of escalating climate risks.
Typhoon Kajiki (2025) was a severe typhoon that originated in the South China Sea, moving westward to northwest, successively affecting the Philippines, Hainan China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos. The typhoon brought strong winds, heavy rain, floods, and landslides, causing at least 8 deaths (7 in Vietnam, 1 in Thailand), and causing severe damage to houses, crops, infrastructure, and power systems.
Various governments took large-scale evacuation and emergency measures to respond to the disaster. The China Meteorological Administration stopped numbering "Kajiki" at 17:00 on August 26, marking the end of its lifecycle. This typhoon event once again proved the importance of advance warning, decisive evacuation, and rapid recovery, providing valuable experience for future disaster prevention and mitigation work.