Tapah

Overview: Typhoon Tapah — Dissipated on 2025-09-09

Typhoon Tapah, known in Chinese as 台风塔巴 and designated as Tropical Storm Tapah in its early stages, emerged in early September 2025 as the 16th named storm of the Pacific typhoon season. While not the most powerful typhoon of the year, Tapah became a significant weather event due to its rapid formation and impact on highly populated regions of southern China and northern Vietnam. Its story is one of effective disaster preparedness, timely public response, and the ever-present power of nature.

Formation and Early Development of Tapah

Typhoon Tapah began its life as a tropical disturbance over the warm waters of the South China Sea around September 6, 2025. Favorable conditions, including sea surface temperatures nearing 29°C and low wind shear, allowed the system to organize quickly. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) first classified it as a tropical depression before upgrading it to Tropical Storm Tapah. As it entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility, it was assigned the local name "Lannie" by PAGASA.

Satellite imagery showed a consolidating system with improving convection, and within 24 hours, Tapah was on a steady path of intensification. Driven by a subtropical ridge to the north, the storm began moving northwest, setting its sights on the southern Chinese coast.

Path and Intensity of Typhoon Tapah

Tapah tracked steadily northwestward across the northern South China Sea. It reached its peak intensity on September 8, achieving typhoon status with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h (65 knots) and a central pressure of 980 hPa. This made it a Category 1 equivalent storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

The journey of Tapah was closely monitored. Key milestones in its path included:

• Landfall: At approximately 8:50 a.m. local time (00:50 UTC) on September 8, Typhoon Tapah made landfall near Taishan in Guangdong Province, China. At the point of impact, it was a severe tropical storm with sustained winds of 110-120 km/h.
• Rapid Weakening: True to the nature of most landfalling tropical systems, Tapah weakened rapidly after moving inland. Its structure was disrupted by terrain and increasing wind shear. By September 9, it had been downgraded to a tropical depression, with its remnants dissipating over Guangxi and bringing heavy rain to northern Vietnam.

Impacts and Regional Response to the Storm

While Typhoon Tapah was not a catastrophic event, its impacts were felt across the region, prompting swift and effective response measures.

In China (Guangdong & Guangxi):
The storm's landfall triggered mass evacuations, with over 60,000 people relocated from vulnerable coastal areas in Guangdong. Heavy rainfall was the primary concern, with some areas receiving up to 250-340 mm of rain, leading to flooding. Strong winds caused widespread disruptions, including school closures, business shutdowns, and cancellations of flights and rail services like the Shenzhan Railway. Notably, efficient early warnings and evacuations are credited with preventing any reported fatalities or widespread catastrophic damage.

In Hong Kong and Macau:
The Hong Kong Observatory raised the No. 8 typhoon signal, its third-highest warning, leading to the suspension of public services and transportation. Twelve people were reported injured due to falling debris. As Tapah moved away, the signal was lowered. Macau experienced similar disruptions, with reports of fallen trees and minor incidents.

In Vietnam and Thailand:
The weakened remnants of Tapah enhanced monsoon conditions, bringing heavy, flooding rains to northern Vietnam and parts of Thailand. The impacts here were related to rainfall rather than wind.

Typhoon Tapah: A Lesson in Preparedness

The story of Typhoon Tapah in 2025 is arguably a success story for modern disaster management. The relatively minimal damage, despite the storm impacting a densely populated region, highlights the immense value of preparedness. The proactive steps taken by Chinese authorities—activating a Level IV emergency response, orchestrating large-scale evacuations, and pausing public transport—effectively mitigated potential losses.

This event stands in contrast to the 2019 iteration of Typhoon Tapah, which caused significant injuries and damage in Japan and Korea. The 2025 response demonstrates how advanced forecasting, clear public communication, and coordinated government action can dramatically reduce the human and economic cost of such natural events.

Key Data and Timeline of Typhoon Tapah

For a clear overview, here is a summary of Tapah's key metrics and events:

Table: Intensity and path data for Typhoon Tapah, sourced from the JMA and CMA.

Conclusion: The Legacy of Tapah

Typhoon Tapah of 2025 serves as a powerful reminder that a storm's strength is only one part of its story. The true measure of impact lies in how societies prepare and respond. While Tapah brought significant rain and wind, the legacy of this particular storm is one of resilience and effective risk management. It underscores the critical importance of heeding warnings and the life-saving value of robust early-warning systems and evacuation protocols. As climate patterns continue to evolve, the lessons learned from events like Typhoon Tapah will be invaluable in building more resilient communities for the future.