| Violent typhoon (JMA scale) | |
|---|---|
| Category 5 super typhoon (SSHWS) | |
.png) Typhoon Nepartak at peak intensity approaching the Philippine archipelago | |
| Formed | May 1, 2020 |
| Dissipated | May 12, 2020 |
| Highest winds |
10-minute sustained: 280 km/h (175 mph) 1-minute sustained: 350 km/h (220 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 870 hPa ( mbar); 25.69 inHg |
| Fatalities | 10,303 |
| Damage | $10.2 billion (2020 USD) |
| Areas affected | Micronesia, Philippines, South China, Vietnam, Taiwan |
| Part of the 2020 hypothetical hurricane season | |
Typhoon Nepartak, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Krovanh, was one of the strongest tropical cyclones since modern records began. Upon making landfall, Nepartak devastated portions of the Philippine archipelago, and other areas of Southeast Asia.
The twenty-second named storm, fourteenth typhoon, and seventh super typhoon of the 2020 hypothetical hurricane season, Nepartak originated from an area of low pressure several hundred miles east of Andersen Air Force Base on May 1, 2020. Tracking westward, anomalously favorable conditions favored tropical cyclogenesis and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued a red tropical cyclone formation alert for Invest 95W, noting that the system had a very high chance of explosive intensification as a result of above-average sea surface temperatures and low shear at the time. On May 3, the large area of convection organised into Tropical Depression Twenty-Two, and not long after, Twenty-two became Tropical Storm Nepartak. As soon as the system became Tropical Storm Nepartak, it crossed over Guam, with surface observations recording wind speeds in excess of 60 knots (70 mph; 110 km/h).
Thereafter, Nepartak underwent explosive intensification for a 12-hour period, dropping from 990 mbar (29.23 inHg) to 905 mbar (26.72 inHg), the highest drop in central barometric pressure ever recorded in a tropical cyclone. Wind speeds reached 180 knots (205 mph; 335 km/h), an increase of 120 knots (140 mph; 220 km/h), also the highest increase in wind speeds recorded in a tropical cyclone. Nepartak would not stop there, and lost a further 35 mbar (1.034 inHg) as it hurtled toward the Philippines, and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration began issuing Signal warnings for the entirety of the Philippine archipelago. On May 7 at 20:40 UTC, Nepartak made landfall on the Philippines at peak intensity, with 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 190 knots (220 mph; 350 km/h), devastating the island, and causing what evidently seemed like billions of dollars in damage. Storm surges as high as 36 feet were recorded in isolated areas, with some islands completely submerged below water, with no sign of life.
The typhoon caused catastrophic destruction in the Visayas, particularly on Samar and Leyte.
On May 1, 2020, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) began tracking a particularly large area of low pressure about 200 miles (322 kilometres) east of Andersen Air Force Base, an air force base belonging to the United States, in Guam. As it moved westward through anomalously warm waters with little to no wind shear, and began organising, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) classified it as a tropical depression early on May 2.
The system quickly intensified into a tropical storm, prompting the JMA to assign it the name Nepartak ( lit. ' Kosrae warrior') at 00:00 UTC on May 4. Tracking generally westward along the southern periphery of a subtropical ridge, explosive intensification ensued on May 5 with a central dense overcast with an embedded eye developing; and the JMA classified Nepartak as a typhoon later that day. On May 6, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigned the system with the local name Krovanh as it reached the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Intensification slowed somewhat during the day, although the JTWC estimated the system to have had wind speeds equivalent to that of a Category-5 super typhoon in accordance with the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale around 12:00 UTC. Later, the eye of the typhoon passed over the island of Kayangel in Palau.
Around 12:00 UTC on May 7, Nepartak attained ten-minute sustained wind speeds of 140 knots (160 mph; 260 km/h), with a minimum central pressure of 910 mbar (26.87 inHg). Six hours later, the JTWC estimated Nepartak to have one-minute sustained wind speeds of 180 knots (205 mph; 335 km/h), with gusts up to 210 knots (240 mph; 390 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 870 mbar (25.69 inHg). The system began to display some characteristics of an annular tropical cyclone, though a strong convective band remained present around the western side of the system. The cyclone's eye also then begun to shrink; forming a uniform, 5 mile-wide (8 kilometre-wide) pinhole eye as it approached the Philippine archipelago.
On May 7 at 20:40 UTC, taking a similar track to that of 2013's Typhoon Haiyan, Nepartak made landfall in Guiuan, Eastern Samar at peak intensity. The JTWC's unofficial estimate of one-minute sustained winds of 180 knots (205 mph; 335 km/h) would make Nepartak the strongest landfalling tropical cyclone in history since modern records began. Interaction with land caused little degradation in Nepartak's system as it continued to hold its impressive symmetrical structure with a western outflow channel; and it struck both Tolosa and Leyte at 23:00 UTC. The typhoon also made four additional landfalls as it traversed the Visayas: Daanbantayan, Bantayan Island, Concepcion, and Busuanga Island.
Nepartak, barely phased by the rugged terrain of the Philippines, emerged into the South China Sea, where it was met by less favorable conditions as decreasing sea-surface temperatures and dry air began wrapping into the eastern side of the convection, severely displacing the system's low-level circulation center. Influenced by the ridge that was previously moving it westward, Nepartak moved around the southwestern ridge of the ridge, which at that point the system was then met by high amounts of vertical wind shear (VWS) as it neared its final landfall in Vietnam, ultimately striking the country near Haiphong at around 21:00 UTC on May 12. As it was severely weakened by the unfavorable environmental conditions in the South China Sea, Nepartak's once powerful structure was torn apart by the Vietnamese terrain, and it quickly diminished later on May 12.
Upon the JTWC's declaration of Tropical Depression Twenty-two on May 3, a tropical storm warning was issued for Mangilao and Adacao in Guam. Further west, Yona, Santa Rita and Talofofo were placed under a typhoon watch while Inarajan and Merizo were placed under a tropical storm watch. The following day, the tropical storm warning expanded to include Umatac while a typhoon warning was issued for Chilan Pago Ordot. Much of Yap State and the islands of Koror and Kayangel in Palau were placed under a typhoon watch. The government issued a mandatory evacuation order for Kayangel, and although most residents ignored the warning, they all survived the storm. As Nepartak progressed westward, the easternmost advisories were eventually discontinued. As Nepartak intensified into a typhoon on May 5, warnings were raised across Palau and Yap State. Government offices in Melekeok were used as an evacuation building for Palau. Despite mandatory evacuation orders, most residents remained on Kayangel and rode out the typhoon.
Shortly before Nepartak entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on May 6, PAGASA raised Public Storm Warning Signal (PSWS) No.1, the lowest of four levels, for much of the Visayas and Mindanao. As the storm continued to approach the country, warnings expanded into Luzon and increased in severity for eastern areas. By the evening of May 7, PSWS No. 4, the highest level of warning which indicates winds in excess of 115 mph (185 km/h) are expected, was raised for Biliran Island, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Cebu, Metro Cebu, Samar, and Southern Leyte. Through November 8, the coverage of PSWS No. 4 continued to expand, with areas in southern Luzon being included.
Officials placed police officers in the Bicol Region ahead of the storm. In the provinces of Samar and Leyte, classes were canceled, and residents in flood and landslide-prone areas were required to evacuate. Some of the storm-threatened areas were affected by an earlier Typhoon Haiyan back in 2013. Then-Philippine President Noynoy Aquino requested the military to deploy planes and helicopters to the region expected to be affected. As Nepartak was moving very fast, PAGASA issued warnings at different levels to about 60 of the 80 provinces, including the capital Metro Manila. On May 8, the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters was activated, providing widespread charitable satellite coverage to relief organizations.
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters hoisted a level three emergency response in the provinces of Hainan, Guangdong and Guangxi. All fishing vessels were urged to return to ports by noon on May 9. The Hong Kong Observatory issued the Strong Monsoon Signal at 19:10 HKT on May 9, and it was still in place up until May 13.
On November 8, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung activated the highest state of preparedness in the country. Approximately 600,000 people across southern and central provinces were evacuated while a further 200,000 were evacuated in northern provinces. Alerts were sent to 85,328 seagoing vessels, with a collective crew of 385,372 people, to sail to safer waters away from the storm. Requests were sent to China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines to aid any fishermen who needed immediate shelter from the typhoon. Threatening Vietnam after two other typhoons, Megi and Choi-wan, there were concerns that the storm would cause significant damage to homes with makeshift repairs. Roughly 460,000 military personnel and other authorities were mobilized to assist in evacuation efforts. Hundreds of flights were canceled across the country while schools were closed on May 11. On the small island of Cồn Cỏ, all residents were moved to underground shelters with enough supplies for several days. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) branches in Vietnam prepared relief stockpiles, consisting of food, water, housing material, and ₫6.6 billion (US$310,000) in funds. The local United Nations Resident Coordinator, Pratibha Mehta, praised the government's actions and credited them with saving numerous lives. However, there were complaints from many residents that the warnings came too late.
| Region | Deaths | Missing |
| Philippines | 10,200 | 4,000 |
| Vietnam | 100 | 4 |
| Mainland China [1] | 2 | 6 |
| Taiwan | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 10,303 | 4,010 |
Coastal areas in Guam were badly affected due to the storm surge and torrential downpour that Nepartak brought. Even as a tropical storm, Nepartak's high storm surge damaged several houses in Mangilao and Asbeco, whilst heavy winds downed trees across the region. Despite the residents' refusals to evacuate, no fatalities or major injuries were recorded. Helicopters were flown in to the island in order to survey the damage dealt by the system and to provide relief supplies. The government planned to evacuate those who were left homeless from the island. Meanwhile in Palau, Koror, Babeldaob and Kayangel suffered extreme damage from the winds and storm surge produced by Nepartak. As the system first acquired its peak intensity there, cloud top temperatures were around about -98 degrees Celsius (-144 degrees Fahrenheit), meaning that the clouds had the capability to produce heavy rainfall, and did so. All areas in Palau lost electricity for weeks; and although, similarly to Guam, no one evacuated and no one was killed, more aid was needed by foreign countries, and places such as Malaysia were tasked to provide supplies to the island. A causeway linking an offshore hospital to the main island was temporarily shut down after being inundated by water. On the northern end of Babeldaob, Nepartak damaged schools and buildings. Lying closest to Nepartak at the time of the typhoon's passage, Kayangel was flooded in its entirety, and all homes were destroyed. Though no people were killed there, 69 others were displaced by the storm.
Typhoon Nepartak, called Krovanh in the Philippines, caused catastrophic damage throughout much of the islands of Leyte, where cities and towns were predominantly flooded or flattened beyond recognition as a result of the sheer ferocity of the system. By May 20, 2020, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) confirmed 10,200 fatalities across the archipelago, 5,902 of those taking place in the Eastern Visayas, making the system deadlier than 2013's Typhoon Haiyan. The true death toll still remains unclear.
In Surigao City, 482.32 mm (18.9 in) of rainfall was recorded, much of which fell in just under 12 hours. Storm surges were also recorded in many places as a result of this constant rainfall, and in the island of Leyte and Samar, the PAGASA measured 10-15 meter (33-49 feet) waves. In Tacloban, Leyte, the terminal building at Tacloban Airport was destroyed by a 5.2 m (17 ft) storm surge up to the height of the second story. Along the airport, a 4 m (13 feet) storm surge was estimated. Waves of 4.6 m (15 ft) were also estimated. On the western coast of Samar, the storm surge was not as significant.
Nepartak's first landfall was at Guiuan in Eastern Samar, where the typhoon touched down at 4:40 am. Nearly all structures in the township suffered at least partial damage, many of which were completely flattened. For several days following Haiyan's first landfall, the damage situation in the fishing town remained unclear due to lack of communication in and out of the area. The damage could finally be assessed after Philippine Air Force staff arrived in Guiuan on November 10. Prior to this, a local priest was able to take his motorbike from Guiuan to the cities of Catbalogan and Calbayog (also in Samar) armed with photos of the devastation, shot on his mobile phone.
There was widespread devastation from the storm surge in Tacloban City especially in San Jose, with many buildings being destroyed, trees knocked over or broken, and cars piled up. The low-lying areas on the eastern side of Tacloban City were hardest hit, with most areas completely washed away. Flooding also extended for 3 mi (5 km) inland on the east coast of the province. City administrator Tecson John Lim stated that 'roughly 98 percent of the city had been destroyed'. Journalists on the ground described the devastation as "off the scale, and apocalyptic". Most families in Samar and Leyte lost some family members or relatives; families came in from outlying provinces looking for relatives, especially children, who may have been washed away. The entire first floor of the Tacloban City Convention Center, which was serving as an evacuation shelter, was submerged by high storm surge. Many residents in the building were caught off-guard by the fast-rising waters and subsequently drowned or were severely injured in the building.
Although wind speeds were beyond extreme, the major cause of damage and loss of life appears to have been directly from the storm surge. The major focus of devastation appears to have been on the east and west coast of Samar and Leyte, with a particular focus on Tacloban, because of its location between Samar and Leyte, and the large population in low-lying areas. Philippine Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas said the scale of the relief opeartion that was now required was overwhelming, with some places described as a wasteland of mud and debris.
Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, head of a United Nations disaster assessment co-ordination team, said there was "destruction on an incomprehensible scale" in Tacloban. "There are cars that have been thrown like tumbleweeds and the streets are strewn with debris. The last time I saw something of this scale was in the aftermath of Yolanda (2013's Typhoon Haiyan) or the (2004) Indian Ocean tsunami." There was no communication in the city and no mobile phone coverage. Electricity had been completely lost, similar to the loss in Palau. Up to the east coast of Leyte, there were numerous towns and villages that were completely cut off without any assistance. Large parts of Leyte and Samar were without power for weeks.
The storm crossed the Visayas region for almost a day, causing widespread and devastating flooding. In Cebu and Bohul, which was struck by a 8.2 magnitude earthquake a week before, cities were also severely devastated. During the morning of May 8, media stations across the country were unable to broadcast live the destruction of Nepartak. The Presidential Communications Department of President Benigno Aquino III had difficulty contacting DILG Secretary Mar Roxas and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in Tacloban City to plan relief. Widespread power interruptions, landslides, and flash floods were also reported. Major roads were blocked by trees, and impassable. 457 domestic and international airline flights were canceled. Some airports were also close on May 8 and 9. Ferries were affected. Relief and rescue efforts were underway by May 9, but some places remained isolated and out of communication due to severe damage.
Nepartak tossed up large truck-sized boulders, the heaviest of them weighing 350 tons, onto Calicoan Island in Eastern Samar, some of which were carried uphill 20 m (66 feet). This is considered the biggest weight ever moved during a tropical cyclone since record-keeping began, passing the previous record held by 2013's Typhoon Haiyan. NDRRMC finally confirmed a total of 10,200 deaths in the Philippines, and total damages were estimated at PH₱517.4 billion (US$10.2 billion).
Typhoon Nepartak reached Hainan Province, where severe damage took place and 2 people were killed in various incidents. The hardest hit area was Qionghai, where roughly 6,700 people across 20 villages were isolated due to extensive flooding.
6 people were killed, while direct economic losses in China amounted to about ¥4.58 billion (US$752 million). An estimated 2.52 million were affected, of whom 40,592 were evacuated. Four people went missing after a car fell off a flooded road into a river near Beihai, Guangxi. Losses throughout Guangxi amounted to ¥275 million (US$45.2 million). Approximately 900 homes and 25,500 hectares of crops were destroyed, while 52,384 homes were damaged. Additionally, an estimated 6.2 million people were affected by the storm throughout Southern China. A cargo ship broke moorings at Sanya, Hainan on May 8; three members of the crew drowned while two others went missing.
Along the coast of Gongliao District, New Taipei, 16 people were swept out to see by three 8 m (26 feet) waves. After several hours of search and rescue, all 16 people were hospitalised and recovered. In May 2014, the Taiwan Keelung District Prosecutors Office confirmed that Typhoon Nepartak was only responsible for 1 death in the region. Agricultural damage in Tainan were amounted to NT$400–500 million (US$13.5–16.9 million).
Nepartak produced high winds and widespread heavy rainfall which affected northern Vietnam. Rainfall totals of up to 600 mm (23 in) and wind gusts of to 120 mph (193 km/h) were recorded. Ten people were killed while they were preparing for Nepartak's landfall, while 90 people were killed after the system made landfall. Additionally, 4 people were missing in Quảng Ninh Province. In all, Nepartak killed 100 people, and left 4 people missing with 652 others being injured. Economic losses in Quảng Ninh Province were amounted to ₫200 billion (US$9.49 million).
As a result of the extensive damage and the high death toll from the system, the PAGASA announced that the name 'Krovanh' would be stricken off the typhoon naming lists. PAGASA chose the name 'Kong-rey' to replace 'Yolanda' for the 2024 season. During their 2021 annual session the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee announced that the name 'Nepartak' would also be retired from its naming lists on January 1, 2022, and was therefore replaced by the name 'Nock-ten'.
By May 11, the provinces of Aklan, Capiz, Ceby, Iloilo, Leyte, Palawan and Samar were placed under a state of national calamity, allowing the government to use state funds for relief and rehabilitation and to control prices of basic goods. Additionally, approximately ₱60.7 billion (US$1.2 billion) had been allocated in relief assistance by the NDRRMC. Local and national agencies deployed a collective 21,283 personnel, 1,672 vehicles, 232 seagoing vessels, and 72 aircraft for various operations. CBCP also declared 14 days of mourning for victims of the typhoon on the same date.
World Health Organization representative in the Philippines Dr. Julie Hall noted that while many survivors requiring urgent medical attention in the first week suffer from trauma and fractures, the concern shifts toward chronic conditions as the weeks pass. The WHO co-ordinated the massive international response to help the Philippines government meet the acute need for healthcare services in the affected areas.
Extreme damage to infrastructure throughout the region posed logistical problems that slowed relief efforts substantially. Though aid was flown into local airports, most of it remained there as roads were destroyed or blocked off by debris. According to estimates made by government officials on May 13, around about ~15 percent of the Tacloban City population was receiving aid. With a lack of access to clean water due to dams being burst, some residents resorted to digging up water pipes and boiling water in order to survive. Thousands of people sought to evacuate the city via U.S Air Force airliners flown in from Guam, however the slow process fueled further aggravation. Residents were quoted as branding Tacloban as a "destroyed city" with "no possible recovery". Due to the complete loss of electricity, aircraft and helicopters could only operate in daylight.
In the coastal community Guiuan, which took predominantly the full brunt of the typhoon, Mayor Christopher Gonzalez is credited with saving countless lives after he incessantly urged residents to evacuate. Of the towns 55,000 residents, 400 died, 6,200 were injured, and 23 others were listed as missing. U.S Navy Capt. Russell Hays, a medical officer, estimated that a storm of Nepartak's intensity could have killed upwards of 10,000 in Guiuan alone had it not been for the mayor's efforts.
On May 22, the government of the Philippines launched an online service that was previously used for 2013's Typhoon Haiyan called the Foreign Aid Transparency Hub (FaiTH) that provides the public a transparency view of the funds and other aids received by the government from the international community.
All three oil refineries in the Philippines suffered from damage. The Bataan Refinery in Limay, Bataan, suffered extensive damage as the typhoon's northern convection roared over the region. Both the Tabangao and Batangas refineries suffered similar damage. It was only until a couple months passed that the former residents could go to their residential areas after a test conducted by the Department of Health found that benzene levels in affected areas reached near-zero parts per million.
Throughout Tacloban City, widespread looting and vandalism took place in the days following Nepartak's landfall. In some instances, relief trucks were torched and camps set up to provide relief to those in need were destroyed by looters. Multiple malls and grocery stores were subjected to looting and petrol stations were petrol bombed; fuel depots were then guarded by heavily armed police with 500 additional officers dispatched to assist. Security checkpoints were hoisted all over Tacloban and a curfew was imposed on residents to prevent more attacks. Philippine military forces also prevented members of the New People's Army from ambushing a relief convoy bound for Samar in Matnog.
Condemnations of slow government action in the relief effort in response to the typhoon mounted days after the system had passed. Media reports criticized the Aquino administration for the apparent lack of preparation and readiness as well as co-ordination among government agencies in the aid operation. Up until May 12, five days after the violent typhoon struck, survivors continued to struggle with basic necessities such as food, water and shelter while remote towns were yet to be reached by aid. The Philippine government responded by saying that they had dealt with the situation "quite well" but the response had been slow due to the breakdown of the local governance in affected areas where officials and employees, who were usually the first to respond in these events, were victims of the typhoon themselves. The national government was also criticized for putting the responsibility of handling the dead to the Bureau of Fire instead of the Department of Health.
One of the biggest controversies of Typhoon Nepartak is the number of victims. According to the Philippine government sources, the number of those killed during the typhoon ranges from 10,200-14,000 individuals while some sources claim that the victim count reaches numbers in excess of 20,000.
The Philippines faced a humanitarian crisis days after the typhoon hit much of the Visayas with 4.5 million homeless and more than 9,500,000 displaced. In Tacloban alone, ninety percent of the structures are either destroyed or damaged while other cities, such as Ormoc, are reporting similar damage. The UN fears that the possibility of the spread of disease, particularly the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, is high due to the lack of food, shelter and medication. Casualties have been reported as a result of a lack of aid in affected areas and the number of dead continually rises.
As a result of the damage in Tacloban and much of Leyte, hundreds of thousands of people that once lived in the area left and made their way into less affected areas such as Cebu and Manila. Catbalogan reported that their population more than tripled after the typhoon with the influx of refugees into the city. Around 125,000 people have fled to Manila as a result of the system.
| Violent typhoon (JMA scale) | |
|---|---|
| Category 5 super typhoon (SSHWS) | |
|
Typhoon Nepartak at peak intensity approaching the Philippine archipelago | |
| Formed | May 1, 2020 |
| Dissipated | May 12, 2020 |
| Highest winds |
10-minute sustained: 280 km/h (175 mph) 1-minute sustained: 350 km/h (220 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 870 hPa ( mbar); 25.69 inHg |
| Fatalities | 10,303 |
| Damage | $10.2 billion (2020 USD) |
| Areas affected | Micronesia, Philippines, South China, Vietnam, Taiwan |
| Part of the 2020 hypothetical hurricane season | |
Typhoon Nepartak, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Krovanh, was one of the strongest tropical cyclones since modern records began. Upon making landfall, Nepartak devastated portions of the Philippine archipelago, and other areas of Southeast Asia.
The twenty-second named storm, fourteenth typhoon, and seventh super typhoon of the 2020 hypothetical hurricane season, Nepartak originated from an area of low pressure several hundred miles east of Andersen Air Force Base on May 1, 2020. Tracking westward, anomalously favorable conditions favored tropical cyclogenesis and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued a red tropical cyclone formation alert for Invest 95W, noting that the system had a very high chance of explosive intensification as a result of above-average sea surface temperatures and low shear at the time. On May 3, the large area of convection organised into Tropical Depression Twenty-Two, and not long after, Twenty-two became Tropical Storm Nepartak. As soon as the system became Tropical Storm Nepartak, it crossed over Guam, with surface observations recording wind speeds in excess of 60 knots (70 mph; 110 km/h).
Thereafter, Nepartak underwent explosive intensification for a 12-hour period, dropping from 990 mbar (29.23 inHg) to 905 mbar (26.72 inHg), the highest drop in central barometric pressure ever recorded in a tropical cyclone. Wind speeds reached 180 knots (205 mph; 335 km/h), an increase of 120 knots (140 mph; 220 km/h), also the highest increase in wind speeds recorded in a tropical cyclone. Nepartak would not stop there, and lost a further 35 mbar (1.034 inHg) as it hurtled toward the Philippines, and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration began issuing Signal warnings for the entirety of the Philippine archipelago. On May 7 at 20:40 UTC, Nepartak made landfall on the Philippines at peak intensity, with 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 190 knots (220 mph; 350 km/h), devastating the island, and causing what evidently seemed like billions of dollars in damage. Storm surges as high as 36 feet were recorded in isolated areas, with some islands completely submerged below water, with no sign of life.
The typhoon caused catastrophic destruction in the Visayas, particularly on Samar and Leyte.
On May 1, 2020, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) began tracking a particularly large area of low pressure about 200 miles (322 kilometres) east of Andersen Air Force Base, an air force base belonging to the United States, in Guam. As it moved westward through anomalously warm waters with little to no wind shear, and began organising, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) classified it as a tropical depression early on May 2.
The system quickly intensified into a tropical storm, prompting the JMA to assign it the name Nepartak ( lit. ' Kosrae warrior') at 00:00 UTC on May 4. Tracking generally westward along the southern periphery of a subtropical ridge, explosive intensification ensued on May 5 with a central dense overcast with an embedded eye developing; and the JMA classified Nepartak as a typhoon later that day. On May 6, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigned the system with the local name Krovanh as it reached the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Intensification slowed somewhat during the day, although the JTWC estimated the system to have had wind speeds equivalent to that of a Category-5 super typhoon in accordance with the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale around 12:00 UTC. Later, the eye of the typhoon passed over the island of Kayangel in Palau.
Around 12:00 UTC on May 7, Nepartak attained ten-minute sustained wind speeds of 140 knots (160 mph; 260 km/h), with a minimum central pressure of 910 mbar (26.87 inHg). Six hours later, the JTWC estimated Nepartak to have one-minute sustained wind speeds of 180 knots (205 mph; 335 km/h), with gusts up to 210 knots (240 mph; 390 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 870 mbar (25.69 inHg). The system began to display some characteristics of an annular tropical cyclone, though a strong convective band remained present around the western side of the system. The cyclone's eye also then begun to shrink; forming a uniform, 5 mile-wide (8 kilometre-wide) pinhole eye as it approached the Philippine archipelago.
On May 7 at 20:40 UTC, taking a similar track to that of 2013's Typhoon Haiyan, Nepartak made landfall in Guiuan, Eastern Samar at peak intensity. The JTWC's unofficial estimate of one-minute sustained winds of 180 knots (205 mph; 335 km/h) would make Nepartak the strongest landfalling tropical cyclone in history since modern records began. Interaction with land caused little degradation in Nepartak's system as it continued to hold its impressive symmetrical structure with a western outflow channel; and it struck both Tolosa and Leyte at 23:00 UTC. The typhoon also made four additional landfalls as it traversed the Visayas: Daanbantayan, Bantayan Island, Concepcion, and Busuanga Island.
Nepartak, barely phased by the rugged terrain of the Philippines, emerged into the South China Sea, where it was met by less favorable conditions as decreasing sea-surface temperatures and dry air began wrapping into the eastern side of the convection, severely displacing the system's low-level circulation center. Influenced by the ridge that was previously moving it westward, Nepartak moved around the southwestern ridge of the ridge, which at that point the system was then met by high amounts of vertical wind shear (VWS) as it neared its final landfall in Vietnam, ultimately striking the country near Haiphong at around 21:00 UTC on May 12. As it was severely weakened by the unfavorable environmental conditions in the South China Sea, Nepartak's once powerful structure was torn apart by the Vietnamese terrain, and it quickly diminished later on May 12.
Upon the JTWC's declaration of Tropical Depression Twenty-two on May 3, a tropical storm warning was issued for Mangilao and Adacao in Guam. Further west, Yona, Santa Rita and Talofofo were placed under a typhoon watch while Inarajan and Merizo were placed under a tropical storm watch. The following day, the tropical storm warning expanded to include Umatac while a typhoon warning was issued for Chilan Pago Ordot. Much of Yap State and the islands of Koror and Kayangel in Palau were placed under a typhoon watch. The government issued a mandatory evacuation order for Kayangel, and although most residents ignored the warning, they all survived the storm. As Nepartak progressed westward, the easternmost advisories were eventually discontinued. As Nepartak intensified into a typhoon on May 5, warnings were raised across Palau and Yap State. Government offices in Melekeok were used as an evacuation building for Palau. Despite mandatory evacuation orders, most residents remained on Kayangel and rode out the typhoon.
Shortly before Nepartak entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on May 6, PAGASA raised Public Storm Warning Signal (PSWS) No.1, the lowest of four levels, for much of the Visayas and Mindanao. As the storm continued to approach the country, warnings expanded into Luzon and increased in severity for eastern areas. By the evening of May 7, PSWS No. 4, the highest level of warning which indicates winds in excess of 115 mph (185 km/h) are expected, was raised for Biliran Island, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Cebu, Metro Cebu, Samar, and Southern Leyte. Through November 8, the coverage of PSWS No. 4 continued to expand, with areas in southern Luzon being included.
Officials placed police officers in the Bicol Region ahead of the storm. In the provinces of Samar and Leyte, classes were canceled, and residents in flood and landslide-prone areas were required to evacuate. Some of the storm-threatened areas were affected by an earlier Typhoon Haiyan back in 2013. Then-Philippine President Noynoy Aquino requested the military to deploy planes and helicopters to the region expected to be affected. As Nepartak was moving very fast, PAGASA issued warnings at different levels to about 60 of the 80 provinces, including the capital Metro Manila. On May 8, the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters was activated, providing widespread charitable satellite coverage to relief organizations.
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters hoisted a level three emergency response in the provinces of Hainan, Guangdong and Guangxi. All fishing vessels were urged to return to ports by noon on May 9. The Hong Kong Observatory issued the Strong Monsoon Signal at 19:10 HKT on May 9, and it was still in place up until May 13.
On November 8, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung activated the highest state of preparedness in the country. Approximately 600,000 people across southern and central provinces were evacuated while a further 200,000 were evacuated in northern provinces. Alerts were sent to 85,328 seagoing vessels, with a collective crew of 385,372 people, to sail to safer waters away from the storm. Requests were sent to China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines to aid any fishermen who needed immediate shelter from the typhoon. Threatening Vietnam after two other typhoons, Megi and Choi-wan, there were concerns that the storm would cause significant damage to homes with makeshift repairs. Roughly 460,000 military personnel and other authorities were mobilized to assist in evacuation efforts. Hundreds of flights were canceled across the country while schools were closed on May 11. On the small island of Cồn Cỏ, all residents were moved to underground shelters with enough supplies for several days. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) branches in Vietnam prepared relief stockpiles, consisting of food, water, housing material, and ₫6.6 billion (US$310,000) in funds. The local United Nations Resident Coordinator, Pratibha Mehta, praised the government's actions and credited them with saving numerous lives. However, there were complaints from many residents that the warnings came too late.
| Region | Deaths | Missing |
| Philippines | 10,200 | 4,000 |
| Vietnam | 100 | 4 |
| Mainland China [1] | 2 | 6 |
| Taiwan | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 10,303 | 4,010 |
Coastal areas in Guam were badly affected due to the storm surge and torrential downpour that Nepartak brought. Even as a tropical storm, Nepartak's high storm surge damaged several houses in Mangilao and Asbeco, whilst heavy winds downed trees across the region. Despite the residents' refusals to evacuate, no fatalities or major injuries were recorded. Helicopters were flown in to the island in order to survey the damage dealt by the system and to provide relief supplies. The government planned to evacuate those who were left homeless from the island. Meanwhile in Palau, Koror, Babeldaob and Kayangel suffered extreme damage from the winds and storm surge produced by Nepartak. As the system first acquired its peak intensity there, cloud top temperatures were around about -98 degrees Celsius (-144 degrees Fahrenheit), meaning that the clouds had the capability to produce heavy rainfall, and did so. All areas in Palau lost electricity for weeks; and although, similarly to Guam, no one evacuated and no one was killed, more aid was needed by foreign countries, and places such as Malaysia were tasked to provide supplies to the island. A causeway linking an offshore hospital to the main island was temporarily shut down after being inundated by water. On the northern end of Babeldaob, Nepartak damaged schools and buildings. Lying closest to Nepartak at the time of the typhoon's passage, Kayangel was flooded in its entirety, and all homes were destroyed. Though no people were killed there, 69 others were displaced by the storm.
Typhoon Nepartak, called Krovanh in the Philippines, caused catastrophic damage throughout much of the islands of Leyte, where cities and towns were predominantly flooded or flattened beyond recognition as a result of the sheer ferocity of the system. By May 20, 2020, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) confirmed 10,200 fatalities across the archipelago, 5,902 of those taking place in the Eastern Visayas, making the system deadlier than 2013's Typhoon Haiyan. The true death toll still remains unclear.
In Surigao City, 482.32 mm (18.9 in) of rainfall was recorded, much of which fell in just under 12 hours. Storm surges were also recorded in many places as a result of this constant rainfall, and in the island of Leyte and Samar, the PAGASA measured 10-15 meter (33-49 feet) waves. In Tacloban, Leyte, the terminal building at Tacloban Airport was destroyed by a 5.2 m (17 ft) storm surge up to the height of the second story. Along the airport, a 4 m (13 feet) storm surge was estimated. Waves of 4.6 m (15 ft) were also estimated. On the western coast of Samar, the storm surge was not as significant.
Nepartak's first landfall was at Guiuan in Eastern Samar, where the typhoon touched down at 4:40 am. Nearly all structures in the township suffered at least partial damage, many of which were completely flattened. For several days following Haiyan's first landfall, the damage situation in the fishing town remained unclear due to lack of communication in and out of the area. The damage could finally be assessed after Philippine Air Force staff arrived in Guiuan on November 10. Prior to this, a local priest was able to take his motorbike from Guiuan to the cities of Catbalogan and Calbayog (also in Samar) armed with photos of the devastation, shot on his mobile phone.
There was widespread devastation from the storm surge in Tacloban City especially in San Jose, with many buildings being destroyed, trees knocked over or broken, and cars piled up. The low-lying areas on the eastern side of Tacloban City were hardest hit, with most areas completely washed away. Flooding also extended for 3 mi (5 km) inland on the east coast of the province. City administrator Tecson John Lim stated that 'roughly 98 percent of the city had been destroyed'. Journalists on the ground described the devastation as "off the scale, and apocalyptic". Most families in Samar and Leyte lost some family members or relatives; families came in from outlying provinces looking for relatives, especially children, who may have been washed away. The entire first floor of the Tacloban City Convention Center, which was serving as an evacuation shelter, was submerged by high storm surge. Many residents in the building were caught off-guard by the fast-rising waters and subsequently drowned or were severely injured in the building.
Although wind speeds were beyond extreme, the major cause of damage and loss of life appears to have been directly from the storm surge. The major focus of devastation appears to have been on the east and west coast of Samar and Leyte, with a particular focus on Tacloban, because of its location between Samar and Leyte, and the large population in low-lying areas. Philippine Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas said the scale of the relief opeartion that was now required was overwhelming, with some places described as a wasteland of mud and debris.
Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, head of a United Nations disaster assessment co-ordination team, said there was "destruction on an incomprehensible scale" in Tacloban. "There are cars that have been thrown like tumbleweeds and the streets are strewn with debris. The last time I saw something of this scale was in the aftermath of Yolanda (2013's Typhoon Haiyan) or the (2004) Indian Ocean tsunami." There was no communication in the city and no mobile phone coverage. Electricity had been completely lost, similar to the loss in Palau. Up to the east coast of Leyte, there were numerous towns and villages that were completely cut off without any assistance. Large parts of Leyte and Samar were without power for weeks.
The storm crossed the Visayas region for almost a day, causing widespread and devastating flooding. In Cebu and Bohul, which was struck by a 8.2 magnitude earthquake a week before, cities were also severely devastated. During the morning of May 8, media stations across the country were unable to broadcast live the destruction of Nepartak. The Presidential Communications Department of President Benigno Aquino III had difficulty contacting DILG Secretary Mar Roxas and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in Tacloban City to plan relief. Widespread power interruptions, landslides, and flash floods were also reported. Major roads were blocked by trees, and impassable. 457 domestic and international airline flights were canceled. Some airports were also close on May 8 and 9. Ferries were affected. Relief and rescue efforts were underway by May 9, but some places remained isolated and out of communication due to severe damage.
Nepartak tossed up large truck-sized boulders, the heaviest of them weighing 350 tons, onto Calicoan Island in Eastern Samar, some of which were carried uphill 20 m (66 feet). This is considered the biggest weight ever moved during a tropical cyclone since record-keeping began, passing the previous record held by 2013's Typhoon Haiyan. NDRRMC finally confirmed a total of 10,200 deaths in the Philippines, and total damages were estimated at PH₱517.4 billion (US$10.2 billion).
Typhoon Nepartak reached Hainan Province, where severe damage took place and 2 people were killed in various incidents. The hardest hit area was Qionghai, where roughly 6,700 people across 20 villages were isolated due to extensive flooding.
6 people were killed, while direct economic losses in China amounted to about ¥4.58 billion (US$752 million). An estimated 2.52 million were affected, of whom 40,592 were evacuated. Four people went missing after a car fell off a flooded road into a river near Beihai, Guangxi. Losses throughout Guangxi amounted to ¥275 million (US$45.2 million). Approximately 900 homes and 25,500 hectares of crops were destroyed, while 52,384 homes were damaged. Additionally, an estimated 6.2 million people were affected by the storm throughout Southern China. A cargo ship broke moorings at Sanya, Hainan on May 8; three members of the crew drowned while two others went missing.
Along the coast of Gongliao District, New Taipei, 16 people were swept out to see by three 8 m (26 feet) waves. After several hours of search and rescue, all 16 people were hospitalised and recovered. In May 2014, the Taiwan Keelung District Prosecutors Office confirmed that Typhoon Nepartak was only responsible for 1 death in the region. Agricultural damage in Tainan were amounted to NT$400–500 million (US$13.5–16.9 million).
Nepartak produced high winds and widespread heavy rainfall which affected northern Vietnam. Rainfall totals of up to 600 mm (23 in) and wind gusts of to 120 mph (193 km/h) were recorded. Ten people were killed while they were preparing for Nepartak's landfall, while 90 people were killed after the system made landfall. Additionally, 4 people were missing in Quảng Ninh Province. In all, Nepartak killed 100 people, and left 4 people missing with 652 others being injured. Economic losses in Quảng Ninh Province were amounted to ₫200 billion (US$9.49 million).
As a result of the extensive damage and the high death toll from the system, the PAGASA announced that the name 'Krovanh' would be stricken off the typhoon naming lists. PAGASA chose the name 'Kong-rey' to replace 'Yolanda' for the 2024 season. During their 2021 annual session the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee announced that the name 'Nepartak' would also be retired from its naming lists on January 1, 2022, and was therefore replaced by the name 'Nock-ten'.
By May 11, the provinces of Aklan, Capiz, Ceby, Iloilo, Leyte, Palawan and Samar were placed under a state of national calamity, allowing the government to use state funds for relief and rehabilitation and to control prices of basic goods. Additionally, approximately ₱60.7 billion (US$1.2 billion) had been allocated in relief assistance by the NDRRMC. Local and national agencies deployed a collective 21,283 personnel, 1,672 vehicles, 232 seagoing vessels, and 72 aircraft for various operations. CBCP also declared 14 days of mourning for victims of the typhoon on the same date.
World Health Organization representative in the Philippines Dr. Julie Hall noted that while many survivors requiring urgent medical attention in the first week suffer from trauma and fractures, the concern shifts toward chronic conditions as the weeks pass. The WHO co-ordinated the massive international response to help the Philippines government meet the acute need for healthcare services in the affected areas.
Extreme damage to infrastructure throughout the region posed logistical problems that slowed relief efforts substantially. Though aid was flown into local airports, most of it remained there as roads were destroyed or blocked off by debris. According to estimates made by government officials on May 13, around about ~15 percent of the Tacloban City population was receiving aid. With a lack of access to clean water due to dams being burst, some residents resorted to digging up water pipes and boiling water in order to survive. Thousands of people sought to evacuate the city via U.S Air Force airliners flown in from Guam, however the slow process fueled further aggravation. Residents were quoted as branding Tacloban as a "destroyed city" with "no possible recovery". Due to the complete loss of electricity, aircraft and helicopters could only operate in daylight.
In the coastal community Guiuan, which took predominantly the full brunt of the typhoon, Mayor Christopher Gonzalez is credited with saving countless lives after he incessantly urged residents to evacuate. Of the towns 55,000 residents, 400 died, 6,200 were injured, and 23 others were listed as missing. U.S Navy Capt. Russell Hays, a medical officer, estimated that a storm of Nepartak's intensity could have killed upwards of 10,000 in Guiuan alone had it not been for the mayor's efforts.
On May 22, the government of the Philippines launched an online service that was previously used for 2013's Typhoon Haiyan called the Foreign Aid Transparency Hub (FaiTH) that provides the public a transparency view of the funds and other aids received by the government from the international community.
All three oil refineries in the Philippines suffered from damage. The Bataan Refinery in Limay, Bataan, suffered extensive damage as the typhoon's northern convection roared over the region. Both the Tabangao and Batangas refineries suffered similar damage. It was only until a couple months passed that the former residents could go to their residential areas after a test conducted by the Department of Health found that benzene levels in affected areas reached near-zero parts per million.
Throughout Tacloban City, widespread looting and vandalism took place in the days following Nepartak's landfall. In some instances, relief trucks were torched and camps set up to provide relief to those in need were destroyed by looters. Multiple malls and grocery stores were subjected to looting and petrol stations were petrol bombed; fuel depots were then guarded by heavily armed police with 500 additional officers dispatched to assist. Security checkpoints were hoisted all over Tacloban and a curfew was imposed on residents to prevent more attacks. Philippine military forces also prevented members of the New People's Army from ambushing a relief convoy bound for Samar in Matnog.
Condemnations of slow government action in the relief effort in response to the typhoon mounted days after the system had passed. Media reports criticized the Aquino administration for the apparent lack of preparation and readiness as well as co-ordination among government agencies in the aid operation. Up until May 12, five days after the violent typhoon struck, survivors continued to struggle with basic necessities such as food, water and shelter while remote towns were yet to be reached by aid. The Philippine government responded by saying that they had dealt with the situation "quite well" but the response had been slow due to the breakdown of the local governance in affected areas where officials and employees, who were usually the first to respond in these events, were victims of the typhoon themselves. The national government was also criticized for putting the responsibility of handling the dead to the Bureau of Fire instead of the Department of Health.
One of the biggest controversies of Typhoon Nepartak is the number of victims. According to the Philippine government sources, the number of those killed during the typhoon ranges from 10,200-14,000 individuals while some sources claim that the victim count reaches numbers in excess of 20,000.
The Philippines faced a humanitarian crisis days after the typhoon hit much of the Visayas with 4.5 million homeless and more than 9,500,000 displaced. In Tacloban alone, ninety percent of the structures are either destroyed or damaged while other cities, such as Ormoc, are reporting similar damage. The UN fears that the possibility of the spread of disease, particularly the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, is high due to the lack of food, shelter and medication. Casualties have been reported as a result of a lack of aid in affected areas and the number of dead continually rises.
As a result of the damage in Tacloban and much of Leyte, hundreds of thousands of people that once lived in the area left and made their way into less affected areas such as Cebu and Manila. Catbalogan reported that their population more than tripled after the typhoon with the influx of refugees into the city. Around 125,000 people have fled to Manila as a result of the system.