CHINA

Typhoon Chan-Hom made landfall early on 11 Jul in Zhujiajian Township in the island city of Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, as a category 1 typhoon before being downgraded to a tropical storm on 12 Jul. Chan-Hom is decreasing intensity as it moves northeast. Some 1.9 million people in nine cities were affected by the storm, including more than 1.1 million evacuated as a precaution. No casualties are reported.

1.1 million people evacuated

Direct economic losses are estimated at 5.86 billion yuan (US$ 940 million), according to the Provincial Flood Control and Drought Prevention Headquarters. The worst hit sector is agriculture with economic losses of 3.62 billion yuan as the typhoon coincided with vegetable harvests. Local government warned of water-logging disasters in some cities and torrents in mountainous regions following the record rainfall brought by the typhoon.

Typhoon Linfa, the eighth typhoon of the season, made landfall in Guangdong Province on 9 Jul, where more than 1.6 million people were affected by rainstorms and 56,000 displaced. No casualties were reported.
Direct losses from the storm were estimated at 1.3 billion yuan (US$ 213 million) according to provincial authorities.

56,000 people displaced

DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA

Drought conditions persist in the key agricultural provinces. A joint Government-international community assessment reports impact to agricultural production, decreased quality and drying up of water resources and an increase in waterborne diseases.

PHILIPPINES

The inter-tropical convergence zone, which brought moderate to heavy rains that triggered flooding in central Mindanao, also caused strong winds in Basilan and Tawi-Tawi provinces on 2 Jul, leaving some 200 houses damaged.

Meanwhile, water subsided significantly this week in the flood-affected areas in central Mindanao. In Maguindanao province, the majority of the remaining IDPs returned to their places of origin and classes resumed in all 32 affected schools. Local authorities continue to assist the affected families through the distribution of food and NFIs and livelihood assistance for farmers.

200 houses damaged

On 3 Jul, UNHCR reported that about 10,000 people remain displaced in Maguindanao province from the Government’s joint law enforcement operations against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). Of these, about 8,500 people are in evacuation centres while others are hosted by friends and relatives.5

10,000 people displaced

MYANMAR

The Government led emergency response operations, including the distribution of relief items and the provision of medical care to flood affected townships in Rakhine State. On 10 Jul, national media reported that the Union Government announced a kyat 3.2 billion (US$ 30,000) package to support reconstruction of destroyed housing and rebuild damaged infrastructure in Rakhine.

INDONESIA

Mount Raung volcano in East Java province has been active for several weeks. The level activity increased on 10 Jul blasting ash and debris into the air.
Airport closures caused mass disruption to travel. Local authorities provided masks and other health supplies; and plans to conduct contingency planning and simulation exercises for the affected districts.

PRECIPITATION FORECAST

In the next three months, there is an extremely high chance of below normal rainfall in Indonesia and Malaysia. Papua New Guinea and western India are also likely to receive less rainfall than average. Meanwhile above average rainfall is likely across the Pacifc, in particular Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu.