Tropical Storm Zita

rdf:langString Tropical Storm Zita

rdf:langString Severe Tropical Storm Zita

rdf:langString Southern China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand

rdf:langString WPac

rdf:langString Zita 1997-08-22 0700Z.png

rdf:langString Tropical Storm Zita at peak intensity over the Leizhou Peninsula

rdf:langString typhoon

rdf:langString Severe Tropical Storm Zita, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Luming, was a short-lived tropical cyclone that killed seven people throughout southern China in August 1997. Originating from a tropical disturbance over the South China Sea on August 19, Zita tracked westward as it quickly strengthened within a region of light wind shear, attaining winds of 140 km/h (85 mph) as it made landfall along the Leizhou Peninsula early on August 22. Maintaining this intensity, the storm made a second landfall in northern Vietnam later that day before rapidly weakening over land. The remnants of Zita were last noted over extreme northwestern Vietnam on August 24. Although a relatively weak system, Tropical Storm Zita caused significant damage in Southern China. There, seven people were known to have been killed by the storm and damage reached $433 million (1997 USD). However, a report from Dartmouth College states that 345 people were killed by the storm. In Vietnam, significantly less damage took place; no fatalities were reported and losses reached $5 million (1997 USD).