Typhoon Georgia (1959)

rdf:langString Typhoon Georgia (1959)

rdf:langString Typhoon Georgia

rdf:langString WPac

rdf:langString Typhoon Georgia was one of the more impactful typhoons that struck Japan, as well as one of the few observed tropical cyclones that made direct landfall in Russia (then known as Soviet Union) as a tropical storm. A low pressure system formed in the vicinity of Guam on August 10 which formed Tropical Depression Fran, and a new low-level center formed from a fracture of a trough that split newly formed tropical depression in the midnight of August 12. The newly formed low level center was classified as a tropical storm and was named Georgia hours later by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The new tropical storm was tracked by Japan Meteorological Agency shortly afterwards and Georgia rapidly intensified into a typhoon. On the next day, Georgia further intensified after passing Chichi Jima and reached peak sustained winds of 110 knots (57 m/s) while quickly accelerating in the north-northwest direction before striking Chūbu region in Japan on evening of the same day as a weakening typhoon. After emerging on the Sea of Japan as a tropical storm on August 14, Georgia made landfall in Soviet Union as a tropical storm at the afternoon of the same day, before transforming into an extratropical storm quickly after landfall. Remnants of Georgia was last noted on Heilongjiang, China on August 16. Georgia caused destruction throughout Central Japan. Nagano and Yamanashi prefectures were the hardest hit from the typhoon, as the rains from the typhoon caused enormous damages, which was worsened by Typhoon Ellen from days earlier. Georgia left more than 50,000 families homeless, tore down miles of communication lines, and washed out bridges and roads. Georgia also caused the worst damage on railway transport network in Japan's history at the time. 4,089 houses were destroyed and 10,139 others were damaged. Because of the storm, 188 people were killed, 47 people were reported missing and 1,528 people were injured. Combined with damages from Typhoon Ellen, damages from Typhoon Georgia totaled $50 million (1959 USD).