Typhoon Yutu

Typhoon Yutu, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Rosita, was an extremely powerful tropical cyclone that caused catastrophic destruction on the islands of Tinian and Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, and later impacted the Philippines. It is the strongest typhoon ever recorded to impact the Mariana Islands, and is tied as the second-strongest tropical cyclone to strike the United States and its unincorporated territories by both wind speed and barometric pressure. It also tied Typhoon Kong-rey as the most powerful tropical cyclone worldwide in 2018.

The twenty-sixth named storm and the twelfth typhoon of the 2018 Pacific typhoon season, Yutu originated as a tropical disturbance moving westward on October 18. It became a tropical depression two days later near the Marshall Islands, before strengthening further into a tropical storm on October 22, receiving the name Yutu from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Favorable conditions led to a period of rapid intensification, causing Yutu to become a typhoon as it moved west-northwestward on October 23, and by the next day, Yutu had achieved its peak intensity; the JMA estimated 10-minute maximum sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph) and a lowest central pressure of 900 hPa (26.58 inHg), while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center assessed 1-minute winds of 280 km/h (175 mph). An eyewall replacement cycle ensued, weakening Yutu, before making landfall over Tinian on October 25. Substantial outflow allowed the storm to re-strengthen, making it reach a secondary peak on October 26. As it approached the Philippines the following day, PAGASA assigned it the local name Rosita, while it began to reach less favorable conditions. The storm made a second landfall over Dinapigue, Isabela by October 29. Yutu then entered the South China Sea, where it continued to weaken while turning northward, until it had dissipated by November 3.

An emergency was declared for the Northern Mariana Islands as Yutu approached the archipelago, while tropical cyclone warnings and watches were raised. Winds of 270 km/h (170 mph) and gusts of 320 km/h (200 mph) swept across Tinian and Saipan, causing devastating damage throughout the Northern Mariana Islands that amounted over US$800 million, far exceeding that of Typhoon Soudelor in 2015. The storm destroyed up to 6,000 homes and toppled 962 power poles in Saipan and Tinian, leaving the islands without power for months. Health centers and airports in the two islands sustained serious damage. Two women were killed in Saipan and 121–133 people were injured. Yutu caused power outages to Rota and Guam, with damage to the latter island estimated at US$750,000. In response to the disaster, a major disaster declaration from U.S. President Donald Trump was signed; the Northern Mariana Islands received aid from organizations and local and federal governments.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals were issued throughout Luzon while the Philippines was still recovering from Typhoon Mangkhut, leading to pre-emptive evacuation of 32,519 people. Yutu brought rainfall of 50 to 300 mm (2.0 to 11.8 in) on the island, flooding low-lying areas. Yutu affected 567,691 people across the nation, displacing a majority of them after damaging 66,165 homes. The storm killed 32 people in the country, 21 of which died in Natonin from one of at least eleven landslides, and also injured two. Power outages occurred across Luzon, with most of it restored by October 31. Agricultural damage in the Philippines amounted to ₱2.904 billion (US$55.160 million). Elsewhere, a man in Hong Kong died while surfing in high waves as a typhoon signal was hoisted.