Typhoon Brian (1989)
Pacific typhoon in 1989 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Typhoon Brian was the first in a series of tropical cyclones to impact southern China and northern Vietnam in October 1989. Originating from an area of low pressure associated with a monsoon trough in late-September, Brian quickly organized into a tropical storm over the South China Sea on September 30. Tracking along a general west-southwest to westerly course, the storm attained typhoon status on October 1 before making landfall along the southern coast of Hainan Island the following day. Slight weakening occurred during Brian's brief passage of Hainan Island before the system entered the Gulf of Tonkin. The storm ultimately struck Vietnam on October 3 before dissipating the next day over Laos.
Meteorological history | |
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Formed | September 28, 1989 |
Dissipated | October 4, 1989 |
Typhoon | |
10-minute sustained (JMA) | |
Highest winds | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
Lowest pressure | 970 hPa (mbar); 28.64 inHg |
Category 1-equivalent typhoon | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
Highest winds | 150 km/h (90 mph) |
Lowest pressure | 970 hPa (mbar); 28.64 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | At least 40 total |
Damage | $222 million (1989 USD) |
Areas affected | |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1989 Pacific typhoon season |
Across Hainan Island, Brian caused extensive damage to property and infrastructure. Nearly 185,000 homes were damaged or destroyed by the storm's high winds or flash flooding. Communications were severely disrupted as 2,800 km (1,700 mi) of power and telephone lines were downed. Brian killed 40 people and inflicted 837 million Renminbi (US$222 million) in damage throughout Hainan before impacting Vietnam and causing further damage. Significant losses were reported in Vietnam as well; however, the rapid succession of Brian and two other typhoons made it difficult to differentiate the losses caused by each storm.