Typhoon Chaba, known in the Philippines as Tropical Depression Caloy was a Category 1-equivalent typhoon that struck South China after affecting the Philippines as a tropical depression. The third named storm and second typhoon of the 2022 Pacific typhoon season, Chaba originated from a low-pressure area west of Luzon and developed into a tropical depression on June 28.[1][2] Chaba made landfall in southwestern Guangdong province, China; at least 12 people died when an offshore crane vessel split in half during the storm and sank.
Meteorological history
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
A low-pressure area west of Luzon developed into a tropical depression on June 28.[3][4] At 20:00 PHT (12:00 UTC), the PAGASA had recognized the storm's development into a tropical depression, began issuing advisories, and named the system Caloy.[5] The following day, the JTWC issued a TCFA for the system.[6] Caloy remained almost stationary in the South China Sea before slowly moving northwestwards, eventually leaving the Philippine Area of Responsibility by 15:00 UTC.[7][8] As the PAGASA issued its last bulletin on the tropical depression, the JTWC began issuing warnings for the storm and was given the designation 04W.[9][10] Later, the Japan Meteorological Agency upgraded Caloy into a tropical storm, naming it Chaba.[11] Chaba continued to intensify in the South China Sea, later being upgraded into a severe tropical storm east of Hainan.[12] Typhoon Chaba's outer rainbands produced at least three tornadoes, which impacted Shantou, Chaozhou, and Foshan.[13][14][15] On July 1 at 21:00 UTC, the JTWC upgraded Chaba to a typhoon,[16] with the JMA doing the same 3 hours later on July 2 at 0:00 UTC.[17] Later that day at 07:00 UTC, it made landfall on Maoming.[18] Shortly after its landfall, both the JMA and the JTWC assessed that Chaba lost typhoon status, downgrading Chaba to a severe tropical storm and to a tropical storm respectively.[19][20] The JTWC then issued their final warning on Chaba at 15:00 UTC.[21] Shortly after, the JMA downgraded Chaba to a tropical storm;[22] it was further downgraded to a tropical depression on July 3 at 06:00 UTC.[23]
Impact
160 nautical miles (300 km; 180 mi) southwest of Hong Kong, the Fujing 001, a crane vessel tasked in assisting with the construction of an offshore wind farm, split in half and quickly sunk—leaving 26 crew members missing.[24][citation needed][25] Three of the 30 crew members were rescued, seen in a video published online by the Hong Kong Government Flying Service.[26] Another person was rescued by July 4, bringing the total number of people rescued to four. Twelve bodies from the ship were recovered.[25] More than 400 flights were suspended in Hainan; one person was injured in Macau.[27]
