The death toll in China by Typhoon SAOMAI is still increasing to 436. According to Reuters, "China had declassified natural disaster death tolls as state secrets last year," which is just recently. Currently, the Chinese central government officially states that there is no advantage in covering up the disaster, and "covering up would be even a graver mistake." But it may be difficult to implement the offical opinions to the end of local governments in just one year. Reference: natural disasters in China in 2006 (By August 15): 2006 people killed; 624 people missing; economic losses 160 billion yuan (20 billion USD); affected people 316 million; evacuated people 12.95 million; collapsed houses 1.53 million; destroyed houses 4.1 million; affected farmland 36 million hectares.

Typhoon SAOMAI had given a serious impact on China, and the death toll now reached 295. The damage is assumed to be so huge that the scale of damage might increase to a larger extent. Another concern is that again the systematic cover-ups of typhoon damage may be made, as revealed in Typhoon BILIS.

About Typhoon SAOMAI, China Meteorological Administration issued more detailed information with the title The King of Typhoons "SAOMAI", and this page summarizes precise information such as the central pressure was 920 hPa when the typhoon made landfall. This page also says that this is the most powerful typhoon that made landfall in these fifty years, which means that it recorded the lowest central pressure in these 50 years below 923 hPa recorded by the 12th typhoon in 1956. This description does not match the previous description that this typhoon exceeded the 6th typhoon in 1956. I am not sure about the reason, but it is not likely that China Meteorological Administration made a mistake in this basic point, so probably Typhoon 195612 in China is Typhoon 195606 in Japan (= in the world). Please refer to the page of Typhoon RANANIM that describes the similar kind of inconsistency.

Typhoon SAOMAI made landfall at Cangnan County of Zhejiang Province, it recorded the maximum gust of 68.0m/s. It is said that this is the strong typhoon in 50 years to make landfall at China, exceeding Typhoon 195606 (and stronger than Typhoon RANANIM). The damage of the typhoon is getting more and more huge as time goes; the death toll is now over 111, but it is likely that even larger damage will be reported. This year China is damaged by the sequential attack of typhoons, among which the damage of Typhoon BILIS is the largest with the death toll being more than 637, and some estimates that more than 1000 people have already been killed by typhoons of this year.

Typhoon SAOMAI has intensified significantly today. Miyakojima Island will soon enter into the 50kt wind area, and since the typhoon will pass near Miyakojima Island reaching its peak intensity, Sakishima Islands are going to have severe weather. The typhoon will then move toward Taiwan and China, and this means another strong typhoon is approaching to China where massive disasters were already caused by the attack of typhoons in a row.

Typhoon SAOMAI is moving on the most straight track among three typhoons, and is forecast to pass near Minami Daito Jima and then toward Okinawa Island to Sakishima Islands. Sakishima Islands are now within the area of strong winds of another typhoon, Typhoon BOPHA, and soon after escaping from Typhoon BOPHA, it will be entering into the area of strong winds of Typhoon SAOMAI.

Typhoon SAOMAI is becoming the strongest typhoon among three typhoons, and its speed is the fastest to catch up other typhoons, it seems that this typhoon will move in the middle while giving influence on the movement of other two typhoons at both sides. The right hand side to the track is Typhoon MARIA, curving away toward right, while the left hand side to the track is Typhoon BOPHA, curving away toward left. This relationship may indicate a mutual interaction among typhoons that two typhoons are repulsively curving away from Typhoon SAOMAI.

Typhoon SAOMAI is keeping its movement toward northwest, and is likely to pass near Okinawa.

Typhoon SAOMAI is deepening slowly. Because of the birth of Typhoon BOPHA, three typhoons are now active in the Pacific, and the typhoon forecast is getting more difficult.

Typhoon SAOMAI was formed in Mariana Islands. This typhoon is born at the same time with Typhoon MARIA, and the north western Pacific suddenly became active. According to the forecast, this typhoon is also move steadily north, so you need to pay attention on this typhoon also to avoid the situation that you are watching Typhoon MARIA and then realize that another typhoon is approaching closely...