Typhoon Kathleen

This article is about the Pacific typhoon of 1947. For other storms of the same name, see List of storms named Kathleen.

Typhoon Kathleen

Route of Kathleen
Meteorological history
Formed	September 10, 1947
Dissipated	September 15, 1947
Typhoon
10-minute sustained (JMA)
Lowest pressure	960 hPa (mbar); 28.35 inHg
Category 2-equivalent typhoon
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds	165 km/h (105 mph)
Overall effects
Fatalities	1,077
Missing	853
Areas affected	Japan
IBTrACS
Part of the 1947 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Kathleen was a typhoon that approached Japan in September 1947.[1] Kathleen brought record heavy rain at the time, causing major destruction in the Kanto region.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

Map key

Saffir–Simpson scale

  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown

Storm type

Tropical cyclone

Subtropical cyclone

Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

Kathleen struck the Boso Peninsula and the entire Kanto Region in Japan on September 15.[2][3] Frontal activity, which had been stagnant in the vicinity of Japan due to the typhoon, became active, causing heavy rainfall in the Kanto and Tohoku regions.[3]

Impact

Flooded area

Flood range and major collapse points

Heavy rains caused the Arakawa River and Tone River to overflow.[3] The areas of Tokyo, Gunma, Saitama, Tochigi, Ibaraki and Chiba suffered severe flood damage. In Gunma and Tochigi prefectures, debris flow and flooding of rivers occurred one after another, resulting in around 2000 deaths in both prefectures.[3] Also, in the Tohoku region, the Kitakami River flooded, causing major damage at Ichinoseki City in Iwate Prefecture.[3][4]

The resulting floods killed at least 1,692 people and left many more missing.[5]

Effects of Typhoon Kathleen

Kathleen damage (Saitama)

Kathleen damage (Saitama)

Kathleen damage (Tokyo)

Kathleen damage (Tokyo)

Aftermath

Tone River Embankment Collapse Monument (Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture)

There is a memorial built for the victims of typhoon at Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture.

References

1. 第三版,朝日新聞掲載「キーワード」,デジタル大辞泉,デジタル大辞泉プラス,日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ), 大辞林. "カスリーン台風(カスリーンたいふう)とは". コトバンク (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-08-08.
2. "水害のイメージが強いカスリーン台風、実は土砂災害で多数の死者（饒村曜） - Yahoo!ニュース". Yahoo!ニュース 個人 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-08-08.
3. "カスリーン台風 昭和22年（1947年） ９月14日～９月15日". www.data.jma.go.jp. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
4. 第２版,世界大百科事典内言及, ブリタニカ国際大百科事典 小項目事典,百科事典マイペディア,世界大百科事典. "カスリン台風(カスリンたいふう)とは". コトバンク (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-08-08.
5. David Longshore (2010). Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones, New Edition. Facts On File, Incorporated. p. 281. ISBN 9781438118796.