Draft:Typhoon Zack

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This page is about the 1995 typhoon. For other storms of the same name, see List of storms named Zack and List of storms named Pepang.

Typhoon Zack (Pepang)
Zack near its peak intensity over the South China Sea on October 31
Meteorological history
FormedOctober 24, 1995 (1995-10-24)
DissipatedNovember 2, 1995 (1995-11-02)
Very strong typhoon
10-minute sustained (JMA)
Highest winds165 km/h (105 mph)
Lowest pressure950 hPa (mbar); 28.05 inHg
Category 4-equivalent typhoon
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds220 km/h (140 mph)
Lowest pressure950 hPa (mbar); 28.05 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities137–187
Damage$2 million (1995 USD)
Areas affected
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Part of the 1995 Pacific typhoon season

Typhoon Zack, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Pepang, was a powerful and destructive tropical cyclone which affected the Philippines and Vietnam in late-October to early-November 1995. The twentieth tropical storm and seventh typhoon of the 1995 Pacific typhoon season, Zack originated from a disturbance east of the Caroline Islands on October 24.

Meteorological history

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

On October 21, a disturbance was detected in the eastern Caroline Islands. The disturbance lingered for a couple more days before deep convection increased, with the system becoming a tropical depression on October 24 as it was designated as Tropical Depression 28W by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). The system then became a tropical storm 30 hours later and was assigned the name Zack by the JTWC. Gradually, the storm steadily intensified as it tracked towards central Philippines, and was eventually named Pepang by the PAGASA as it entered the Philippine area of responsibility. Further intensification ensued as Zack moved westwards towards the Visayas, later becoming a Category 1-equivalent typhoon on October 28 as it was crossing the central part of the Philippine archipelago.

Preparations and impact

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At least 137 fatalities have been reported due to Zack, although the death toll varies due to conflicting reports from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center and the Royal Observatory Hong Kong (now known as the Hong Kong Observatory).

Philippines

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The Philippines, where Zack was known as Pepang, was hit hard. Specifically, several areas in the Visayas had relatively high fatality counts: the province Negros Occidental reported 72 deaths, while its neighboring provinces of Cebu and Iloilo respectively tallied 18 and 20 fatalities; these figures, which were from the official JTWC report, put the total death toll in the Philippines at 110.[2] Meanwhile, the Royal Observatory Hong Kong (HKO), reported a slightly higher death toll from Zack, with at least 160 storm-related fatalities reported in the Philippines.[3]

Vietnam

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Vietnam experienced stronger winds from Zack as it was a stronger typhoon when it came ashore on November 1. Both Quảng Ngãi and Da Nang recorded wind gust speeds of 144 km/h (89 mph), while the lowest atmospheric pressures recorded were all above 995 hPa (29.38 inHg); this was seen at several locations near the landfall area, such as Quảng Ngãi and Quy Nhơn. Heavy rainfall was also observed in Da Nang, where precipitation totals reached 430 mm. Overall, the typhoon has killed 27 people in the country.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ 1995 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report (ATCR) (PDF) (Report). Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). 1995. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 1, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  2. ^ 1995 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report (page 175) (PDF) (Report). p. 175. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  3. ^ Tropical Cyclones In 1995 (PDF) (Report). Royal Observatory Hong Kong. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  4. ^ Đặc điểm Khí tượng Thuỷ văn năm 1995 [1995 summary of Vietnam meteorology and hydrology] (PDF) (in Vietnamese). Hanoi, Vietnam: National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 19, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
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