Tropical Storm Sonca (2017)

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Tropical Storm Sonca

Tropical storm (JMA scale)
Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Sonca nearing landfall on July 25
Formed	July 21, 2017
Dissipated	July 29, 2017
Highest winds	10-minute sustained: 65 km/h (40 mph) 1-minute sustained: 85 km/h (50 mph)
Lowest pressure	994 hPa (mbar); 29.35 inHg
Fatalities	37 total
Damage	$313 million (2017 USD)
Areas affected	Hainan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand (particularly Northeast Thailand), Myanmar
Part of the 2017 Pacific typhoon season

Tropical Storm Sonca was a weak tropical cyclone that impacted Indochina during the end of July 2017.

Meteorological history[]

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

On July 21, both the JMA and the JTWC reported that Tropical Depression 08W had developed approximately 582 km (361 mi) to the south of Hong Kong.^[1][2] After moving westward for a couple of days, the system strengthened into a tropical storm by both agencies while nearing the island province of Hainan, receiving the name Sonca.^[3] By July 24, Sonca reached its maximum intensity with a minimum pressure of 994 hPa.^[4] Early on July 25, the JTWC issued its final advisory as the system made landfall over in Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam.^[5][6] The JMA issued its final advisory a few hours later until it weakened into an area of low-pressure.^{[citation needed]}

Preparations and impact[]

Vietnam[]

At least six people were killed when the storm made landfall on July 25, all in the provinces of Hà Tĩnh and Quảng Trị. Also, about 1,500 houses were damaged in these two provinces. Across the whole of Vietnam, roughly 5,777 hectares (14,280 acres) of paddy field and 750 hectares (1,900 acres) of croplands were damaged.^[7] In Nghe An Province total dâmge by the storm reached 127 billion dong (US$5.6 million).^[8] Total damage in Vietnam reached 300.7 billion dong (US$13 million).^[9]

Cambodia[]

Tropical Storm Sonca affected four provinces across Cambodia, at least three people died and 2686 houses were submerged. 53 households were affected and only 23 were evacuated.^[10]

Thailand[]

Flash floods across Thailand killed 23 people and affected 44 out of 76 provinces in Thailand. The hardest hit province was Sakon Nakhon, Northeast Thailand as the storm forced the closer of Sakon Nakhon Airport lasting for 3 days.^[10] Damages in Sakon Nakhon exceeded 100 million baht (US$3 million).^[11] Some say that Northeast Thailand has had its worst flooding in two decades.^[12]

Heavy rain damaged bridges in Khon Kaen province and flooded buildings in Ubon Ratchathani province and Sisaket province, where some people were relocated to temporary accommodations. In Lopburi province, some people were rescued by boat after the roads became impassable. In Sukhothai province, the Yom River flooded, and sandbags were used to help contain the floodwaters. Trains had to be re-routed in Nong Khai province when telephone poles fell on the tracks.^[13]

In total, the damage from flooding triggered by the storm in Thailand reached 10 billion baht (US$300 million).^[14]

See also[]

• Other storms named Sonca
• Tropical Storm Aere (2016)
• Tropical Storm Rai
• Tropical Storm Vamco (2015)
• October 2017 Vietnam tropical depression
• Tropical Storm Haikui (2017)
• Tropical Storm Son-Tinh (2018)

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tropical Storm Sonca (2017).

• JMA General Information of Tropical Storm Sonca (1708) from Digital Typhoon
• 08W.SONCA from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory