1994 Pacific Typhoon Season - Storms - Typhoon Teresa (Katring)

Typhoon Teresa (Katring)

Typhoon Teresa (named Katring by PAGASA) was at one point one of four tropical cyclones that existed simultaneously in the Western North Pacific, and it was the westernmost of the four. This system was first noted as a tropical disturbance on October 15 while about 550 kilometres (340 mi) east of the southern Mariana Islands. The system moved west and passed north of Guam near Saipan on October 16 at around 0600 UTC.

Slowly organizing, the system evolved into Tropical Depression 34W early on October 16, and a tropical storm later in the day. Teresa continued moving westward at a constant pace and intensified into a typhoon on October 19, reaching its peak intensity of 80 knots (150 km/h) that same day. Teresa crossed the central Philippines on a west-southwestward track, passing just south of Manila. It had weakened to a severe tropical storm by the time it exited the Philippine islands. The storm continued on a southwestward motion, slowly re-intensifying, and it had regained typhoon strength by October 23. The storm then slowed and turned toward the west, and slowly weakened as it moved towards the coast of Vietnam. The final warning was issued by the JTWC when Teresa was still a tropical storm, but weakening over water east of Vietnam. The remnants of Teresa made landfall in southern Vietnam late on October 26.

Teresa left at least 14 dead and 11 injured in the Philippines, and caused heavy damage to rice and coconut plantations. Electricity was cut off in Manila and surrounding areas. Trees were also reported uprooted, and utility poles brought down. A Maltese oil tanker located in the South China Sea about 600 kilometres (370 mi) southeast of Hong Kong split into two and capsized, killing two and leaving 14 missing. The other crew members were rescued. Typhoon Teresa caused a total of $67.4 million (1994 USD) in damage in Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Cavite Provinces in the Philippines.