Typhoon Mireille - Preparations, Impact, and Aftermath

Preparations, Impact, and Aftermath

When Mireille was approaching the Marianas Islands, disaster preparations were undertaken from Guam through Saipan.. At Misawa Air Base, advanced warning allow million-dollar aircraft to be protected in hardened hangars, minimizing damage.

While passing through the islands of the West Pacific, the storm brought heavy flooding and winds, causing moderate crop damage but relieving a water shortage. No one was killed or injured on those islands. Okinawa got 10.14 inches (258 mm) of rain. In South Korea, two people were killed with two missing.

Mireille was the strongest typhoon to hit Japan since 1961. Damage was widespread in 41 of 47 prefectures. In Japan, Mireille caused extensive crop damage amounting to $3 billion (1991 USD), the worst affected being the apple. A total of 52 people were killed from the flooding and high winds, including all ten hands aboard a Korean freighter that sank while in port at Hakata. Power outages effected six million people, 10,000 were left homeless, and 777 people were injured. More than 20,000 buildings were destroyed or damaged, and a total of 47 watercraft were sunk, capsized, or blown ashore. Misawa AB on Hokkaido had roofs blown off warehouses and trees blown over as the base was battered by gales for more than five hours, including a record gust. Two of Mazda's loading docks in Hiroshima were completely destroyed, affecting American inventories of 1992 Mazda 929's until the end of November 1991. Transportation in Japan was disrupted, with 500 domestic flights cancelled, stranding 58,000, and hindering road, rail, and ferry traffic. Mireille caused a total of $6.91 billion in insured losses, the costliest natural disaster of 1991.

Due to the severity of damage and loss of life caused by the storm, the name Mireille was retired and replaced with Melissa.