Typhoon Morakot (2009)

Typhoon Morakot (International designation: 0908, JTWC designation: 09W, PAGASA name: Kiko) formed early on August 2, 2009, as an unnamed tropical depression. During that day the depression gradually developed before being upgraded to a Tropical Storm and assigned the name Morakot, by the JMA late on August 3.

Torrential rains from the storm killed an estimated 107 people in Taiwan, with over 600 more missing, many of whom are feared dead after a massive mudslide buried the entire 1,300-resident village of Hsiao-Lin.^[1] An additional 23 people were killed in the Philippines and six more in mainland China.^[2] Damages from the storm amounted to at least $1.4 billion in mainland China^[3]. In Taiwan, the storm caused more than $209 million in agricultural damages.^[4] At least 10,000 others were missing in mountainous areas cut off from the rest of the country, hundreds of whom are feared dead.^[5]