Typhoon Yagi was a powerful tropical cyclone that caused extensive damage in Southeast Asia and South China in early September 2024. Known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Enteng and in Vietnam as Typhoon No. 3 of 2024 (Vietnamese: Bão số 3 năm 2024), Yagi is the eleventh named storm, the first violent typhoon, and the first super typhoon of the 2024 Pacific typhoon season. Additionally, it is the strongest typhoon in 70 years to strike Vietnam according to the country's government, the strongest typhoon to strike China during the meteorological autumn, and one of the four Category 5-equivalent super typhoons recorded in the South China Sea. Yagi is also the second-strongest tropical cyclone worldwide in 2024, behind Hurricane Milton in the Atlantic.
Yagi originated from a low-pressure area that formed on August 30, approximately 540 km (330 mi) northwest of Palau. On September 1, the system was classified as a tropical storm and named Yagi by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). After making landfall over Casiguran, Aurora, in the Philippines, on September 2, Yagi weakened as it moved inland through the rugged terrain of the Cordillera Central in Luzon. It later emerged over the South China Sea and began merging with a secondary circulation west of Lingayen Gulf, with its deep convection starting to wrap and develop convective bands extending west and south. On September 5, the JMA reported that the storm reached its peak intensity with ten-minute maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h (120 mph) and a central pressure of 915 hPa (27.02 inHg). It initially peaked as a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with one-minute sustained winds of 260 km/h (160 mph). After weakening due to an eyewall replacement cycle, Yagi rapidly reintensified to a second Category 5 peak with one-minute sustained winds of 270 km/h (165 mph), thus becoming the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the South China Sea and the only tropical cyclone to intensify to Category 5 twice in this body. After peak intensity, Yagi began weakening before making landfall near Wenchang of China's Hainan Province on September 6. Yagi passed over northern Hainan and directly over Haikou, before moving into the open waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. It made landfall over Haiphong and Quảng Ninh, Vietnam, on September 7 and moved southwestward inland until it was last noted on September 9.
The combination of Typhoon Yagi and the southwest monsoon led to heavy rains over Luzon, causing widespread flash floods in various areas. The Hong Kong Observatory issued a Gale or Storm No. 8 warning as Typhoon Yagi approached. The Chinese island of Hainan experienced extreme rainfall and over 57,000 buildings were damaged. In preparation for Typhoon Yagi, schools and transport services in areas within the storm's trajectory were closed. In the Philippines, 21 people were killed while 26 others were reported missing. In Vietnam, over 329,000 structures were affected and 325 people died, with 24 more missing; a majority of the casualties were caused by landslides. The remnants of Yagi caused catastrophic flooding and landslides in Myanmar, where at least 433 deaths and 79 missing were confirmed. These remnants also caused extensive flooding and deaths in Laos and Thailand. In total, the typhoon caused at least 844 deaths, 2,279 injuries, and left 129 people missing. Yagi also damaged, flooded or destroyed over 741,800 structures, resulting in over $14.7 billion (2024 USD) in damage across eight countries. Due to the catastrophic impacts it caused, both names were later retired from their respective naming lists in 2025. They were replaced by Tomo and Edring respectively.
Meteorological history
On August 30, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that a low-pressure area had formed approximately 540 km (330 mi) northwest of Palau. The broad low-pressure area began to organize and developed into a tropical depression on August 31. Deep convection activity became concentrated around a circulation center, which was in a favorable environment with excellent equatorward and poleward outflow and warm sea surface temperatures of 29–30 °C (84–86 °F). On September 1, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) declared the system a tropical depression and named it Enteng, as it formed within the Philippine Area of Responsibility. At 03:00 UTC that day, the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert due to its low-level circulation center (LLCC) becoming well-defined with formative banding in its northern quadrants. A few hours later, the system was classified as tropical depression 12W, exhibiting a rapidly consolidating low-level circulation, a compact central dense overcast (CDO), and deep convective banding over the western semicircle; it then intensified into a tropical storm and was named Yagi by the JMA.
Yagi then shifted northwestward along the southwestern edge of a mid-level subtropical high, which caused its convection to be sheared to the north and left the LLCC exposed. As the system progressed up the coast of Luzon island, the colder cloud tops in the CDO continued to expand, and at 14:00 PHT (06:00 UTC) on September 2, the storm made landfall in Casiguran, Aurora. Over the next six hours, Yagi moved further inland into Luzon and weakened as it interacted with the rugged terrain of the Cordillera Central. At 05:00 PHT on September 3 (21:00 UTC on September 2), it emerged over the South China Sea and began merging with a secondary circulation located west of Lingayen Gulf, with Yagi's deep convection starting to wrap and develop convective bands extending to the west and south. At around 06:00 UTC on September 3, the JMA reported that Yagi had intensified into a severe tropical storm due to warm sea surface temperatures and high ocean heat content. Early the next day, both the JMA and the JTWC upgraded the storm to a minimal typhoon as an eye began to form on satellite imagery, and Yagi started moving west-northwestward along the southwestern edge of a mid-level subtropical high, with a pinhole eye developing as the typhoon underwent rapid intensification.
On September 5, the JTWC upgraded the system to super typhoon status with estimated 1-minute maximum sustained winds of 270 km/h (165 mph)—making it a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon, only the fourth such storm in the South China Sea, after Pamela in 1954, Rammasun in 2014 and Rai in 2021—noting the sharply defined eye with a diameter of 17.3 miles (27.8 km). The JMA meanwhile upgraded Yagi to a violent typhoon, and estimated that it peaked in intensity with a minimum central pressure of 915 hPa (27.02 inHg), and 10-minute maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h (120 mph). Later that morning, it weakened as it underwent an eyewall replacement cycle, but the inner eyewall remained intact and the outer eyewall weakened. Yagi restrengthened slightly before making landfall near Wenchang in Hainan Province around 16:20 CST on September 6. This made Yagi the strongest typhoon to strike Hainan since Rammasun in 2014. After making landfall over Hainan Province, the typhoon's structure continued to feature a 24 miles (39 km) diameter eye, a nearly complete eyewall, and spiral banding in the southern semicircle. Yagi passed over northern Hainan and directly over Haikou, before entering into the open waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. On September 7, Yagi, which had steadily reorganized and rapidly intensified again with a well-defined circulation center and very strong convection—evidenced by a large band of cloud tops at −80 °C (−112 °F) or colder in the southern part of the system—made landfall over Haiphong and Quảng Ninh, Vietnam. The JTWC described it as historic, considering it one of the most intense typhoons ever to strike northern Vietnam. Shortly after landfall, the JTWC issued its final warning, which noted warming cloud tops and a filling cloud eye feature. Yagi continued to weaken rapidly as it moved southwestward along the southeastern edge of a mid-level subtropical high after it made landfall, becoming a tropical depression on September 8. The JMA continued to monitor the system until it reported that the storm dissipated at 18:00 UTC the following day.
Preparations
Philippines
Highest Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal
As the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) started to track Yagi (known as "Enteng" in the Philippines) as a tropical depression on September 1, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 was raised in Albay; Biliran; Burias Island; Eastern Samar; Masbate; Northern Samar; Sorsogon; Ticao Island; northeastern portion of Leyte; eastern portions of Cagayan and Isabela; southern portions of Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya; and northern Quezon. Shortly after Yagi became a tropical storm, PAGASA raised Signal No. 2 for the northeastern portion of Camarines Sur, the entire province of Abra; Apayao; Babuyan Islands; Cagayan; Camarines Norte; Catanduanes; Ilocos Norte; Ifugao; Isabela; Kalinga; Mountain Province; Polillo Islands; Quirino, and northern portions of Aurora; Ilocos Sur; and Nueva Vizcaya. At their next bulletin, the agency also added Batanes; Benguet; La Union; Nueva Ecija; Rizal; Laguna; Marinduque, some parts of Batangas; Bulacan; Pampanga; and Pangasinan, as well as Metro Manila to Signal No. 1 because of gusty winds and heavy rains caused by the storm. By September 4, most signals were lowered by PAGASA as the storm left the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
Classes in Metro Manila and multiple provinces across Luzon and the Visayas were suspended on September 2 and 3. Several domestic flights to Bicol, Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, the Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula were also cancelled at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, while operations at six regional airports were suspended. Forced evacuations were ordered in Naga, Camarines Sur. An evacuation advisory was raised for the Marikina River after water levels reached 16 metres (52 ft). Salvage operations for the MT Terranova, which sank in Manila Bay and caused an oil spill during Typhoon Gaemi (locally called Carina) in July, were also suspended. The Premier Volleyball League postponed the championship match of its 2024 Reinforced Conference originally scheduled on September 2. The Government Service Insurance System prepared emergency loan programs for calamity-hit individuals. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, 80,842 people were preemptively evacuated.
China
In preparation for Yagi, schools were closed across Hainan Province on September 5 and suspensions to local transport and shipping occurred the following day. The storm was expected to make landfall near Qionghai. In Guangdong Province, all coastal attractions and activities were cancelled along with flights at Zhuhai Jinwan Airport. More than 420,000 people were evacuated in Hainan, while nearly 500,000 others were evacuated in Guangdong. Emergency warnings were also issued in southern coastal parts of Guangxi Province.
On September 3, the Hong Kong Observatory hoisted Standby Signal No. 1 over Hong Kong as Yagi approached the territory at the strength of a Category 4 typhoon. The following day, Strong Wind Signal No. 3 was raised, and six HK Express flights were rescheduled. More than 100 flights were also cancelled. A Northeast Gale or Storm Signal No. 8 was raised in the early evening on September 5. All trading in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange was cancelled on September 6. The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge was also closed to traffic.
Dozens of flights at the Macau International Airport on Taipa island were cancelled. Schools were closed and ferry services to Hong Kong Island were suspended. All three bridges connecting the Macau Peninsula with Taipa were closed, while Signal No. 8 was raised over the territory.
Vietnam
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting forecast Typhoon Yagi to make landfall in Vietnam between the Quảng Ninh and Haiphong areas. In response, authorities advised against fishing in hazardous waters, organizing outdoor gatherings, and recommended strengthening home defenses and inspecting dykes, especially at landing sites. Twelve northern provinces ordered schools to close in anticipation of the impacts of the typhoon, covering at least 6.5 million students including in Haiphong, Quảng Ninh, Bắc Giang, Nam Định, Thái Bình, Hanoi, Hà Nam, Phú Thọ, and Ninh Bình. All coastal localities from Quảng Ninh to Nghệ An banned vessels from operating, and approximately 310 domestic and international flights scheduled for September 7 were cancelled. Nearly 50,000 people were evacuated from coastal areas of northern Vietnam.
Airports including Nội Bài (Hanoi), Cát Bi (Haiphong), Vân Đồn (Quảng Ninh), and Thọ Xuân (Thanh Hóa) were asked to temporarily suspend operations on September 7 during specific time periods. By the morning of September 6, one day before the typhoon was officially expected to make landfall in Vietnam, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính issued an urgent directive to numerous provinces and cities as well as to the relevant ministers, urging them to take prompt action to respond to and minimize the damage caused by the storm. Ferry services between the mainland and Phú Quốc in southern Vietnam were also suspended starting from September 6. The Ministry of Industry and Trade instructed local authorities to stockpile essential goods for five to ten days. Twelve rail routes in the North–south railway system were suspended. The People's Army of Vietnam mobilized 460,000 personnel to help in disaster response. A friendly football match between Thailand and Russia scheduled at Mỹ Đình National Stadium in Hanoi on September 7 was cancelled.
Elsewhere
Heavy rain and flooding warnings were issued in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Rainfall was also expected to impact parts of Myanmar bordering Laos and Thailand. A flood warning was issued by the Mekong River Commission in Luang Prabang on September 12. Flood warnings were also issued for September 14 in Vientiane, Nong Khai, and Chiang Khan.
Impact
Philippines
Yagi, combined with the effects of the southwest monsoon, resulted in 21 deaths, 22 injuries and 26 people missing. Yagi caused flooding in Metro Manila, and in the provinces of Bulacan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Laguna, Northern Samar, Pangasinan, and Rizal. In Manila Bay, several ships ran aground off the coast of Navotas, while two others collided with each other, causing a fire on one of the vessels. A barge also ran aground in Rosario, Cavite.
In Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Bulacan, around 28,000 people lost electricity. The NDRRMC reported that the storm impacted 2,828,710 people and displaced 80,842, resulting in total damages amounting to ₱2.96 billion (US$52.4 million). This includes ₱2.26 billion (US$40 million) in agricultural losses, and ₱699 million (US$12.4 million) in infrastructural damage. The storm affected 7,622 homes, with 493 completely destroyed, caused power outages in 65 cities and municipalities, blocked roads in 175 locations, and rendered 31 bridges impassable.