Viet Nam: Typhoon Maury - Nov 1987

On 11 November, Typhoon Maury formed as a tropical depression about 1,550 km east of Manila and moved west-northwestwards. It swept across the southeastern part of Luzon on 14 November and passed about 200 km south of Manila. Maury entered the South China Sea on the night of 15 November and intensified to a tropical storm on 17 November. However, it weakened into a tropical depression on 19 November and landed over southern Viet Nam about 350 km south-southeast of Danang in the early afternoon. It dissipated rather rapidly soon afterwards. Heavy rain associated with Maury caused widespread damage in Viet Nam. At least 86 people were killed and more than 56,000 houses and 15 bridges were damaged. Crops and livestock were also severely affected. The total loss was estimated at more than US$20 million. (Government of Hong Kong SAR, May 1988)

Typhoon Maury inflicted heavy damage on the provinces of Nghia Binh and Phu Khanh. The typhoon was the most recent in a series of disasters affecting Viet Nam during 1987 which included storms, droughts and outbreaks of crop diseases that severely cut agricultural output by an estimated 1.7 million tons of foodgrain. Figures received from UNDRO/UNDP resident representative on the direct damage caused by Typhoon Maury are as follows: 101 dead, 211 badly injured, 352,000 homeless (or whose property and food supplies have been destroyed), and a further 584,800 whose homes, property and food supplies were severely damaged. The estimated shortfall on food losses from Typhoon Maury alone was 65,500 tons. (UN DHA, 29 December, 1987)