HIGHLIGHTS

     In the last decade, typhoons have been the second most destructive type of natural disaster. We need to focus on typhoons, particularly those that occur during the fall, as their intensity is anticipated to rise due to climate change.

   While summer typhoons (June-August) account for fewer than half (47%) of all domestic-impact typhoons over the past 20 years, fall typhoons (September-October) represent approximately 75%, equating to three out of every four typhoons that result in actual property damage. Additionally, fall typhoons are responsible for about 95% of all typhoon damage recovery costs in the past decade.

   Typhoons occurring in the fall often result in significant damage that necessitates extensive repairs, particularly to utilities, and typically cause more destruction than those in the summer. The recovery costs for fall typhoons are 2.4 times higher than those for summer typhoons, even though the property damage is only 1.5 times greater. 

   The differences in damage between fall and summer typhoons can be attributed to differences in typhoon characteristics, such as intensity. More importantly, the paths of typhoons play a key role in amount of damage. Fall typhoons most commonly affect regions with numerous public facilities, which likely accounts for the observed damage to these facilities.

   Finally, the onset of property damage from typhoons has been delayed by approximately three weeks over the past 20 years and may be further delayed in the future. Therefore, we must shift from the traditional view that "typhoons are a summer phenomenon" to a recognition that "typhoons are a fall phenomenon." It is crucial to acknowledge that, due to climate change, there is no longer a "safe" time to prepare for natural disasters. Instead, we need to maintain a state of readiness throughout the year.