Typhoon Hagupit (2014)

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Typhoon Hagupit (Ruby) was a powerful storm in December 2014 that mainly affected the Philippines. It began as a tropical disturbance at the end of November, then quickly strengthened into a Category 5 typhoon before weakening as it neared land. In the Philippines, it brought strong winds, heavy rain, and storm surges, but because it moved slowly and began to weaken before major landfall, damage and loss of life were less severe than some other storms in the region. The storm left 18 people dead, about 916 injured, and roughly PHP 5.09 billion (about USD 114 million) in damage. The name Ruby was retired by Philippine authorities and replaced with Rosita for future seasons.

Meteorological history
- Hagupit formed around November 29–30, 2014, and became a tropical storm by December 1, then a typhoon later that day.
- It reached peak strength on December 4 near Palau, with 1-minute sustained winds around 285 km/h (177 mph) and a central pressure near 905 hPa (mbar).
- After a period of rapid intensification, Hagupit began to weaken slightly due to an eyewall replacement cycle and wind shear.
- It entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on December 4 and, as it approached the Philippines, weakened from a Category 5 to a lower category while moving west-northwest.
- Hagupit made its first landfall in Dolores, Eastern Samar, on December 6, then hit Masbate and other parts of the country as a weakened system.
- By December 8–9 it was a tropical storm, crossed the South China Sea, and finally dissipated on December 12 southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Preparations
- In the Philippines, authorities issued early warnings (including Signal Warnings up to No. 3 in parts of Samar andVisayas) and prepared for possible storm surges up to about 4 meters.
- The Department of Health activated alerts in regions expected to be hit.
- Schools and businesses were closed or suspended in several areas from December 4 to 9 to reduce risk.
- Communities organized evacuations and relief planning as Hagupit approached.

Impact
- Hagupit brought strong winds and heavy rain, with several landfalls in the Philippines.
- It caused 18 deaths and about 916 injuries.
- Damage was estimated at PHP 5.09 billion (roughly USD 114 million).
- While devastating in some areas, the storm’s slow movement and weakening helped limit the total destruction compared with Haiyan the year before.

Retirement
- Because of the damage in the Philippines, the name Ruby was retired by PAGASA and replaced with Rosita for the 2018 season.