Field surveying and numerical simulation of the Typhoon Hato storm surge event in Guangdong province, China

Abstract. In 2017, Typhoon Hato hitting Zhuhai city, Guangdong province, caused a severe storm surge disaster. In this study, a systematic field survey of the “Hato” storm surge was conducted and the numerical modeling of inundation extent and depth was performed. The survey integrated floating debris tracking, inundation tracing, and local inquiries to determine the seawater inundation edge points, water depths, and overall extent of the flooding. Combined with field reconnaissance, the mechanisms damaging typical hazard-bearing bodies during marine disasters were clarified, and the effects of the “Hato” storm surge were analyzed. Inundated areas were distributed in coastal cities, with the maximum inundation depth up to about 2 m, and the inundated area exceeding 54.08 km2. Compared to historical storm surge records, Typhoon Hato ranked as the fourth most severe and stands as one of the most devastating storm surges to impact Guangdong province over the past decade. In addition, the proposed model can reproduce this typhoon and storm surge event, which was evaluated by comparing field observations with numerical simulations, showing good consistency with the observed flooding records. These results could provide detailed data and decision support, which can be used as guidance for the mitigation of future storm surges in coastal areas.