Typhoon Phyllis was one of seven tropical cyclones in 1975 to pass within range of the Japan Meteorological Agency's (JMA) radar surveillance. A tropical disturbance developed in the monsoon trough just west of Guam on August 11. The disturbance was classified as a tropical depression the next day. Tracking northward, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Phyllis later on August 12. On the next day, Phyllis, after developing an eye, attained typhoon intensity. The typhoon accelerated north while rapidly intensifying, and on the evening of August 14, Phyllis reached its peak intensity of . Typhoon Phyllis turned northwest, making landfall over Shikoku on August 17, with winds of . Phyllis weakened to a tropical storm later the same day. Its remnants were last observed on August 20. Phyllis, along with Typhoon Rita, were accountable for the bulk of tropical cyclone casualties in Japan during the 1975 Pacific typhoon season. From Phyllis alone, 60 people perished while 146 were injured on the island of Shikoku. There, at least 489 houses collapsed and 577 others were damaged. Throughout the country, 77 people were killed and 209 others sustained injured. A total of 129 landslides occurred while roads were cut in 106 locations and 23 dikes sustained damaged. A total of 50,222 homes were flooded and an additional 2,419 dwellings were demolished. Twelve ships and of farmland received damaged. Damage was estimated at $37 million (1975 USD). In addition to effects on Japan, the typhoon also killed three people and left seven others missing in Taiwan. The outer fringes of the storm contributed to a heat wave that resulted in 24 fatalities. Meteorological history During the first couple weeks of August 1975, the Western Pacific monsoonal trough extended from central China to Guam. Numerous surface circulations appeared in this trough as early as the August 8, and three days later, a tropical disturbance was spotted by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) some west-southwest of Guam. The first warning was issued on the morning of the August 12, with the JTWC designating it Tropical Depression 07. Due to the cyclone's proximity to the country, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration also monitored the storm and assigned it with the local name Etang. Despite a hurricane hunter aircraft finding multiple surface centers and an ill-defined upper-level center, the depression quickly strengthened into a tropical storm. Initially, the storm's low- and upper-level circulation