Wilda hit Japan. Typhoon Anita (Maring) Anita hit Japan. Typhoon Billie (Nitang) When Typhoon Billie hit eastern Taiwan and China, it caused heavy flooding and wind damage, amounting to 4 casualties (with 8 missing and 41 drownings) and $2.6 million in damage (1976 USD). Severe Tropical Storm Clara Clara hit China. Tropical Storm Dot (Osang) Dot hit China and Japan. Tropical Storm Ellen (Paring) Tropical Storm Ellen struck Hong Kong killing 27 people and left 3 missing. Super Typhoon Fran (Reming) An area of disturbed weather organized into Tropical Depression 17W on September 2. It tracked northwestward, becoming a tropical storm on the 4th and a typhoon on the 6th. Fran rapidly intensified to a super typhoon on the 7th, and weakened as it turned northward. After stalling and drifting to the west, Fran continued its northward movement, hit southwestern Japan on the 12th, and became extratropical in the Sea of Japan on the 13th. The storm caused heavy flooding and wind damage, causing 133 fatalities (with 32 missing) and $572 million in damage (1976 USD, $1.9 billion in 2005 USD), the worst Japanese typhoon in over 10 years. Tropical Storm Georgia Georgia moved north away from land. Typhoon Hope Hope did not come near land. Tropical Depression Seniang Seniang was short-lived. Typhoon Iris (Toyang) Iris meandered over the South China Sea and struck South China. Typhoon Joan Joan recurved east of Japan. Typhoon Louise (Welpring) Louise was the strongest typhoon of the season, becoming a Super Typhoon, bringing minor impacts to the Philippines and Japan. Typhoon Marge (Yoning) Marge was a strong tropical storm. Severe Tropical Storm Nora (Aring) Nora brushed the Philippines. Tropical Storm Opal (Basiang) Opal was a minimal tropical storm. Tropical Depression Kayang The depression lasted a day. Storm names Western North Pacific tropical cyclones were named by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The first storm of 1976 was named Kathy and the final one was named Opal. One Central Pacific system developed, Hurricane Kate. The policy at the time was to use Western Pacific names the Central Pacific. Philippines The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration uses its own naming scheme for tropical cyclones in their area of responsibility. PAGASA assigns names to tropical depressions that form within their area of responsibility and any tropical cyclone that might move into their area of responsibility. Should the list of names for a given year prove