Sunday, August 9, 2009

Typhoon Morakot

**www.etaiwannews.com

In Thai, Morakot means "emerald."

It was the first Typhoon this season to make landfall on Taiwan.

It reached a Category 3 before smashing into the Eastern side of Taiwan.

It has created the biggest flooding in 50 years.

Southern Taiwan got 80 inches of rain on Friday and Saturday.

It has caused an estimated NT$800 million in agricultural damages (25 Million USD).

Several people are missing, mainly from rural villages.

1 million people in China have been evacuated from the coastlines.We thought it would be a mild typhoon, mild winds. But it wasn't the wind that caused the most damage, it was the rain. Mudslides, flooding. Still today, even as the typhoon has passed, it is raining and windy -- almost with more strength than when it was "technically" a typhoon. It's now considered a Tropical Storm because the winds aren't strong enough. But it hasn't stopped raining. And church was canceled today.

Somehow, saying, "Be careful what you wish for," sounds trite. We needed the rain to fill our reservoirs. There were concerns about water rationing in some areas. We just didn't need all the rain to come at once.

4 comments:

Jaimie said...

But is school still canceled?

Shan said...

Where did you get those pictures? That's freakin' awesome. I still feel bad that I don't feel bad about the typhoon.

Brad and Hailey said...

I saw it on the news and thought back to all of your kids telling you not to wish for it ... kind of crazy! Glad you're okay!

Jacqueline Auna and family said...

Yikes! Those pictures are crazy and really cool. How are you? I'm such a bad sister. I pray for you but I will be better about communicating with you. I really love and miss you!