Active Weather News

[CielOnTap]

Hurricane, at Category 4, Heads Toward Cuba
By MARIA NEWMAN
Published: September 7, 2008
Hurricane Ike grew into a bigger threat to Florida and the Gulf Coast Sunday as it roared through the Bahamas mid-morning, with forecasters expecting it to gain in strength as it approaches Cuba.

The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for the Florida Keys, and said Ike was “an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/us/08ike.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

From another paper is a link to a hurricane preparation guide: http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/hurricane/survival.html Just in case someone needs the information, you can read it here.

[Speak-Ez]

.

I just happened to run across this from BBC Weather.

BBC Weather tracks Hurricane Ike
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7602848.stm

A few days ago I had an exchange with a colleague and sort of downplayed the danger these hurricanes actually pose to experienced residents of places that frequently have these storms passing through their areas, but I must admit that this time the folks in Cuba look like they are in for a very rough time. In fact, as I write this it has probably already started.

Let's hope nobody gets hurt.

.

[fishandchips]

China had a nasty mudslide recently and lives were lost. Some dams holding mining waste broke.

At least 128 killed in Chinese landslide
The Associated PressPublished: September 10, 2008

Rescuers shoveled and hammered at debris Wednesday searching for survivors buried under sludge, mud and mining waste in northern China after a landslide that killed at least 128 people, but hopes of finding anybody alive were fading.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/10/asia/mud.php

[fishandchips]

Hurricane Ike is supposed to reach Texas soon. Weren't the Katrina survivors in New Orleans (2005) sent to Texas? If any Katrina survivors remain in Texas, they are not going to like to see the hurricane.

[deja vu]

Sea floods Texas island; get out or 'certain death'

HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- Floodwaters surged into Galveston Island neighborhoods
Friday morning with the center of Hurricane Ike still more than 200 miles from landfall.

On the Bolivar Peninsula, northeast of Galveston, the Coast Guard was rescuing
stranded motorists by helicopter.

A U.S. military official told CNN that Texas anticipates 37,000 people may need to
be rescued.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/09/12/hurricane.ike.texas/index.html

This would make me head to higher/dryer ground. Not sticking around to see a 22 ft wall
of Ocean coming at me. There is nothing to stop it when you live that close to the ocean,
so better to leave and be safe.

[harmony]

Survivors beg for help as Ike ravages Texas
Major search-and-rescue operation looms after 250,000 refuse to flee

NBC News and news services
updated 7:53 a.m. ET Sept. 13, 2008

GALVESTON, Texas - Massive Hurricane Ike crashed into densely populated southeast Texas early Saturday,
battering the coast with driving rain and ferocious wind gusts as residents who decided too late they should
have heeded calls to evacuate made futile calls for rescue.

Though it would be daybreak before the storm's toll was clear, already, the damage was extensive. Thousands
of homes had flooded, roads were washed out and several fires burned unabated as crews could not reach them.
But the biggest fear was that the nearly 250,000 people who defied orders to flee would need rescue from
submerged homes and neighborhoods.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26637482/


I hope all those that risked their lives staying behind are safe. Given the size of this storm and
the waves, that may not be the case.






Standing on a seawall during a hurricane is nuts. What is the draw to attempt this at the risk of
your life? Some sort of game, bragging rights? Every year around this time, some try it and a few dont survive.

[deja vu]

Typhoon Sinlaku slams into Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Typhoon Sinlaku slammed into Taiwan with heavy rain and strong
winds Sunday, killing at least one person and flooding low-lying regions.

Several people are reported missing.

Officials at Taipei's international airport said domestic flights were cancelled and
many international flights delayed for hours because of the storm.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080914/world/wea_taiwan_typhoon

[harmony]

Rescuers reach beach areas flattened by Ike
Tensions flare at crowded Houston convention center; death toll at 34

HOUSTON - Search-and-rescue teams reached some beach areas flattened by Ike for
the first time Monday, while many of those who made it to safety boarded buses
without knowing where they were going or when they could return to what might
remain of their homes.

Shelters across Texas scurried to find enough cots, and some evacuees arrived with
little cash and no idea of what the coming days held. At least 37,000 people were still
being housed Monday at nearly 300 shelters.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26695458/



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And in Taiwan they are no better off.

Four dead, 17 injured in Sinlaku’s wake
HEAVY CONSEQUENCES: Officials were in the process of closing Houfeng Bridge when
rushing water brought part of the structure down, along with three vehicles

Typhoon Sinlaku, which brought torrential rains to Taiwan from Friday, left four dead,
seven missing and 17 injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. One man
drowned and five were missing after Taichung County’s Houfeng Bridge (后豐橋)
collapsed on Sunday.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2008/09/16/2003423338

[CielOnTap]

Convention centre complaints from the Ike evacuees--sounds like the Katrina scenario over again. Did FEMA learn anything from three years ago? One evacuee mentions volunteers ought to have been called for-how many people normally would volunteer in a hurricane unless they were in the military or had emergency situation training?

Re: Taiwanese typhoon-that hotel in the photo looks completed tipped over on its side, not collapsed! The foundation is still square and intact.

[deja vu]

Typhoon to veer toward Japan later this week
Kyodo News

Typhoon Sinlaku is expected to turn in the East China Sea north of Taiwan and approach
the Japanese archipelago later this week, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Monday.

The agency said the typhoon, the season's 13th, may come close to Okinawa Prefecture,
the Amami Islands and western Japan areas from Wednesday to Thursday.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080916a3.html