Typhoon Rananim
We are now experiencing a typhoon here in Taiwan, Typhoon RANANIM.
http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V4e/index.htm (main)
http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V4e/typhoon/news/TYtrace.htm (tracker)
http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V4e/weather/satellite/index_e.htm (satellite)
It isn't really going to make landfall here, we are just experiencing lots of heavy rain and some wind. It hasn't gotten too bad yet, although they've strapped down the hatches and started filling sand bags in some areas. Anthony left work early yesterday so we could go look at an apartment (no, we aren't getting it, it was out in the middle of slum land, out in the middle of nowhere - no grocery stores, no shopping, just apartments for locals, very strange) but he was told by a colleague visiting from the States that around 5 pm they strated broadcasting an emergency message throughout the building AMD is in. So, he came back to the hotel. The worst is supposed to be around 5pm today, so Anthony's going to come back to the hote a little early so he's not out in the thick of it. Unfortunately, we've only found the above website for information, along with a map of the typhoon progress on a board in the lobby for information. There is no English news channel here, so we can only watch the weather in Chinese and we have no idea what they are saying. It's funny though, on the all Chinese news station - they'll have written in English "BREAKING NEWS", but that's it in English, nothing else, all is in Chinese, written and spoken, except for that - too funny!
We are planning on going over to the bookstore at Taipei 101 in a little while - we can walk over there without being in the rain for more than one minute - so it's not too bad. We did go over to the bookstore, they had the shortcut closed for some reason - I think due to high winds, the shortcut is a walkway bridge over a road and maybe they don't want people on it? We just walked outside for about 10 minutes. Got a little wet, but not bad. We played in the bookstore for awhile - lots of attention for Liz since there was a small schoolgroup there who played with her and laughed and followed her around. We ate lunch at the Food Court and bought some supplies we needed at Watsons, the local Walgreens here. Once we walked back to the hotel, it wasn't raining at all, but windy and the clouds look ominous. Without it raining, I can look around and see that they've stabilized trees with metal string, boards and anything else they can use. They've also cleared the pool deck and used rope to keep stuff from flying around. People are still swimming in the pool - many people do laps here for exercise, I guess with no lightening, people are just going to keep swimming. It's weird to see it pouring down rain with large wind gusts and people doing laps in the pool!
http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V4e/index.htm (main)
http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V4e/typhoon/news/TYtrace.htm (tracker)
http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V4e/weather/satellite/index_e.htm (satellite)
It isn't really going to make landfall here, we are just experiencing lots of heavy rain and some wind. It hasn't gotten too bad yet, although they've strapped down the hatches and started filling sand bags in some areas. Anthony left work early yesterday so we could go look at an apartment (no, we aren't getting it, it was out in the middle of slum land, out in the middle of nowhere - no grocery stores, no shopping, just apartments for locals, very strange) but he was told by a colleague visiting from the States that around 5 pm they strated broadcasting an emergency message throughout the building AMD is in. So, he came back to the hotel. The worst is supposed to be around 5pm today, so Anthony's going to come back to the hote a little early so he's not out in the thick of it. Unfortunately, we've only found the above website for information, along with a map of the typhoon progress on a board in the lobby for information. There is no English news channel here, so we can only watch the weather in Chinese and we have no idea what they are saying. It's funny though, on the all Chinese news station - they'll have written in English "BREAKING NEWS", but that's it in English, nothing else, all is in Chinese, written and spoken, except for that - too funny!
We are planning on going over to the bookstore at Taipei 101 in a little while - we can walk over there without being in the rain for more than one minute - so it's not too bad. We did go over to the bookstore, they had the shortcut closed for some reason - I think due to high winds, the shortcut is a walkway bridge over a road and maybe they don't want people on it? We just walked outside for about 10 minutes. Got a little wet, but not bad. We played in the bookstore for awhile - lots of attention for Liz since there was a small schoolgroup there who played with her and laughed and followed her around. We ate lunch at the Food Court and bought some supplies we needed at Watsons, the local Walgreens here. Once we walked back to the hotel, it wasn't raining at all, but windy and the clouds look ominous. Without it raining, I can look around and see that they've stabilized trees with metal string, boards and anything else they can use. They've also cleared the pool deck and used rope to keep stuff from flying around. People are still swimming in the pool - many people do laps here for exercise, I guess with no lightening, people are just going to keep swimming. It's weird to see it pouring down rain with large wind gusts and people doing laps in the pool!
posted by The Armstrongs at
8/12/2004
