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155 Dead and Hundreds More Missing as Typhoon Fengshen Crosses the Philippines
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by TyphoonHunter | June 25, 2008 at 07:40 am
5206 views | 44 Recommendations | 24 comments
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Typhoon Fengshen has left a trail of destruction during its 48 hours passage of the Philippines. Reuters are reporting that the storm has killed at least 155 people and hundreds more are missing after a ferry capsized.
(Link to Reuter's article - http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080622/tpl-uk-philippines-weather-20b2d2f.html)
The storm made a direct hit on the capital Manila earlier today after crossing the centre of the country with winds gusting up to 150 miles per hour. Typhoon Fengshen also carried torrential rains and a significant storm surge responsible for flooding vast areas of Iloilo Province. (Please refer to Nowpublic contributor mortiferbarba's excellent first hand account of the storm here - http://www.nowpublic.com/environment/typhoon-frank-lashes-iloilo-philippines)
Fengshen means god of wind in Chinese. The extended forecast track is highly uncertain and it appears that south China and Taiwan could be at risk over the next few days.
Typhoons, known as hurricanes in the Americas, are vast storms often hundred of miles wide rotating around a centre of very low pressure. They regularly strike the coastal nations of East Asia bringing torrential rains, high winds and damaging storm surges.
For more information please visit the following monitoring and forecast websites:
www.typhoon2000.ph - Philippines typhoon monitoring website run by Michael Padua
http://www.jma.go.jp/en/typh/ - Official regional typhoon forecasting agency
http://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc.php - US military's Joint Typhoon Warning Centre
www.typhoonfury.com - For photos and film of previous high impact typhoons in the Pacific
I will provide regular updates as this situation develops.
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Jordan Yerman
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
jayr_patron
Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines
TyphoonHunter
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
rpshen
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (24)
at 01:33 on June 19th, 2008
Hmm, very alarming but hope that this won't strike the Philippines and at most concern not the Mindana area because this place is a paradise to me. Though am not from Mindanao, I've visited that place several times because of my business deals concerning agricultural products..
For the information of the readers, Mindanao is very reach in natural resources. Plenty of TUNA supply is coming from Mindanao; to be more specific, Davao, Gensan, South cotabat etc..Most of our tropical fruits being exported are also coming from Mindanao so I will be much worried if the storm "Fengshen" will hit that place..
at 01:44 on June 19th, 2008
Thanks for that information on Mindanao - it sounds like an amazing place. It looks like the primary threat could be to Samar and areas around there are the outer bands of the storm sweep over.
The strongest winds are normally always found at the centre of tropical storms and typhoons however the outer bands can contain vicious squalls and thunderstorms which are capable of causing floods and damage. It is this which is the primary threat at the moment but this could change.
at 02:58 on June 19th, 2008
TyphoonHunter, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 06:52 on June 19th, 2008
Rhonda, thanks for the tag.
Just updated the article. Fengshen is undergoing rapid intensification. JMA have upped winds from 45 knots to 60 knots in just 6 hours - this is just under typhoon strength.
The forecast track also brings the storm closer to the coast of the Philippines which is going to mean a larger area of the country could be affected by the torrential rains and strong winds of this storm.
at 07:02 on June 19th, 2008
TyphoonHunter, great to hear from you again, and thanks for this report.
at 07:26 on June 19th, 2008
You are very welcome, TyphoonHunter! Thanks for the update!
at 11:24 on June 19th, 2008
TyphoonHunter, I like this story. It's good stuff. The news here is so up to date!
at 17:29 on June 19th, 2008
Thanks Jordan and Barbara.
The forecasts hav now changed and it looks like typhoon Fengshen is going to directly affect a large portion of the Philippines. I've updated the article to include these new details.
at 18:55 on June 19th, 2008
TyphoonHunter, I like this story. It's good stuff. This is extremely helpful... and I never got any stories from local media about this...just yet.
At this time, rain clouds hover over Metro Manila with scattered patches of blue skies at the north. Looking south, the signs do not blend well for those who do not want to get wet this afternoon or evening.
at 01:08 on June 20th, 2008
Thanks Jayr. I'm glad you've found this useful.
Fengshen made landfall on Samar a few hours ago and is forecast to make a turn to the north and travel up through the centre of the Philippines. Given the huge number of people who are going to be affected by this storm I reckon the casualty figure could be quite high. More updates to come...
at 20:43 on June 20th, 2008
Holy cow!
Fengshen is ramping up big time as it crosses the islands of the central Philippines. It's now a solid cat 3 equivalent storm and about to make a direct hit on the island of Boracay. This is a nasty situation and is likely to cause widespread damage.
at 06:46 on June 21st, 2008
Thanks for the updates, 'Hunter. I am bringing this story current again, as it's once again front-page news.
at 06:56 on June 21st, 2008
TyphoonHunter, I like this story. It's good stuff.
Nicely done with the story, pictures, and links!!
at 07:47 on June 21st, 2008
Cheers Jordan and thanks for the tag Felton.
I've just updated the story. Forecasts now look like Fengshen is going to pass very close to Manila. The storm has weakened slightly but is still packing a punch. I highly recommend the website www.typhoon2000.ph it has bags of information on expected times the centre of the storm is due to hit major cities and what effects are likely.
at 07:52 on June 21st, 2008
OMG!!!...not again...
at 11:13 on June 21st, 2008
The typhoon is not really strong here in Manila but has started to attcked Mindoro Island, Calapan, Samr and neighboring towns and island..ill be uploading photos later..
at 11:22 on June 21st, 2008
Thank you- we look forward to seeing your footage. Stay dry!
at 11:27 on June 21st, 2008
TyphoonHunter, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 05:27 on June 22nd, 2008
TyphoonHunter, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 07:38 on June 22nd, 2008
A report on rescue efforts to reach people trapped beneath a capsized ferry that got caught in the typhoon:
Source: cnn.com
at 08:06 on June 25th, 2008
Fengshen has reached China:
Source: nowpublic.com
at 09:24 on June 25th, 2008
Manila, Philippines-(UPDATE) The number of persons confirmed killed during typhoon 'Frank' (Int'l. name "Fengshen), mostly by floods, reached 291. With the 70 ferry fatalities, this brought the total to 361. Another 166 persons were injured, Official said.
(source: INQUIRER.net/Thu, Jun 26, 2008/ 01:12AM Philippines)
at 10:48 on June 25th, 2008
Breaking News!
87 more bodies found at sea by Coast Guard.
(source: INQUIRER.net/Thu, Jun 26, 2008/01: 34AM Philippines)
at 12:22 on June 25th, 2008
TyphoonHunter, I like this story. It's good stuff. 155 people dead and more are missing.. This happens every year in Taiwan during summer and the aftermath is always treacherous. Hopefully everyone is and will be ok.