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jalexson · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 8:39 am Post subject: Pray for Vietnamese

An area of Vietnam where many of us served is being threatened by a possible Katrina sized typhoon that has devastated Manila. Typhoon Xangsane, or elephant, is likely to hit the Vietnamese coast near the 15th parallel possibly at Quant Ngai sometime Sunday. That's about half way between Da Nang and Qui Nhon.

Xangsane has already surprised forecasters by going from a tropical storm to a Category 4 typhoon within 24 hours and doing so after entering the Phillipine Islands. Forecasters believe it will drop from a Category 4 to a Category 3 (about the size of Katrina when she hit New Orleans) before making landfall.

A typhoon that size can have hurricane force (70 mph) winds over a 100-200 mile diameter area and even a slight wobble could put the eye near Da Nang or Qui Nhon, or Bong Son where I was in 1969 at this time.

I was near Qui Nhon when a typhoon missed us -- giving only 30-40 mph winds and some clouds. My current superviser was near Da Nang when it was hit and he did a lot of wadding.

When can only pray that Xangsane will weaken even more than predicted if it hits a coastal community.
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"That awful power, the public opinion of a nation, is created in America by a horde of ignorant, self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditching and shoe making and fetched up in journalism on their way to the poor house."
-- Mark Twain

LimaCharlie · PO2 Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 386 Location: Oregon

I was in Qui Nhon when a tropical storm came through. The rain was incredible, like standing under a waterfall.
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I was going to become an anarchist, but they had too many rules.

jalexson · Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:22 am Post subject:

Xangsane's eye will hit Da Nang shortly if it hasn't already. The track took a turn to the north and was strengthening as it approached land. Vietnam has called for mandatory evacuation. At last report about 4,000 fisherman were still at sea.

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/
_________________
"That awful power, the public opinion of a nation, is created in America by a horde of ignorant, self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditching and shoe making and fetched up in journalism on their way to the poor house."
-- Mark Twain

Deuce · Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 12:58 pm Post subject:

For those who haven't found it yet,
http://www.npmoc.navy.mil/jtwc/satshots/wp1806sams.jpg
shows a good satellite view of the Typhoon, now inland...
Deuce

jalexson · Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:45 pm Post subject: