Posted on 12/01/2012 3:28:19 PM PST by dirtboy
The air that now blankets Palau is warm, dry, still, and disturbingly ominous. Palau’s sky has reason to brood for in less than 24 hours Typhoon Bopha is predicted to make landfall on the tiny nation of the Republic of Palau with a near direct hit. This typhoon has been securing strength and intensity while at sea and is expected to be a monster typhoon with a violent entry.
As of 4am on December 2, 2012, this typhoon is predicted to sustain 150-mph winds and 180-mph gusts when it reaches Palau on early morning Monday. If that were not enough, storm force winds extend out from the center to 120 miles and maximum wave height is now estimated at 48 feet.
Typhoon Bopha defies all parameters with intense rainfall, huge diameters and fierce, harnessed winds. Yet, what makes Typhoon Bopha a “typhoon in a million” is that it has developed five-degrees from the equator, an area which is covered by the “Coriolis force.” The Coriolis effect forces a counterclockwise rotation for all storms in the Northern Hemisphere (storms south of the equator rotate clockwise). According to Wikpedia, since records began, only thirteen tropical cyclones have ever existed between 5°N and 5°S of the equator.
Palau lies on the edge of the typhoon belt and has never seen a typhoon of this magnitude
Peleliu is the nearest neighbor to the south. Like, you could probably swim there. But not tomorrow.
I am on board here on Cebu, waiting for a direct hit
around midnight, Wednesday.
As we are only 100 feet from the sea, we may have to consider
evacuation in a few days.
Looks like the US taxpayer will be on the hook for this one as well:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_of_Free_Association
A Compact of Free Association (COFA) defines the relationship that each of three sovereign states—the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and the Republic of Palau—have entered into as associated states with the United States.
Now sovereign nations, the three freely associated states were formerly part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, a United Nations trusteeship administered by the United States Navy from 1947 to 1951 and by the United States Department of the Interior from 1951 to 1986 (to 1994 for Palau). Under the COFA relationship, the United States provides guaranteed financial assistance over a 15-year period administered through the Office of Insular Affairs in exchange for full international defense authority and responsibilities.
The freely associated states actively participate in all Office of Insular Affairs technical assistance activities. The U.S. treats these nations uniquely by giving them access to many U.S. domestic programs, including disaster response and recovery and hazard mitigation programs under the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and services provided by the National Weather Service, the United States Postal Service, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Communications Commission, and U.S. representation to the International Frequency Registration Board of the International Telecommunications Union.[1] The Compact area, while outside the customs area of the United States, is mainly importable duty-free.[2]
On another thread he said that it was due at his home around midnight Wednesday...hopefully it will veer or ramp down before it gets into his neighborhood...
That storm is going to hit within 36 hours. Godspeed and prayers for your safety.
They’re sitting helpless. All we can is pray and pray that lives will be spared.
This is tragic. Thankfully, shelters are available and we hope they’re solidly built.
I did not know you are on Cebu.
It looks to be almost heading directly to the town of Cebu.
A whole lot more than 23,000 people are going to be impacted by this storm.
God be with you, dearest AlexW.
Nevermind, you are further west than Palau. Take care.
Fantastic diving in Palau!
One of my wife’s classmates lives on Palau. They have a zip code and letters to Palau cost the same as the domestic rate so there must be some “special relationship” in place.
Yes. Especially seeing as they were one of the few brave nations to support Israel at the UN. In fact, I think I read a story about the United Arab Emirates offering Palau 50 million dollars to vote against Israel a couple of years ago. They said no, that they’d never abandon Israel. Imagine what this presumably poor island could have done with that money. They are people of good conscience. If there is a charity set up after the storm, I’ll happily donate to these deserving friends. :)
Yes, and we must continue to pray that lives will be spared.
These poor people are going to get hammered and they’re stuck.
Lord, hear our prayers.
Thank you Onyx.
Storm is due here sometime after midnight Wednesday morning.
Dearest you. Thanks for telling me about the Arab/Moslem bribe.
These people are GOOD people and I’ll join you with my donation to relief efforts.
I was happy and also humbled by their vote in support of Israel and against Hamas.
Palau gained its independence in 1994. It seems like a wonderful little nation/country. I’d like to visit.
We’ll keep praying for them.
Lord, hear our prayers.
Please try to keep in touch with us as you’re able and know you have our prayers. Faithful prayers, and mean this seriously.
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