Video just uploaded on youtube shows video from Taiwan.
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August 9th, 2009 
admin There is no doubt that Typhoon Morakot has already impacted the lives of millions in Southeast Asia. At typhoonmorakot.org, we are trying to rally people across the world to determine the best way we as individuals can provide relief. David Reid acutely writes: “This disaster highlights how poor English language media in Taiwan is at covering breaking news. Hopefully more detailed reports should come out shortly.”
It is difficult for English speakers to discern what exactly is happening on the ground and more importantly how we can help. We will continue to scout out aid/relief opportunities (from what we have heard so far, Morakot has had a deep economic impact), until then we send our best wishes to everyone who has been impacted by the Typhoon.
Some Still Reported Missing
August 9th, 2009 admin Recovering from Typhoon Morakot, some areas are still reporting individuals who are missing.
MANILA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) — Twenty-five fishermen on board five pump-boats remain missing more than a week after they sailed off the eastern Philippine coast for fishing, local newspaper reported Monday.
Families of the fishermen feared that the small wooden-hulled boats might have capsized when typhoon Morakot swept through the northern Luzon island in the past three days, the Manila Bulletin said.
Four of the five missing boats have been identified by local police, it said.
But when reached on phone on Monday, neither the coast guard authorities nor the national disaster relief agency — the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) — could confirm the report.
Twenty-two people were killed, four were missing and 18 others were injured in flash-floods and landslides caused by typhoon Morakot in the Philippines, the NDCC said in its latest casualty update.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/10/content_11856332.htm
Footage of Collapsed Bridge
August 9th, 2009 admin Bridge Washout East of ChiaYi in Alishan Mountains- After 2+ meters of rainfall in the surrounding area, headed out to capture some footage of the damage in the surrounding mountain regions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHyJh2eCBbc
First Hand Accounts Coming Through on Twitter
August 9th, 2009 admin On the ground accounts of Typhoon Morakot are coming through on Twitter. One user we have found is: goddychenhao
Let us know if there is anyone else we should follow.
Recovery Efforts Begin in Philippines
August 9th, 2009 admin If you know of organization seeking aid leave a comment or let us know.
Philippine president orders relief work in wake of typhoon Morakot
MANILA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) — Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered government agencies to undertake relief operations in the wake of typhoon Morakot, which has left 24 people killed and dozens wounded, a government official said on Sunday.
In an interview on a local radio station, Press Secretary CergeRemonde said that Arroyo directed the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to pursue rescue, relief and evacuation efforts in distressed areas.
Remonde also said that the president is expected to visit the storm-affected areas anytime.
The Philippines was hit by a wave of floods and landslides over the past two days as typhoon Morakot raged past the archipelago’s northern tip, where 73,000 people were affected.
Police said the death toll climbed to 24 on Saturday after rescue teams confirmed that 12 pocket miners were buried by mudslides in Baguio city.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/09/content_11851658.htm
Scores left dead as typhoon strikes
August 9th, 2009 admin Morokot has “left a trail of destruction across Taiwan” but is expected to weaken as it heads towards Shanghai
Source: http://news.scotsman.com/world/Scores-left-dead-as-typhoon.5537595.jp
Latest news From the AP
August 9th, 2009 admin Just in from the AP
A typhoon pummeled China’s eastern coast Sunday, toppling houses, flooding villages and forcing nearly a million people to flee to safety. Officials rode bicycles to distribute food to residents trapped by rising waters. Typhoon Morakot struck after triggering the worst flooding in Taiwan 50 years, leaving dozens missing and feared dead and toppling a six-story hotel. It earlier lashed the Philippines, killing at least 21 people.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g8-DEMtAE9q4i4ySQ0eV_qZefmRQD99VL5Q00
Image of Typhoon Morakot from NASA
August 9th, 2009 admin This image from NASA shows Typhoon Morakot using a Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=39720
Typhoon Morakot bore down on the island of Taiwan on August 7, 2009. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image at 1:25 p.m. local time (5:25 UTC), the center of the storm was just beginning to reach the shoreline. Morakot was a Category 2 storm with winds of about 160 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour or 85 knots) and was moving slowly northwest over Taiwan. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast that the storm would pass directly over Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, inundating the city with heavy rain.
As a Category 2 storm, Morakot does not possess a distinctive eye. The storm is large, however. Its spiraling clouds stretch from the Philippines to Japan’s southern islands.
Located in the warm waters of the West Pacific along the same line of latitude as the Bahamas, Taiwan is no stranger to tropical cyclones. The island is regularly bombarded by typhoons and tropical storms. Damage inflicted by slow-moving Morakot is most likely to come from intense rain falling on steep mountains for several hours, potentially triggering floods and landslides.
The high-resolution image provided above is at MODIS’ full spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional resolutions.
