Typhoon 'Meranti' 2016
Lolomiina: 28.01.2018
About two weeks ago we were able to experience this typhoon up close and can now very well imagine what people feel, sense or think in such a situation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Meranti_(2016)
http://www.jacdec.de/2016/09/15/2016-09-15-typhoon-meranti-left-aircraft-damaged-at-xiamen/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyk9oe0yi-k
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-15/typhoon-meranti-slams-into-mainland-china/7847648
It is Wednesday, September 14, 2016 and the weather forecast predicts a typhoon for this evening.
Let's see what happens. It is still calm outside. Around noon there are some gusts of wind. My husband calls me from work and asks where I am. It is 12:35 pm. I was still outside but on my way home. He says it would be good if I go home now and stay there.
On my way home, I experience some stronger gusts of wind, but nothing threatening. When I arrive in the apartment, I spend some time looking out the window to observe the weather.
When my husband comes home, it is windy but it looks like it has calmed down. We go out again at around 5:30 pm and have a beer together.
The restaurant owners have folded up all the chairs and tables that are usually outside. Some small shops have already closed and have lowered the shutters in front of their entrances.
Wind is picking up slowly. It also starts to rain. Since we are sitting outside, we pack up and walk back towards the park.
It is now 7:00 pm. We walk along the street and have some crabs in a restaurant. At least we are sitting indoors and dry.
At around 9:00 pm, the rain gets heavier and so does the wind. The trees are bending in the wind. We quickly go home. There is still no real storm in sight. So we go to sleep.
We wake up at 1:00 am. Typhoon 'Meranti' is already approaching.
We get up and look out the window. The storm is already swirling around the trees and individual leaves and branches are falling to the ground. It is difficult to see anything due to the heavy rain and darkness.
Between 2:00 am and 2:30 am, the typhoon is already raging in such a way that we fear for our windows on the balconies. We have windows that can be folded and slid to the side.
To close the windows securely, there is a bracket on which one can slide a bar down. This should connect the window with the balcony. Well, at least it won't open anymore :o)
It is now 3:15 am and these parts can no longer withstand the typhoon. Markus tries to fix them with paper and wooden sticks. In vain.
While he tries to save the windows on one balcony, they open on the other balcony and slide to the side with a loud crash. The brackets are broken. But it looks like the windows are still intact.
Nothing really broke yet. We quickly save a few shirts and towels that I had hung out to dry on the smaller balcony. Then we have to stay inside as it becomes too dangerous.
The typhoon outside is raging and it is very loud. The wind whips the rain against the windows and some objects fly through the air and crash loudly to the ground. Street lamps are still on.
It is now 3:45 am and the windows on the large balcony can no longer be protected. The brackets break out and some windows come loose and fall loudly crashing to the ground or simply fly away.
A loud bang. What was that? On the small balcony, a complete glass pane of the facade has fallen off and crashed onto the floor. But miraculously, it remained intact. The street lamps are out.
I have never experienced anything like this before. One can only stand helplessly and watch what is happening. Intervention would be too dangerous here. You would certainly be blown away from the balcony. On the opposite side of our house, we see that the large balcony doors have been pushed completely into the apartment with windows. Unbelievable, this power of the typhoon 'Meranti'.
The whole house is swaying. I feel like I have to hold on to something. It feels as if you are somewhat dizzy. It is similar to being on a ship. Possibly also comparable to a little too much alcohol consumption :o)
It is now 4:17 am. The eye of the typhoon 'Meranti' is now directly above us. It is calm and totally quiet outside. It stays like this for a while. Then a few gusts of wind come again until it generally calms down a bit.
We take a closer look at the damage. Some windows on the balcony have broken. The window frames and the rails they run on are also damaged and partially torn off.
This typhoon 'Meranti' had tremendous power. If you have never experienced something like this yourself, it is hard to imagine what it is like to be right in the middle of it. Fortunately, not much else happened to us. We go back to sleep around 5:11 am. Hopefully, the worst is over now. We still don't have running water. We still have electricity.
The next day, Thursday, September 15, 2016, we still have no water. We look at what the typhoon has caused in our area.
Today is a very rainy day. We don't want to go out of the apartment. We also have a lot of sleep to catch up on since last night was a bit exciting.
Now the rain has subsided and we decide to go nearby for some food. It is already 8:33 pm, but there are already some people out and about. We have grilled squid :o)
On Friday, September 16, 2016, still no water, grrrrrrr, we ride our bicycles towards the beach. I have washed myself somewhat with drinking water by now. My husband has fetched water from the lake with a bucket for flushing the toilet :o)
Let's see what 'Meranti' has done here.
The ride to the beach takes about 15 minutes. On the way, we see that there is already a lot of cleanup going on.
That's something you have to give the Chinese people credit for. They are like an anthill. If you destroy the anthill, it will be quickly rebuilt. The same thing happens here.
The uprooted or fallen trees are simply put upright again or planted. If they can no longer be put upright, they are cut up and transported away with large trucks.
The army arrives and works with cranes, excavators, and chainsaws to bring order back to the city.
There is not much planning and thinking here, they just start and do. That's China :o)
There is also a lot of work going on in our park. Fallen trees are set up again, scattered branches and leaves are collected and piled up, which are then picked up by a truck.
Looking at the huge pile of branches, trunks, palm leaves, and other greenery that has been piled up at the park entrance, it seems as if half of the park has been ripped out for removal.
All cleanup work is done together, mostly by manual labor.
So, let's continue to the beach.
The first impression is somewhat shocking. Trees have been ripped out of the ground and toppled with paving stones around them. Generally, very little has happened to the palm trees here in Xiamen. They are firmly rooted in the ground and have only lost a few palm fronds here and there.
The reason for the many uprooted or toppled trees is said to be because these trees were transplanted later. They were already moved in at a mature size and could not be rooted deep enough. Easy prey for the typhoon.
I hope enough trees will be planted again.
The beach bar where I recently sat with Markus is destroyed. Only the iron frame is still somewhat bent. The tarpaulins are lying torn around. The table tops and tables are on the ground. It will probably take some time until it looks the same again here.
The view from the beach promenade towards the beach and the sea is not very pretty. Everything looks a bit sad at the moment.
We continue to ride along the beach and have to get off the bike from time to time to avoid fallen and uprooted trees. Sometimes we even have to lift our bikes over obstacles. Actually, we have seen enough of what we saw so far. We ride back to our apartment.
It is already 3:00 pm. We still don't have water. This is already the second day without water. Very uncomfortable after the bike tour. But after a few minutes, we have water again. Now quickly shower. A real treat.
It is very sad to see all this. We have just arrived here and everything is already devastated, but I'm sure the Chinese will quickly restore everything to order :o)
Tali