By Kassi Berg
It is just after 7 pm in Palau. We no longer have power at our home and are connected to the world by a portable generator. We have already lost our signal to the government radio station, thumb EcoParadise, that was covering the storm locally.
The first gusts of Typhoon Bopha began around 4pm. Then it stopped. And then it started again. Almost like a persistent neighbor who knocks even when you don’t want to answer the door, Typhoon Bopha keeps coming back. And the winds are stronger each time it returns. Now the betlenut trees are swaying to and fro and the winds are howling. I can hear the sound of banging tin roofs. Curiously there is no rain. But even without rain, we can hear the voice of Bopha upon us.
Curfew is in effect and the streets are quiet, that is, except for the police car that has just patrolled our neighborhood. We took a spin around town just as the sun was setting and unlike the businesses, many of the residences still are without any protection from the storm. Some are simply resigned to the fact that they have run out of time to prepare and some just refuse to believe it will be that devastating. One local dive operation has left all of their boats in the water and simply tied them together by rope.
The last we heard the typhoon had jogged slightly south making its main destination Palau’s island of Anguar, but no matter what is the ultimate closest point of Bopha’s approach, it will cloak the entire of this small nation when it passes with its 150 mph wind speed. Typhoon Bopha is expected to last for up to 24 hours. And we anticipate that we will be fighting it the whole time as we try to keep it from invading our homes and ripping them apart.
We will continue to provide on the scene coverage; that is, until nature interrupts.
11 thoughts on “Typhoon Bopha Is Now Knocking At the Door in Palau”
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OTV folks, we praying for all of you n ur love ones!
Sending our deepest prayers and best thoughts for all in Palau and Angaur.
God Bless the people of Palau. We are praying for you safety. Stay safe Kassi, Jeff, Veronica, Mike and the boys. thanks for the updates.
God Bless the people of Palau. We are praying for your safety. Stay safe Kassi, Jeff, Veronica, Mike and the boys. thanks for the updates.
What’s the latest? Our thoughts of deepest concern and hope are with you this night.
Perri and I are sending our most positive thoughts and prayers to all our family and friends in Palau. Please keep safe and keep up the good work of keeping us nervous parents and friends in the rest of the world informed. God bless.
Thank you Kassi for reporting. We follow everything you write and all other information we can find at internet.
Can read that you are all prepared and had time to go to shealter in time, and it feels good.
And that USA are ready to come and help.
http://reliefweb.int/report/palau/tropical-storm-bopha-26w-update-4
We think of all of you, and wait for your next report.
Warm hugs from Lena and Leif
Palau is and will always remain in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. Let us all be reminded that we are all in God’s hands at time like this. We shall stand to glorify him as this (Bopha) will bring the nation much closer together for the better.
Sulange Kassi for keeping us posted with local news.
Thinking for everyone’s safety in Palau. Friends you are in our prayers. OTV thank you for the update.
Stay safe all – thoughts with you from Fiji
If this is your first typhoon let me warn you about the “eye”. If the winds die out in the middle of the typhoon and things become calm you are in the “eye”. Please don’t let kids or others go outside during this time, before you know it the backside of the typhoon will strike with winds in the opposite direction. Usually, this is the stronger part of the typhoon and it will come back suddenly. I would hate to hear that anyone got hurt by flying tin or debris when caught outside. I lived on Guam for almost 30 years and am an expert. Please stay covered and safe. I am praying for all of Palau.