Powerful typhoon set to hit Japan's Okinawa island

[Sailor]

I thought Warrior would be interested:

****

Residents are being told to stay indoors and warned wind gusts from the strongest typhoon to approach Okinawa in several years could overturn cars and cause waves of up to 40 feet.

Slow-moving Typhoon Bolaven is expected to pass over the island today with sustained winds of around 112 mph and gusts up to 155.

Public broadcaster NHK reports two injuries, including a 78-year-old man who was knocked over by winds and cut his forehead. Okinawan officials report no major damage so far, but some 200 households were without electricity and some 300 people had taken shelter in public buildings.

More than half the 50,000 U.S. troops based in Japan are stationed in Okinawa. At Kadena Air Base, all shops and service facilities were ordered closed and movement around the base was to be kept to a minimum. All entry into the ocean was prohibited.

www.foxnews.com/world/2012/08/26/powerful-typhoon-set-to-hit-japan-okinawa-island/#ixzz24f4Q6gtV

I spent just under 2 years on Okinawa and in that time I think we hunkered down for 3 typhoons, 2 of them "major" or "super" typhoons. This is just more of the same old same old for them.

I think Warrior was stationed there around the same time.

Okinawa has the same issue the US east coast does, it sits next to a major northbound warm water current (wider than and nearly as warm as the Gulf Stream) that eventually dumps into the Bering Sea, tropical systems tend to grow BIG over it as they move to the north west across it.

[dustdevil28]

Aug 26, 2012 6:20:27 GMT -8 Sailor said:

I thought Warrior would be interested:

****

Residents are being told to stay indoors and warned wind gusts from the strongest typhoon to approach Okinawa in several years could overturn cars and cause waves of up to 40 feet.

Slow-moving Typhoon Bolaven is expected to pass over the island today with sustained winds of around 112 mph and gusts up to 155.

Public broadcaster NHK reports two injuries, including a 78-year-old man who was knocked over by winds and cut his forehead. Okinawan officials report no major damage so far, but some 200 households were without electricity and some 300 people had taken shelter in public buildings.

More than half the 50,000 U.S. troops based in Japan are stationed in Okinawa. At Kadena Air Base, all shops and service facilities were ordered closed and movement around the base was to be kept to a minimum. All entry into the ocean was prohibited.

www.foxnews.com/world/2012/08/26/powerful-typhoon-set-to-hit-japan-okinawa-island/#ixzz24f4Q6gtV

I spent just under 2 years on Okinawa and in that time I think we hunkered down for 3 typhoons, 2 of them "major" or "super" typhoons. This is just more of the same old same old for them.

I think Warrior was stationed there around the same time.

Okinawa has the same issue the US east coast does, it sits next to a major northbound warm water current (wider than and nearly as warm as the Gulf Stream) that eventually dumps into the Bering Sea, tropical systems tend to grow BIG over it as they move to the north west across it.

Ha, I can remember being in White Beach one morning and having to stand watch on the pier. When we went on no one had a clue a "monsoon" was due to hit that day, the base MAs came forward, told me the word and passed it on to our ship and a mass recall was done to try and get everyone back on. Within about thirty minutes the wind picked up a lot and I was getting soaked, oh and to top it off I had no shelter at all to seek during this time, so it goes. Anyway, four hours later I was very "relieved" to be relieved and made my way back to the ship which was being visably moved to and fro on the water. The movements were so bad that the only way they left to get on and off the ship as the acom ladder, and that thing was moving in about five foot sweeps with the waves. I guess correctly and jumped on to the ladder and made my way back into the ship. Once in I made it about ten feet before some guy in deck saw me, saw the amount of water running off of me and and asked two questions.

"Did you just come from outside"

Yep.

"What's it like?"

Windy and wet.

And I moved on. Later the CO asked for a dozen or so volunteers to go outside and set up some mooring lines due to the waves getting that bad, I think about 30 showed up. LOL, kind of a miserable situation at the time but a fun memory now.

-DD

[Sailor]

I sympathize DD, been there (literally,) done that.

I wouldn't trade those memories for anything either.

[warrior1972]

Aug 26, 2012 6:20:27 GMT -8 Sailor said:

I thought Warrior would be interested:

****

Residents are being told to stay indoors and warned wind gusts from the strongest typhoon to approach Okinawa in several years could overturn cars and cause waves of up to 40 feet.

Slow-moving Typhoon Bolaven is expected to pass over the island today with sustained winds of around 112 mph and gusts up to 155.

Public broadcaster NHK reports two injuries, including a 78-year-old man who was knocked over by winds and cut his forehead. Okinawan officials report no major damage so far, but some 200 households were without electricity and some 300 people had taken shelter in public buildings.

More than half the 50,000 U.S. troops based in Japan are stationed in Okinawa. At Kadena Air Base, all shops and service facilities were ordered closed and movement around the base was to be kept to a minimum. All entry into the ocean was prohibited.

www.foxnews.com/world/2012/08/26/powerful-typhoon-set-to-hit-japan-okinawa-island/#ixzz24f4Q6gtV

I spent just under 2 years on Okinawa and in that time I think we hunkered down for 3 typhoons, 2 of them "major" or "super" typhoons. This is just more of the same old same old for them.

I think Warrior was stationed there around the same time.

Okinawa has the same issue the US east coast does, it sits next to a major northbound warm water current (wider than and nearly as warm as the Gulf Stream) that eventually dumps into the Bering Sea, tropical systems tend to grow BIG over it as they move to the north west across it.

Much appreciated, Old Sailor.

I was there from April 1977 to March 1983. I got marrried to my Okinawan wife in 1979 and we've been together ever since.

I saw nine typhoons on Okinawa, and three more in the Philippines while stationed at Clark. Clark was the worst. We were told we were in no danger, that the storm was curving to the north of Luzon.

It did.

And it kept right on curving till it crossed it's own path and the eye passed right over the island.

But I digress.

I found out about this typhoon and immediately told my wife to call my in-laws.

Thing is, unlike Florida, the Okinawans learned from the Seabees how to make excellent concrete out of the coral their island is made of, and at least 75% of all structures of any size are made of the stuff. not only that, but they developed their own architecture to protect themselves from the typhoons and still make a building attractive.

And they don't build less than 50 yards from the beach.

Yeah.

We could learn a thing or two from Okinawa...


P.S. My in-laws, whom I love dearly, are fine.

[prospero]

I was on Oki 79 80 time frame with 3/4 up at Schwab.
Lost a few friends to that Fire up in Camp Fuji, Tip caused that mess.

[Sailor]

Aug 30, 2012 17:51:46 GMT -8 warrior1972 said:

Much appreciated, Old Sailor.

I was there from April 1977 to March 1983. I got marrried to my Okinawan wife in 1979 and we've been together ever since.

I saw nine typhoons on Okinawa, and three more in the Philippines while stationed at Clark. Clark was the worst. We were told we were in no danger, that the storm was curving to the north of Luzon.

It did.

And it kept right on curving till it crossed it's own path and the eye passed right over the island.

But I digress.

I found out about this typhoon and immediately told my wife to call my in-laws.

Thing is, unlike Florida, the Okinawans learned from the Seabees how to make excellent concrete out of the coral their island is made of, and at least 75% of all structures of any size are made of the stuff. not only that, but they developed their own architecture to protect themselves from the typhoons and still make a building attractive.

And they don't build less than 50 yards from the beach.

Yeah.

We could learn a thing or two from Okinawa...


P.S. My in-laws, whom I love dearly, are fine.

Damned straight we could learn more than a few things from them. They don't build expensive homes on sandbars in the middle of bays or the edge of the ocean and rebuild in the same spot for the 4th or 6th or 20th time.

Very glad to hear your inlaws are well.