Sepat, cat 5-4-3 Super Typhoon threatens Taiwan, floods Philipines

[uppityperson]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aSR2aiczAGhs&refer=japan

epat Strengthens to Category 4 Storm Off Philippines (Update1)

Aug. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Typhoon Sepat strengthened to a Category Four storm with winds of 239 kilometers per hour (150 miles an hour) east of the Philippines and is forecast to reach Taiwan within three days, the U.S. Navy said. The eye of Sepat, the ninth storm of this year's northwest Pacific cyclone season, was 763 kilometers east of Manila at 2 p.m. Philippine time, the U.S. Navy Joint Typhoon Warning Center said in the latest advisory on its Web site.

Sepat, which is the Malaysian name for a freshwater fish found in rivers and swamps in Southeast Asia, was moving west at 11 kilometers per hour. The storm, with winds gusting to as high as 295 kilometers per hour, is forecast to turn northwest and head in the direction of Taiwan, Navy forecasters said.

Waves in the vicinity of the eye of Sepat are 12.5 meters (41 feet) high. Sepat's winds are forecast to strengthen to 258 kilometers per hour tonight, making it a Category Five storm, the strongest on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale. Sepat is forecast to maintain strength as it heads northwest across the Pacific toward Taiwan and is expected to approach the island early on Aug. 18.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/aug/16/yehey/top_stories/20070816top1.html

Heavy rains lashed Metro Manila Wednesday, flooding streets and causing major disruptions to businesses and schools.

Traffic was brought to a virtual standstill as blocked drains turned roads into rivers with water in some parts of the city waist deep.

Flooding saw massive traffic jams on main roads, including EDSA, Roxas Boulevard and Taft Avenue.

The downpour was caused by Typhoon Egay (international code name Sepat) which skirted the east coast of Luzon Wednesday morning, the weather bureau said....(more)