Typhoon Morakot

Mother Nature has struck Asia the last few days, with Hurricane Morakot hitting the Philippines, Taiwan, and China, and Hurricane Etau hitting Japan. Japan has also experienced two earthquakes. Confirmed deaths are in the double digits, but the village of Hsiao Lin (小林 or Little Woods) was buried under a landslide, with hundreds feared dead.

(Hsiao can also be found in news reports spelled as Shao, Shiao, Siao, or Xiao, due to romanization inconsistency. There also may or may not be a space between the first word and “Lin.”)

Some bright spots:

Recent updates indicate that 200 people were rescued from Hsiao Lin, and several hundred more from elsewhere in the area.

In a previous post, I stressed some of the differences between Taiwan and mainland China, but this natural disaster highlights the similar natural dangers that Taiwan, coastal China, and others face. Since common dangers can foster cooperation, handling typhoons can help bring Taiwan and China closer together and build confidence.

For a little heartwarming, see the first part of this article and the picture of two girls being pushed on a raft in this photo gallery. (At the time of this writing, it was picture #12. The picture’s number will increase if more pictures are added.)

Sometimes it takes a reminder of the frailty of the human condition to remind us to appreciate it.