Typhoon Matsa

It was less than two weeks ago that Typhoon Haitung swept across central Taiwan. Yesterday, Typhoon Matsa 'reported in for duty', and unleashed amazing amounts of rain and wind. This medium-sized storm is around 500km wide, and blowing up to gale force 13 winds. (Imagine a large-size typhoon!) Its current location is around 200km north of Taipei, so the northern part of the country is completely within its 'storm circle'. For two days, it has been pouring and blowing ceaselessly. Normally typhoons travel quickly in one direction, but Matsa seems unable to make up his/her mind, and has been zig-zagging along the northern coast. At 14km/hr, it's moving in a north-easternly direction, and is projected to hit Shanghai by tomorrow.

Yesterday, just hours before its estimated arrival, I braved rain and wind and travelled to Shinchu 新竹. About one hundred kilometers south of Taipei is the city most well-known as Taiwan's 'Sillicon Valley', a place accredited to powering the success of the American IT industry(http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_20/b3933011.htm). The area around the city is also well known for its mountain beauty, and rich Hakka culture and buildings. Though it was constantly raining, I did catch a glimpse of the natural beauty.

On TV later that day, I learned the area I visited just hours before became cut off from the outside world. Last night, I tried to go out into the garden to clear leaves clogging up the drain. The moment I stepped outside, I was soaked. Such strong winds I've never experienced before. Couldn't stand still and had to literally crawl and cling onto the surrounding objects to get back to safety. Later I learned that winds were blowing up to 200km/hr. Part of our roof has been flipped open, and flapped all throughout the night, making frightening noises as if someone were trying to break in. I lay in bed, clutching my buddha necklace, and hoped the wicked typhoon will quickly go away.

As always, much havoc and choaos is reported throughout the country. In the north, central and east of the country people are on the look out for flooding and wanton destruction. Soon, the south will also bear the brunt of the typhoon as it leaves and sweeps storm clouds behind it. Rain and mudslides broke many of the roads leading into the mountains. Rivers swelled again and broke their banks, as giant boulders and brown muddied water rushed down from ahigh along many of Taiwan's short and shallow streams.

Another typhoon...much destruction and fright, and not long since the previous . What does the heavens have against this island and its people? Why unleash so much of nature's fury and ugliness here, and so often? In a couple of days, many families will again pick up the pieces left over from Matsa's deadly storm-skirt...many will rebuild their broken homes and resow their tarnished crops and ruined livestocks. For how long though? Deep in their hearts, they will pray to the heavens and hope that the heavens may have mercy.

As the Matsa wept and sighed above Taiwan, the gates of Hell opened officially this morning at midnight . It's the first day of the seventh month of the Lunar calendar, or the infamous Ghost Month 鬼月.