Preparing for a Typhoon - What You Need to Know

[Huang Guang Chen]

I've gone as long as 14 days without water...In this case, bathtub water isn't going to last long enough.

That's got to have been due to the earthquake, surely not a 'phoon?

HG

[Elanna]

I've never been anywhere near a typhoon/hurricane (they don't really hit here in Idaho) so I've really no idea what to expect.

All you need to know about typhoons:

...

Isn't that all a bit overrated for those little storms that "hit" the island a few times per year? I think typhoons are rather boring and I think people use it as excuse not to go to work here So you have to buy food for yourself, but only for the reason that there is nobody working due to imposed holiday from the government. Typhoon for me just means... extra vacation. The number of people that you see in the typhoon-afterhours that take short vacation trips back this

[Elanna]

I've gone as long as 14 days without water...In this case, bathtub water isn't going to last long enough.

That's got to have been due to the earthquake, surely not a 'phoon?

HG

You are more likely to die from that standing unclean water than from a typhoon (or the resulting unavailiability of water)

According to the Central Weather Bureau this year could be a year with water shortage. Sorry for you guys in Taipei.

[MJB]

I've gone as long as 14 days without water...In this case, bathtub water isn't going to last long enough.

That's got to have been due to the earthquake, surely not a 'phoon?

HG

We went over a month right after 9/21

Check this thread if you want to confirm our 14 (actually 19 day) stretch with no water.
http://forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.ph ... &start=110

[Dragonbones]

Isn't that all a bit overrated for those little storms that "hit" the island a few times per year? I think typhoons are rather boring

Sure, you go ahead and poo poo it while the floodwaters rise. Me, I'm building an ark...

[antonioprincess]

According to my experience of living in Taiwan for 23 years...(by the way, I am a taiwanese)
You gotta prepare instant noodles cans and water before the typhoon comes. (But if you live in cities, then don't worry, the 7-11 is always opended!)
But if you would like to cook after the typhoon leaves, you need to buy vegatables one day before the typhonne comes, because after it the price would become so high that all the vegetables seem to be untouchable!!
And DO NOT go to Nantou, and DO NOT go fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, etc.
Anwayway it longs only 1-2 days, sometimes 2-3 days. (maybe no AC, no running water, but I think it's may be a very good time for ghost stories!Ha!)

[Dragonbones]

According to my experience of living in Taiwan for 23 years...(by the way, I am a Taiwanese)
You gotta prepare instant noodles cans and water before the typhoon comes. (But if you live in cities, then don't worry, the 7-11 is always opended!)
But if you would like to cook after the typhoon leaves, you need to buy vegatables one day before the typhonne comes, because after it the price would become so high that all the vegetables seem to be untouchable!!
And DO NOT go to Nantou, and DO NOT go fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, etc.
Anwayway it longs only 1-2 days, sometimes 2-3 days. (maybe no AC, no running water, but I think it's may be a very good time for ghost stories!Ha!)

Thanks antonioprincess, and welcome to Forumosa!
Note that the 7-11's near me were not open after Typhoon Nari, because they were a meter under water. Good point about the fishing, hiking etc.; maybe we should add boating, Loretta?

[Incubus]

Excellent list. Just to add a couple more points.

The hot water may be out during a typhoon, especially if your water heater is outdoors. The strong winds can easily blow out the pilot light. So take your shower before or when there's a lull in the storm.

Even when the power is still on, during the worst part of a typhoon, I usually turn off my AC, as the winds are way more powerful than the fan in my AC that's trying to turn against the wind. Don't want to come out of the storm with a broken AC.

[shaohsiin]

if i remember correctly,
even with electrical power reconnected, there may be still no tap water supply for days (maybe weeks?). That

[TheLostSwede]

I'm scared now...
Is it really bad every year or just some years?
I've only been to Taiwan when its warm and sunny and as I come from a country where it's -20 or 30 centigrades in the winter and +20 or 30 centigrades in the summer, Typhoons is something new to me, as is earth quakes.
I'm not certain I will be moving to Taiwan as yet, but it's looking that way, so fingers crossed I won't experience anything too bad in my first year ;-)