Super Typhoon Meranti is closing in on Taiwan and mainland China.
The storm has been upgraded from a Category 1 to Category 5 storm and is now packing sustained winds of 183 miles per hour and gusts up to 223 mph.
Weather forecasters predict Meranti may bypass the southern tip of Taiwan, track through the Luzon Strait, and make direct landfall near Quanzhou, China.
The typhoon stretches more than 350 miles, so its path of destruction could be wide. Most of Taiwan’s 23 million people live in the north and west of the country, but high winds and torrential rains may prove devastating to much of the 230-mile long island, possibly causing mudslides and deadly flash floods. Some parts of Taiwan and mainland China could receive up to a foot of rain.
Just two months ago, Super Typhoon Nerpartak killed 80 people in China. At least three people died and power was lost to a half-million Taiwanese July 8 as the typhoon took a similar track as that forecasted for Typhoon Meranti.
We talked today to Pastor Richard Roberts of Northeast Taiwan Christian Church of Taipei. He is currently visiting the United States and out of the danger zone, but his wife and son are in Taiwan. He is concerned for their safety and says while he’s not a meteorologist, he’s noticed typhoons usually pass rapidly across the island.
Watch the NOAA satellite tracking here: Track Super Typhoon Meranti
How is the church responding and what should we pray? Watch the video to find out. {eoa}
Reprinted with permission from CBN.com. Copyright The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., All rights reserved.
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