Typhoon Rusa, the 10th typhoon of the 2002 Pacific typhoon season, was the most powerful to strike South Korea in 43 years. It developed on August 22 from the monsoon trough in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, then moved to the northwest, intensifying into a powerful typhoon. On August 26, the storm moved across the Amami Islands of Japan, causing two fatalities. Across Japan, the typhoon dropped torrential rainfall peaking at 902 mm (35.5 in) in Tokushima Prefecture. After weakening slightly, Rusa made landfall on Goheung, South Korea with winds of 140 km/h (85 mph). It weakened while moving through the country, dropping heavy rainfall that peaked at 897.5 mm (35.33 in) in Gangneung. A 24 hour total of 880 mm (35 in) in the city broke the record for the highest daily precipitation in the country. Over 17,000 houses were damaged, and large areas of crop fields were flooded. In South Korea, Rusa killed at least 233 people. The typhoon also dropped heavy rainfall in neighboring North Korea, leaving 26,000 people homeless and killing three. Rusa also destroyed large areas of crops in the country already affected by ongoing famine conditions.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Rusa
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1879:
Anglo-Zulu War: Zulu forces of King Cetshwayo fought to a decisive victory at the Battle of Isandlwana. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Isandlwana
1957:
New York City police arrested George Metesky, better known as the "Mad Bomber", for planting over 30 bombs over 16 years throughout the city. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Metesky
1971:
The Singapore Declaration, one of the two most important documents to the uncodified constitution of the Commonwealth of Nations, was issued. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations
1984:
Apple Computer introduced the Macintosh computer during Super Bowl XVIII with its groundbreaking "1984" television commercial. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_(advertisement)
2006:
Aymaran Evo Morales was inaugurated as President of Bolivia, the country's first democratically elected, fully Amerindian leader. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evo_Morales
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
enthesis: (anatomy) The point at which a tendon, ligament, or muscle inserts into a bone. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/enthesis
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
Human knowledge and human power meet in one; for where the cause is not known the effect cannot be produced. Nature to be commanded must be obeyed; and that which in contemplation is as the cause is in operation as the rule. --Francis Bacon https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Francis_Bacon