About their problems. They try to find answers for their problems together. For example

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TYPHOONS
Typhoons destroy about 1.5% of the national product of South East Asian countries every year. Much of this damage cannot be avoided, even using the most modern ~technology. However, because of the neeci to give people as much warning as possible, an international network of meteorological stations keeps watch on the movement of typhoons A typhoon warning centre, established by the UK on the island of Guam in 1959, regularly sends aircraft into suspected storm areas to measure winds, movement and pressure. Orbiting continuously around the world, satellites take pictures and Plot changes in the direction of storms. However, problems still remain because 24-hour forecasts of storm movements can be inaccurate by as much as 100 miles and 3-day predictions are often 300 miles off course. For example' in 1960 Typhoon Mary appeared to be heading for land about 70 mile's west of Hong Kong, but it changed course during the night and smashed through the centre of the area in the early hours of the morning This typhoon left 11 people dead, 11 missing, 130 injured and about 300 boats sunk or wrecked.

Another example is Typhoon Vera, which crashed across Taiwan on August 1, 1977. It left 38 people dead and 175 injured, and crippled the seapon city of Keelung. Power supplies to about 60% of Taipei's two million people were cut for about two days and the enormous gales flattened 54 houses. They partially damaged another 50 in the island's northern and central areas. Among other effects, two major fires broke out in Taipei City and one of these burned down 5 stores. Needless to say, the cost of all this damage was enormous and disasters of this kind are unfortunately repeated many times a year throughout the world.

Control of typhoons lies in understanding them better. Good predictions are a method of control because action can be taken to limit their destructive force. For₉ better understanding and improved predictions of typhoons, scientists must learn much more about tropical weather, and some major research projects, such as the Global Atmospheric Research Prograryime, begun in 1974, are now under way. Meteorologists also consider the possibility of modifying the typhoon's direction by seeding hurricane clouds to force them to release their rain before they would under normal conditions.

However, researchers in Asia are doubtful about the advisability of interfering with typhoons although they cost the region a great deal in money and lives. They warn that because man does not yet have sufficient knowledge, he should not yet begin large-scale weather