Harrowing Tears of the Eye from the Sky

It was not a tragedy. Nor was it a story that left me helpless and hopeless. But certainly it was an event that pricks me until now every time those images of devastation it caused brush against my memory. I do not want to go back to it to experience again the heart-rending episodes that it brought with it. The traces it left behind, however, will always be to me a memory of a poignant past, with all the frustrations and disappointments associated with a disaster.

To say that typhoon Ondoy was a ravaging monster is an understatement. Perhaps it was indeed nature’s wrath, a curse for man’s complacency and neglect of his duties. But looking back, I can say that it was the weather disturbance that literally disturbed me, my home, and my loved ones.

I remember that no one had been uninformed of  its visit. But not a few were caught unprepared for the heavy rains it brought. The sweeping blows of the wind and the copious rain with which that monster executed the fierceness of its anger and the suddenness of its attack were the hallmarks of that calamity that befell and surprised me and my fellow earthlings.

I was then slouched on a chair reading a book, unmindful of what was happening outside, though aware that a typhoon was poised to unleash its fury. The wind roared and growled. Then the tears of the eye of the typhoon started trickling down from the face of the sky. No one had guessed that in a few hours or so, our house would become a basin of murky and stinking water and that in a few days my family would be dealing with a pool of stale water and muddy grounds for at least six weeks. I did not even have the slightest idea that in a matter of minutes, the table and the chair which I was until then using for my leisure time would be completely submerged in ravishing floodwaters. Like many afternoons that I had spent my time reading books and magazines in the living room of our house, I had expected nothing unusual to occur on that day when that harrowing tears of the eye from the sky paid a surprise visit.

When the first few liters of floodwater knocked on our door, I gave it no attention—I’d been used to seeing the phenomenon that it offered me no more room for surprise. A few years back, in 2001, typhoon Milenyo had done the same thing--flooding our house and forcing us to evacuate and rent another house for no less than three months. We waited, and only after the flood subsided then that we were able to go back home. I thought that same thing would not happen again. But there it was—the water started to enter by the front door, disrespectful of the dweller’s inhospitable gestures. Still, I was complacent, stubbornly confident that no such flood the same magnitude as that of Milenyo’s would ever happen again.

Inch by inch the brownish floodwater passed unobstructed and crept up so fast that in no time I found myself dodging from one tabletop to another, to window beams, and rushing to bookshelves, hurrying to save my books from drowning. Later on, before the lights were out, I saw one of my bookshelves float and got carried away by the current of the flood. I heard a loud thud. Thanks to the other large cabinet that blocked its way out. But what about my books--my books which I had bought with my own money from my savings as a grade-schooler—those precious books which to me are a remembrance of my thriftiness (and perhaps poverty) as a student (Out of my five-peso daily allowance when I was a grade-schooler and out of the ten-peso allowance when I was a high school student, I was able to buy and collect dozens of books in various subjects—some, second hand; most, brand new)—what happened to my books? I thought they were all gone. But thanks to my mother! I did not notice that she had taken it upon herself to pack those books and carry them to the second floor of our house, where we would be spending the rest of the floody days of our lives.

The wind even tried to rip our roof but was not successful. My father and I fastened its wooden beam with a rope to reinforce it. Although the galvanized iron sheet kept on banging and clanging like cymbals, the weather soon gave way to a calmer temperament.

Soon, we were forced to go to our neighbor’s house to ask for clean drinking water. We could not find our pet cats, in the mean time, but they returned when the flood was gone. I lost to the flood one whole set of Funk and Wagnall’s encyclopedia which was freely given to my mother by a kind-hearted school owner. But I am still thankful that none in my family was lost nor suffered any serious injury.

Rain....Rain Go Away

Philippines is a typhoon stricken country.  During rainy season which normally starts in the month of May, continuous heavy rains could always spell disaster to most households in Manila as it does to the streets of the city. This is so because this city almost always turns into a body of water once rains starts to come in.

My most memorable experience with a typhoon has something to do with the flood which almost always accompanies the rains.  I think it was in the late ‘80s.  I have forgotten now what typhoon name was it.  I have been encountering one flood after the other prior to that, but it wasn’t quite alarming.  The farthest I have seen and encountered in terms of flood then was knee-deep, nothing beyond that.  The flood that strucked me that particular memorable year was so deep that I began to fear that should the water  continues while I am still in the middle of the street I’d probably be drown considering that I do not at all know how to swim.

My agony started as I was ready to go home after the days work in the office.  I knew it was raining the whole day and that there was a typhoon but the only worry I had while I was preparing to leave was that I may not be able to get a comfortable ride on time.  My daily route in going to and from work then consisted of two jeepney rides as my residence and place of work belongs to different localities.  True enough, I was not only able to get a comfortable ride on time; more so, I was not able to get a ride at all.  Hence, I started to leave on foot figuring out what lies ahead in my next jeepney ride.  The flood in the area where I was supposed to have my first ride was already ankle-deep. A speeding vehicle passed by causing the flood water to be splashed into my direction turning me half wet.  How insensitive the driver was, I thought.  In catastrophe like this one, I was hoping that each one will be a little sensitive of the others.  But, oh I guess I was asking for the moon with this thought.

I was not ready for my next encounter.  It turned out that the area in my next jeepney ride was already waist deep flooded.  Perhaps it has something to do with the drainage in that area, or so I thought.  I saw people starting their journey to the waist-deep water and though I was hesitant at first, turned out I really had no other option.  My main concern really was the thought of the sensitive part of my body being emerged in dirty flood water and the infection that I might get.  How horrible it might be. I do not worry so much about my feet or my legs being touched by flood, but that part? I had second thoughts.

When one is in the midst of a crisis and there are few choices left or none at all, you go with the flow.  That’s exactly what I did.  It was a long journey with me in a very awkward and tiring position with my both hands up, one is holding my bag the other holding a few other things that cannot be fit into my bag.  Midway through our journey though, the feeling was no longer as pathetic as it started.  It started to occur to me that this was an adventure of a lifetime, and thus, though uncomfortable, was a memorable experience worth retelling over and over again.  What happened onwards were a series of one small adventure to the next like evading areas which were perceived to have open manholes and crossing in areas where the water current was so strong.  It’s like survival to the fittest but no so.

In the end, I was brought home safe by nobody but myself. Great feat. That was not enough though. The house where I lived as a tenant was likewise having a disaster of its own.  There was flood likewise and worst, because I had not left a duplicate key to my room, I arrived seeing my personal belongings all drowned in water.

Manila is always like this during typhoons.  It was like that then. It still is like that now.  The government has done nothing grand to prevent flood from occurring.  So does the people.

Umbrellas Ruined Inside a 7-Eleven

           My most memorable typhoon experience happened on June of 2008. Typhoon Frank –– the typhoon that caused our country over 4 billion pesos worth of damages –– was wreaking havoc in the Philippines. I was not injured or anything. But I could have been. And that thought scared me out of my mind and had me shaking for about a week afterwards.

            This was my first real typhoon experience. I’ve never actually to swim in chest-high water or anything like that. One of my most memorable experiences was during the Millenio Typhoon, where the santol tree in our garden fell down right before my eyes. No one was hurt. Another experience was when our air conditioner got struck by lightning and had burst into flames. Thank God we saw it before it could do any damage other than frying up our air conditioner.

            Anyway, the story when I woke up to raging winds–– and when I mean raging, I mean it’s like The Exorcist and Carrie combined. Open doors banged closed (loudly). Our glass windows were heavy, but the wind managed to get most shut (and they shut rather loudly, too) –– and moderate rain.

            My mother was in something of a dilemma. See, we don’t really use gas stoves. We had one, of course, but we prefer to use our electric stove, and that was used rarely. We had adopted a “take out or delivery for dinner” lifestyle, partly because of the fact that we were lazy and disliked washing dishes, so we didn’t really see the need to stock up on LPGs (we do now). Back to the story. That day, my mom couldn’t connect to most restaurants. We tried nearly everything that had delivery. McDonald’s, Jollibee, KFC, Kenny Rogers, Pizza Hut, etc. No one was picking up. To make matters worse, the power was out. Our freezer and refrigerator were already defrosting. We had no way to cook.

            Knowing this, of course, made me all the more hungry. (This was, apparently, a psychological thing.) The gruesome rumbling in my tummy made me crave a large, juicy burger. Preferably with melted cheese, lettuce, and really red tomatoes. And onion rings on the side. My mother was craving a Big Mac. I wanted to buy something from Brothers Burgers. So we decided to travel to Tomas Morato and see if McDonald’s and Brothers Burgers were open.

            Our house was really close to Tomas Morato, so we walked every time we had to go someplace there (why waste expensive gas?). We took two umbrellas, one for me and one for mom (big mistake). The wind was still pretty strong, but we thought we could handle it. It wasn’t raining that much, either.

            When we first stepped out of the house, what struck us first was how dark it was. It looked like an hour before sunrise, but it was nearly 11 o’clock in the morning. Then, as we went down the street, we remarked about how strange seeing our street so deserted. We were the only ones walking on the normally busy street, and there were no cars. Add in turbulent winds and erratic rain and you’ve got yourself a really spine chilling setting. We tried to make light of it, even humming the theme to The Twilight Zone. But I was really creeped out.

            We reached Tomas Morato and saw that almost every establishment was deserted. Again, there were hardly any cars in the street, and no people milling around. Our first human contact outside our house was the guard at Jollibee, who told us that the store was closed. Right across the street from Jollibee was Brothers Burgers and it was closed. We decided to try and see if McDonald’s was open, so we crossed the street again and kept walking. After just passing 7-Eleven, right in front of the Nokia store, the wind suddenly blew us away. I can’t even describe it, except to say that it was so strong, we were literally being dragged away by our umbrellas. My mother hung on to one of the parking posts, and I hung on to my mother. My arm was outstretched because I hadn’t let go of my umbrella yet. Needless to say, if a car happened to speed by us, I wouldn’t have my cherished arm today.

            When the wind calmed down, Mom hauled our asses inside the 7-Eleven, where a group of people were waiting for the rain to stop. Another stranger entered the store, soaking wet. And we all just waited there for the rain to stop, me shaking, my mom fussing over me, our umbrellas ruined.

            It was a really scary experience, but it made me realize how fortunate I am. All I have to say is I’m extremely lucky if that’s the most memorable thing that ever happened to me in a typhoon. I can’t even imagine the people who have lost their homes or worse, their loved ones.

Revisiting Rosing's Fury

The year 1995 noted an unusual cyclone trend in the western Pacific basin.The La Nina effect caused an increased draw of more strengthened storms.Hurrican “Angela” was one of the strongest storms to cause insurmountable damage to the Philippines. This storm was already packing wind speeds afar at about at least 1000 miles continuing to intensify at steady gains made extraordinary fear to embrace the public for awareness and abreast preparation as the storm headed toward Southern Luzon.  Before its forecast ground hit televised the storm was on its way culminating to steady wind peaks at least 250 km per hour at close range within the Philippine Area of Responsibility. The storm was first forecast to hit Catanduanes, then the Bicol Region, with its peak fury at landfall to be at least 285 km per hour. Danger lurked the whole Luzon Island.

Conscious of the storm the potential damage it may cause, I remember my uncles and I checking our roofs had enough strength to standthe winds. Our house in its fairly old structure stood many of the worst storms in the past, but survived. The bungalow type the house sports with a look is advantageous to stand through storms. It was lucky we had it. Without doubt I was confident we could weather the storm but prayers could only save. I was hoping for the best but expecting the worst then.

Catching the first glimpsethe widespread damage caused on Catanduanes,with the storm heading its way towards Metro Manila, the public realized the extensive damage that the storm could ravage to limits within the city. PAGASA forecasted a high pressure which developed on the northern portion of the Philippines preventing the storm to sheer its course northbound towardsJapan, as what the usual path is. Because of that,entrapped fear grew to its peak for the people of Metro Manila.

Winds on the onset of the storm upon its approach gave a hint feeling of its unbound strength. The storm finally hovered over Metro Manila. That night ravaging winds peaked at 240 km per hourgusting to 320 km per hour as it approached the city. The subduedfury incited a scary feeling. It was like the roofs were ready to uproot.

Tracking this new course, Rosing headed its way to Manila crossed a precisely horizontal, straight path, hitting its eye at bulls eye on Metro Manila. Its entry had sown a bruising hint. The winds seemed to permeate its fury through the walls. This incited me to cover myself and an infusing window view with twisting trees as the winds blew them at sheer angles as if in real time and close range.Because of this grueling feeling and the outstanding uncertainities ahead of time compounded my senses that I wish then the time could pass quicker to get the storm over. The wind direction viewing from window at an extremely slim peep surmounted a clue what could have been much worst at full view. Since the time frame seems to dispose a longer range with the storm at a slower move than imagined, I forcibly came under my blankets, covered myself so thoroughlyout of the scare as I could not stand the wind strength causing tranches of the wind to sip through the windows and door peepholes. After prayerful moments for hours, I realized the storm had slowed down its strength and could bear now to hear the winds with bear ears.

After realizing through the news the damage extentcosted so insurmountable, I contemplated with wishful thinking no storms would come way to the Philippines ever again. But this was impossible. The Philippines is a geographical destination where its strategic location paved a path for the cyclones to come into and develop into a herculean monster upon arrival.  Truly from religious views, prayers are so powerful if we heed to divine power in similar moments when the danger is beyond human strength for recovery. This proved just like from the same approach I did on the recent storm which was threatening upon entry and suddenly changed course upon close range where the storm was about to hit landfall. Over time, the generated hurricanes out of landfall on the Philippines generate insurmountable strength of rainfall. This gave me a an added anxiety when a strong downpour situates. Just like in the United States, in which hurricane “Katrina” battered with insurmountable strength and effect causing a total wipeout of the Gulf Region, could compare no other than we experience here with typhoons on a periodic basis. I can say the Philippines is still lucky except the impact “Ondoy” caused.by human negligence to the environment. Our people can weather the strength of the storm and the floods it may cause at escalating trends with heightened water levels if we shift our attention to environmental welfare.  That way an adverse impact can be mitigated.

The Nightmare called Typhoon Sudal

I was living on the island of Yap, Federated States of Micronesia when I encountered my first super typhoon - this was a Category 4 typhoon AND the island was right in the storm’s eye!  It all began calmly enough when we were informed that there was an incoming typhoon.  This was nothing new to us as many typhoons come and go in the vicinity.  Typhoons did nothing but bring heavy rains and strong winds.  In fact I enjoyed typhoons because it made the temperatures cooler. 

So everyone on the island was going about doing their own business.  The company, who we rented our house from, came and boarded up our windows with plywood.  I made sure we had enough food and potable water.  I had two small children then, who were ages five and one, respectively, so I ensured that they had enough stuff to amuse themselves with, when the electricity went off.  Around lunch time, my husband called the house and told me to get our clothes ready for a few days because he was going to come and get me and the children to stay at the hotel.  He said that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Guam informed the hotel that the incoming typhoon was a huge one and to expect the worst. Hence, I packed up our stuff and he came and took the children and me to the hotel.

It was very different by the coast.  At the hotel, the guys were busy securing all our dive boats and most especially the brand new 140 ft reconverted Phinisi Schooner.  The water level was rising and the waves were getting bigger and stronger.  The rain was incessant and just poured down heavily from the heavens.  The room we were assigned to was facing the lagoon, I had a strange feeling and decided to move the children outside to the hotel’s lobby.  About 30 minutes later, I heard a loud cracking noise.  So one of the ladies from the front office and I went to investigate.  Sure enough, the waves were so high that they broke the window of the room we were staying at.  There was about a foot high of water in the room.  I got our personal belongings together, took my children and moved them to a room on the second floor.

The nightmare had just started.

Typhoon Sudal was the strongest typhoon to strike the island of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) in about 50 years. Yap is one of the four administrative divisions of the FSM. The entire island, only 17 km (10 mi) in length, experienced typhoon force winds, and 90% of the structures were damaged or destroyed. Damage was most severe in southeastern Yap, where the eyewall struck and winds exceeded 185 km/h (115 mph), but the center of the typhoon passed south of the island.  (Wikipedia) 

Typhoon Sudal originally formed on April 2, 2004 out of a persistent area of convection east of the FSM. It moved mostly westward for the first week of its duration, with brief northerly and southwesterly turns. Sudal attained tropical storm status on April 5, and it gradually intensified into a typhoon, which is a tropical cyclone with winds of at least 119 km/h (74 mph) and is the equivalent of a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. On April 9, it passed just south of Yap, and shortly thereafter its peak winds were estimated at 240 km/h (150 mph). Later, Sudal moved to the northwest and eventually to the northeast, becoming an extratropical cyclone on April 16 and dissipating two days later.  (Wikipedia)

The following was issued by the office of the President of the FSM:

Palikir, POHNPEI (FSM Information Services): April 12, 2004 - A State of Emergency has been declared for Yap in the wake of typhoon Sudal's destruction to the State during the Easter weekend.

The Declarations issued by both the Governments of the State of Yap and the Federated States of Micronesia on April 9, states that effects of the typhoon have "cost extensive damages to public and private properties, food crops and private homes [...] and damages to the coastline areas."

The Government of the United States have also echoed the declaration and through its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), ordered federal disaster aid for the FSM to supplement response efforts underway for the state of Yap.

Typhoon Sudal hit Yap proper on Friday morning packing 132 mph winds, whipping wave heights of more than 35 feet. With the eye 33-miles off shore, typhoon Sudal battered the State for more than five hours.

The Preliminary Assessment Report of typhoon Sudal identifies the following as immediate priorities for the state of Yap:

Restore water supply of YSPSC, Southern water system and Tomil Gagil water system.
Distribute water to designated shelters and identify potable water source.
Assess, Ngulu, Ulithi, Fais and Rumung (water supply and crops)
Repair sewage leakage with Environmental Protection Agency.
Clear debris from roads
Repair designated shelters.

The report contained the following assessment of the damages to Yap proper:

1.    Water supply: Over 80% of people are without clean drinking water and although water is made available at the water treatment plant, it requires extensive boiling.

2.    Damage of Public utilities and properties: Over 90% of public utilities and public property were damaged leaving 80% of the villages without water and power.

3.    Damage to private properties: Over 90% of private homes were either damaged or destroyed with an estimate of over 900 people in shelters.

4.    Damages to coastal areas: Tidal surge caused devastation to almost all coastal areas

o    90% of homes in low lying coastal areas were either damaged or destroyed;

o    Seawalls in all coastal areas are either damaged or severely eroded.

5.    Crop damages: 90% plus of lowland and upland crops were completely destroyed.

6.    Health: The State Hospital sustained structural damages, severing pipelines and refrigeration system:

o    Dehydration has become a critical issue with the rapidly decreasing drinkable water;

o    Current health issues include common sickness and gastrointestinal problems;

o    No deaths from typhoon Sudal have been reported.

Oh it was like hell on earth after the typhoon finished razing the island.  It was the ONLY time in my life I had ever experienced anything like this.  We went back to our house after one week at the hotel.  Thank goodness our home was not damaged apart from the outside wall being stripped of its protective covering and a tree falling over in our yard.  There was no water for a few days and after that it was sporadic and rationed.  I remember the water coming out all muddy.  I cooked our meals outside on our grill.  At night my husband would hook up a single light bulb to a car battery so we could have some light.  We had a friend from Palau buy us a generator.  As he was going to Yap as part of the relief/recovery operations he was going to bring it with him.  When the generator arrived, we managed to have our fridge running and the washing machine!  Believe me, all these things we take for granted in life, I learned to enjoy and appreciate fully.  This experience with Sudal has humbled me and taught me how the fury of Mother Nature when unleashed can be so frightfully amazing.  I do not want to experience anything like this again.  But IF ever…I know I am prepared.

References:

Typhoon Sudal.  Wikipedia.  Retrieved 26 May, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Sudal

Typhoon Sudal leaves Yap in state of Emergency.  12 April, 2004.  Government of the Federated States of Micronesia.  Retrieved 26 Ma, 2011 from http://www.fsmgov.org/press/pr041204.htm