In The Eye Of The Storm
Typhoon Milenyo tore its' way through the northern and central Philippines last Thursday. This is the first time since 1995 that the eye directly hit this part of the archipelago and as expected, there was widespread devastation. Flights and ferry services were cancelled and school in all levels was called off. The working force (which included myself), were still obligated to go to work despite the fact that work in government offices was suspended. (I work in a bank, so we did not see the logic in our staying in the office when the Central Bank wasn't operational.) The calls we did receive in the 6 hours we spent in the office were mostly from those who were not clients, just checking if the bank was open. Aaaargh!
Since the storm was forecasted to descend on land around 11am, we were smack dab in the middle of a scary scene from one of those disaster movies. Here are just some of them:
We saw century-old trees being uprooted, rooftops and other debris breaking off and flying away, electric posts and their deadly wires crashing down, billboards toppling over, and cars and trucks bumping into each other due to the force of the wind. We witnessed all these not with family in the comfort and security of our homes, but with officemates. Can you believe that?
Going home was another ordeal. After letting the brunt of the storm pass, most of us had to battle our way home through flooded streets (some had waist-deep water), and most of the abovementioned stuff litering the streets. I felt really sorry for my officemates who had to take public transportation. The MRT and LRT trains ceased operating early in the day and there remained only a few buses and cabs brave enough to ply their regular routes.
As a result of the relentless rains and howling winds that battered Manila and Makati, we were without electricity for 2 1/2 days. We only just got our power restored half an hour ago. The rest of the country, though, remains in the dark. Our water supply was also cut off so you can just imagine how everyone in the house scrambled for the showers as soon as electricity was confirmed to be stable.
What I discovered (to my happy surprise) was that human kindness could still thrive in the midst of all this chaos and destruction. I would not have made it home as safely and as quickly as I did had it not been for the kind pedicab drivers who warned me of flooded streets and suggested alternative ways for me to go to my destination. I also saw numerous people being offered shelter (and even food) by strangers, helping senior citizens cross the streets or get up on buses whilst I was stuck in the midst of traffic. Those were definitely heart-warming and unforgettable scenes.
technorati tags: typhoon, manila, Philippines
Since the storm was forecasted to descend on land around 11am, we were smack dab in the middle of a scary scene from one of those disaster movies. Here are just some of them:
We saw century-old trees being uprooted, rooftops and other debris breaking off and flying away, electric posts and their deadly wires crashing down, billboards toppling over, and cars and trucks bumping into each other due to the force of the wind. We witnessed all these not with family in the comfort and security of our homes, but with officemates. Can you believe that?
Going home was another ordeal. After letting the brunt of the storm pass, most of us had to battle our way home through flooded streets (some had waist-deep water), and most of the abovementioned stuff litering the streets. I felt really sorry for my officemates who had to take public transportation. The MRT and LRT trains ceased operating early in the day and there remained only a few buses and cabs brave enough to ply their regular routes.
As a result of the relentless rains and howling winds that battered Manila and Makati, we were without electricity for 2 1/2 days. We only just got our power restored half an hour ago. The rest of the country, though, remains in the dark. Our water supply was also cut off so you can just imagine how everyone in the house scrambled for the showers as soon as electricity was confirmed to be stable.
What I discovered (to my happy surprise) was that human kindness could still thrive in the midst of all this chaos and destruction. I would not have made it home as safely and as quickly as I did had it not been for the kind pedicab drivers who warned me of flooded streets and suggested alternative ways for me to go to my destination. I also saw numerous people being offered shelter (and even food) by strangers, helping senior citizens cross the streets or get up on buses whilst I was stuck in the midst of traffic. Those were definitely heart-warming and unforgettable scenes.
technorati tags: typhoon, manila, Philippines
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