Typhoon Odette/Rai, The Unexpected And Underestimated Storm

*Late upload*

In my hometown, Alegria, we barely got hit by a storm or had no damages when storm strikes, but we underestimated this one yet.

Philippines had to experience 15 storms a year in average, but this one has to be the most dangerous one yet, especially in Visayas and parts of Mindanao.

I overheard that only small amount of families evacuated before the storm strikes, but during its wrath, is where people now evacuating.

Dec 16, 2021

News now reporting that Cebu Province (Some parts/municipalities) will be at Alert Level 4, which brings heavy rains and strong winds. Electricity got cut off at 8:00 PM, but me and my family just chilling that the storm will pass by tomorrow. Then I fall asleep. But we didn't expect that this will be the storm we shouldn't underestimate.

10:00PM, my parents woke me up, and told me to carry my pillow and blanket and evacuate at my cousin's house. I feel that something's not right. I heard the roof now making noises, rain dropping above us, and the wind now makes sounds... No good...

We immediately evacuated to my cousin's house, and got our pillows and blankets saved, except some things, gadgets, clothes and personal documents...

We were worried that all of the things inside gonna be wet, including my phone, and homeworks, AHHHHH...

1:00PM, the storm is getting worse, all of us didn't feel its not Signal No. 4, the "flood" now reached inside the house, the rain is super strong, and the wind still strong...

When we tried our hardest to control the flood inside, we lost strength, and my father said to stop doing it as it will consume our energy, instead we needed prayer.

Me, my siblings and my cousins got called by my aunt to pray with her. It took 30 minutes of praying that the storm should stop, singing worship songs as we pray. I feel relaxed, after the prayer, I look at the window... I. Was. Devastated.

By looking outside, the trees in the woods now being "trimmed" or got it leaves removed, flood flowing as the storm hits hard, and, sadly, the entire coastal areas, wiped out...

No more houses to be seen on the other side of the road. It's pitched black outside, so we can't see much. My father tried to go outside, but the wind is so strong that he needs to close the door. After that, he realised that the "flood" we had inside, is actually the seawater. The sea reached the HOUSE! The pomelo tree next to my cousin's house, fell down, but it's a good thing. Why? It helped the window it blocked to avoid any further damage. My auntie thanked God for protecting the house, but as for my mom, he realised the coconut tree that is expected to fall down to our house, might hit the house.

She was anxious as well as me. She said “Pa (referring to my Dad in Visaya), our house...”. I saw her almost crying. And my father replied “Look outside in this window (the window inside my aunt's room)”, she refuse to look as she knows our house is destroyed, but she had faith in God that our house is safe.

He has to go back to our house to get our gadgets. Surprisingly, they worked, even they got wet (only my phone, the laptop and other gadgets. Phones owned by my mom, my sister, and my young sister were kept all a long with them while evacuating). He also bring the homeworks, paperworks and important things except the clothes since we know its already wet.

1:29PM, the entire teenagers inside the house, including me, doing a prayer inside in my cousin's room. We pray and pray that this will end soon... And it took 1 hour (and 20 minutes, I think?) to pray, this time, we cried so hard showing that we surrender to Him and ask for protection to all of us. After that, we got told by our parents to sleep and never worry about them. So, we did.

5:30AM. I woke up and the storm, ended? My mom was awake, but I never saw my father. I ask Mom where's Dad, she replied that he was at our house, looking at the results. She also added to never go outside yet, since it was not yet approved that it's safe. So I waited while most of the family woke up.

6:00AM. We are allowed to peek at the window, and go outside to look at the aftermath of the horrid storm.

Well...

The town is destroyed... People cried over their houses as they don't have any places to go. Thankfully, other people let those affected families stayed at their houses. Some stayed at the evacuation center.

But our house...

Partially destroyed. Thankfully, Mom's prayer was answered, the coconut fell to its opposite side and not to our house. Only the roof was destroyed.

At that time, no communications for us to use, no electricity or water. When can we rise up again?

Thanks for reading. Hopefully I could continue this story in the next article. Hopefully on next week.

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