Super Typhoon

Blog No. 10 - December 23, 2021

December 16, 2021, I still go to work even if PAG ASA already broadcast about the super typhoon. 3 am when I received a chat message from my boss. She told me that I don't need to go to work if the wind is so strong. So later that morning it already started raining.

The wind blows but was not that strong so I decided to go to work. At work, I only got a few customers as it's been raining. Around 12 pm when my boss chat me asking me if I am at work and I said yes then she told me that I'll be the one to decide when I will go home before I got stranded from the storm. I receive a warning from NDRRMC about the typhoon update. The last message I received was Bohol is under Signal #4 and they said that wind will blow stronger for more than 12hours.

It was 2:30 pm when I decided to go home as it already started to rain and the wind blows slowly. As I was riding my motorcycle I can see that clouds are getting darker as the storm is coming. When I arrived from work we are still chilling at home watching TV until the power shut down around 4 pm. It already started raining so hard and the wind blows a bit stronger but still, we are at ease and chilling. It was around 4:30 pm when my husband started to prepare for our dinner. Then we eat our dinner around 6 pm. The wind blows stronger and we kept on monitoring the current situation outside as we are already worried about the typhoon. It was 7 pm when the wind blows so strong that the curtains in our room are fallen. Because of the strong wind Water started to get in our windows. We decided to move our beds to our living room but then the water is everywhere because of the strong winds. Till we heard loud sounds outside our house then my husband check it out, it was the coconut tree across the road had been pulled out by the wind so we started to worry since most of the coconut trees across the road is just so near our house and might fall down in our house then a few minutes after another coconut tree fall down. I was so worried that time that I wanted to cry while praying. I was carrying my baby boy while my daughter was praying. I really wanted to cry but I have to be strong because if I started crying then I'm sure my son will start to cry too. I managed to control my fears and I didn't cry. My husband told me that we needed to evacuate before it was too late. So we pack up a few things and evacuate to the next house from where we leave. The house of the grandmother of my husband. That house is located at the back of the house where we live and it's safer to stay there. The family of my husband's uncle also evacuate there. At least I felt way better because I have other people with us. Strong winds lasted until 2 am. We are so worried about the parents and siblings of my husband as their house is nearby a big Mango tree and coconut trees. It was 2 am when I woke because I heard the voice of my father-in-law calling the name of my husband. He was looking for us if where we are. He was worried about us especially when he saw the whole half roof of our house fly. It flew just a few minutes after we evacuate. I woke up my husband and told him that his dad is looking for us. He did answer his dad and tried to check our house. Everything is wet. Our TV, our clothes, our bed, and other stuff at home. The wind is still strong at that time and I was a bit worried for my husband. I kept calling him. He was busy moving our stuff from our room to our living room. After that, he then goes back to the house where we evacuate and we go back to sleep.

I woke up around 5:30 am then I woke up my husband and told him it was already morning and the weather is already fine. We rush to check our house and the surroundings. Everything is in chaos. Trees are are all in the ground. Debris is everywhere. We can barely pass the road. We then check the highway. Trees are everywhere too. There are some parts of the mountain that collapsed.

We can't sleep in our house so we decided to stay in my in-law's house.

I was worried about my parents as their house is also surrounded by coconut trees but I can't contact them. We don't have electric power and an internet connection. We can't pass the road. It takes 2 days before our road is cleared. Finally, we can now go and check my parents. December 20 when we get the chance to visit my parents. As we're traveling, all we can see is the damage that the super typhoon had left in our town. There were part of the road going to my parent's place was been flooded and vehicles can't pass gladly there's another road going there though it's a bit rough but still fine as long as we can pass through. Glad my parents and my siblings are all safe and our house has no damage at all. The coconut trees didn't hit our house. After checking my parents, we headed to my workplace. It's located at our Public Market. Some parts of the market are also damaged. Our health center is also damaged. We did buy milk and diapers for my baby before heading back home. I was trying to find a better signal so I can contact my boss but I failed to get a better signal. So headed back home.

December 22 when I discovered that we have a phone signal in the window in our room where we stayed. So I tried to turn on my mobile data to check if I can access the internet connection. After waiting for a couple of hours finally I got a better internet connection. Glad I have loaded on my phone so register it right away so I can have a better internet connection speed. I message my boss and told her that I already checked the computer shop. She then asks me how we are. And she told me to get my salary and my bonus. I was really happy that gave me P8k as my bonus. The bonus that I've been waiting, for that, was supposed to be for my project for our house but then I had to cancel that project because we need money for our daily needs especially milk and diaper for my baby. I still don't know when I can go back to work so we need to budget my money until I can go back to work. For now, we still don't have electric power and still no running water. Glad we have another water source that we can use for washing our clothes and for taking a bath. In this time of crisis, prices are all going up from fuel, fish, and other daily needs. We've been receiving Ayuda or relief goods from the government and from other private people who are willing to help.

Closing Thoughts

We have all been through disasters like typhoons. We are just been so thankful that despite all the damages to our houses and belongings, we are all alive and safe. That's one of the reasons I am thankful that God never leaves us. He is always been there to protect us from danger.

All photos used are all own by truly yours unless it's stated

To all my avid readers I am sorry if I can't read back all your articles as we still don't have electric power and stable internet connection. I will try my very best to get back to all of you soon.