Posted on 11/09/2013 7:05:37 PM PST by Innovative
I might add, to see how we get our Typhoon info, go to:
www.typhoon2000,ph
I check it every morning, just to see what to expect for the day’s weather. They have numerous links and sat loops.
According to Wiki, over 100,000 deaths would bring it close to one of the top 10 deadliest natural disasters since 1900. And the 3rd deadliest of this century behind the 2004 tsunami and 2010 Haiti earthquake.
And it’s apparently at least the 8th deadliest “cyclone” in recorded history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_disasters_by_death_toll#Ten_deadliest_tropical_cyclones
Of course I misread the 10,000 in the article as 100,000. Sorry for the error.
With 10,000 deaths, the storm would be the deadliest natural disaster in the Philippines in recorded history. The previous biggest was a 1976 tsunami with up to 8,000 deaths. The next biggest was flooding from a tropical storm which sounds like it was in a region near to the areas affected today, in 1991, killing 5,100.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/72810/the-philippines-ten-deadliest-natural-disasters
I believe that is part of it. There just aren't that many buildings in the area that could withstand those winds. I recall one picture beforehand of a church used as an evacuation center, with many families & children inside. The side walls were mostly large windows. It was enough to make one weep, hours before the storm hit...
Also, IIRC, PAGASA issued warnings late, in the opinion of many meteorologists who were monitoring the storm, and the upgrades to "Signal Level 4" (the highest level of warning), and the storm surge warnings were even later. PAGASA didn't even mention the storm until it was in their "area of responsibility", and then, with it being a relatively fast moving storm, time was short.
I was monitoring the storm and my wife and I were frantically trying to get word out to relatives and friends in the area, via her Facebook account, e-mails, etc.
Another problem is that there is no word in Tagalog, Visayan, or the local dialects, that I or my (Filipina - Visayan) wife know of, for "storm surge". Usually typhoons in the Philippines do not create large storm surges, so people don't really understand what might happen. On a meteorological forum I was monitoring (I post there occasionally), one US (I think) member was discussing the approaching storm with a Filipino member, and the Filipino said he was reasonably sure he'd be ok, as his house was fairly solid, and not in a (rain-caused) flood prone area. But he didn't understand the threat from the storm surge until the US member said "like a tsunami". Then the Filipino freaked out, but that was only a few hours before the Typhoon hit, and the Filipino and his family had nowhere better to flee to. We have not heard from him since, but hopefully that is just a downed communications issue.
My neighbor is from there. We have been praying for her family.
I am glad to hear you came out all right. It must be a difficult situation all around.
“I am glad to hear you came out all right. It must be a difficult situation all around.”
_________________________________________________
It was little, or nothing, for us, but my God, one can not help from crying for the people on Leyte, the next island to the northeast of us....so much death and destruction.
“People are walking like zombies looking for food,” said Jenny Chu, a medical student in Leyte. “It’s like a movie.”
I hope never to be in one of these things.
A couple of years ago there was a storm where a coworker described what he did over the couple of days his department was closed...swimming his cousins out of the second floor of their house. Lots of places don’t have accessible high ground...especially once the storm hits.
See more devastating pictures here. Prayers for all Filipinos affected by this typhoon.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2496954/Philippines-super-typhoon-Haiyan-powerful-storm-history.html
This is very true. I experienced this growing up in Manila. A simple downpour would cause so much flooding that schools and businesses close. It has become a sport for kids to wade in the water whenever there was a flood. It becomes a way of life there.
Thank you
that’s horrible! Unreal the devastation.
Reports indicate the U.S. has sent the USS George Washington aircraft carrier (probably the entire task force, I would think) to support relief efforts in the Philippines.
I saw a comment somewhere that the carrier could produce substantial amounts of drinking water (above the crew's needs) -- anyone have a figure on that?
I hope I’m wrong, but there seems to be a lackluster response.
Here’s the Philippine Red Cross’ website. So far as I know, they are pretty reputable / if anyone cares to donate, the money will go to helping those in need.
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