"A Douglas McArthur's line, 'I shall return.' is a perfect fit for a storm that does its yearly turn. Never gets tired or bored visiting every corner of the globe. Oops! There are 42 days left before the 25th of December shifts. Hope the storm will rest on these days, giving us time to be blessed."
Hello, dearest fellow hive. I am back with a story that I'm sure everybody can relate to. This is another engrossing account, but this time it is encompassed by my own family. To be facinated by our safety scheme despite our obstinacy at first during the catastrophic event typhoon Odette, just soak in for a minute to read our story.
INTRODUCTION
Captured photo of an overflowing riverside in Umapad Mandaue when Typhoon Odette struck the neighborhood.
Last December 2021, Charee, my best friend, told me that there was a coming typhoon named Odette. She warned me to evacuate earlier with them since we are living near a coastal area. I just ignored it because I thought to myself that it was not a supertyphoon like Yolanda. And as a matter of fact, there were not just once but many times when the PAG-ASA would announce an impending storm. Classes were suspended then, but thank God it never occurred.
Hence, we were just that confident. We did not plan to prepare for an urgent moving out, nor had we hoarded food for the said calamity. Especially those days prior to it, the vast seawater near us was tranquilized, and the sky was beaming fully bright even until a few hours before Odette hit Cebu. Customarily, we executed routine tasks after having a sumptuous lunch with my kids and husband. The dished out food smelled yummy and seemed hunger-satisfying. Thus, we're having so much fun as we enjoyed gobbling down delectable menus.
Moreover, nothing was unusual in the weather, as per my observation. But the neighborhood was very much preoccupied with clearing the streets and cutting tall trees. I took advantage and even asked somebody from the barangay team to cut down a huge tree beside our house. Nothing imminent danger could be suspected; I could hear their cheerful chats with each other with a few snaps of jokes and laughter while getting ready for the coming storm. Such fellowship was a spirit-boosting.
On the other hand, Charee and her family had evacuated to church with some other families and had prepared some essentials like canned goods, water, etc. With her knowledge of our absence, she took her phone and kept us ringing, informing us to pack our stuffs as soon as possible. With that, we yielded to my best friend's voice.
EVACUATION
A retrieved picture from the deleted photos few hours after typhoon Odette.
Late afternoon on December 16, 2021. A few families gathered together in one safe place: the church. Early in the evening, suddenly we were stunned by a wink alter from the surroundings. A cold wind blew toward our direction unusually, while the sky turned so dark, admonishing it to rain hard. Immediately after those apparent observations, the rain poured heavily and unmitigatingly, and the wind blew blusterously, pushing and whipping the walls to and fro. It was Odette! One of the evacuees exclaimed!
SOME PHOTOS RECOVERED
Electric lights went out, adding fright to the light and thunder we had witnessed. With the violent air swishing and thumping, I reckoned my decision earlier not to evacuate, and it pricked my heart while I was thinking about a few possible incidents at home if my stubbornness prevailed.😢Until 10 o'clock in the evening, we prayed together, and fortunately afterwards, the storm had subsided.
PHOTOS FROM THE INTERNET
Typhoon Odette took numerous lives, countless damaged to infrastructures, bridges, electric supply went out, water and gasoline supply were scarce for almost 2 months, and the country as a whole was devastated. Thanks to the government agencies who fully support for the victims through relief goods, medical assistance, financial aids and the like.
WHAT TO DO WHEN A TYPHOON IS COMING
BEFORE
⛑ Follow risk reduction policies and evacuation protocols imposed by authorities asap.
⛑ Safeguard loved ones and valuable things and assets.
⛑ Store essentials like food and water.
⛑ Prepare for emergency kit, flashlight, battery radio set, powerbank.
DURING
💡 Keep calm
💡 Stay away from danger zone
💡 Make sure to stick together with the family.
💡 Be wide awake until typhoon subsides
💡 Keep an ear to news.
💡 Keep on praying
AFTER
🌈 Keep away from damaged infrastructures because it might collapsed unknowingly.
🌈 Avoid still water for it might be electrically charged.
🌈 Do not leave the evacuation area until an announcement is released.
REFLECTION
Above photo is my family while below is Charee's family-"Spared and Safe"
Designed made from canva
Life has its own storm in assorted shapes. It is constantly tendering us, crashing giagantic waves of rising affliction plunging us from side to side and zipping lightnings of adversity that keep roaring furiously against us and leave us soaking and drowning in hopelessness with every clash. Running for our lives as the scourge of death is chasing like a gagantuan in power, just centimeters away from us. Combined with a zero visibility of help to emancipate us from growing vast storms of life's tests. Wherefore, melancholically succumbing to fate as it steers us to become terror-struck.
Photo is taken after Odette, Charee's husband, son Dave and few friend kids. Hats off to our co-Filipinos, for despite storms in life, we cannot forget to smile.
But fear not! Remember, bright side lurks in every dark cloud. Each downpour of bullet-like, stinging raindrops of torment that we encounter makes us tougher to tread on barbarous seas. This way, our incapacity to shut down the rain will teach us how to rock and roll in the rain instead. We may cross the great divine, but as long as we uncowardly face those giant hurricanes until the last tornadoes set in, our principle will continue to shine up until the fourth generation, as fireworks in the sky glow in their wonderful brilliance. Mailing a ringing message to our children's children, "Even the tempest storm cannot volt us down," when CHRIST is in our vessel, we can smile at the storm." ☺️
That would be all for today. Thanks for dropping by mga ka hive. Let the large outpouring of blessings be upon each and everyone this coming holidays.😇
Note: Pictures are mine, some from my church friends, except those source out from the internet.