Surigao City was almost destroyed by Typhoon Odette when it landed on the city. The electricity and water supply was not functioning, telecommunications are not stable after the typhoon. However during our relief operation eight days after the landfall, there was already water but no electricity and stable signal.
Residences and business establishments were destroyed especially on the coastal areas.
The weather during our visit was the same with the mood of the city. It was always raining.
The stilt houses of the Badjao Community were completely destroyed, as a result, they build shanty shelters along the side of the road.
Houses on the hilltops were also destroyed.
I went there as a volunteer of the Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team (AMURT). I was supposed to report on my work but since it was the end of the year, I thought it was okay to be a volunteer instead, anyway the experienced was priceless.
We hired tricycles instead since we have no proper vehicle at that time.
We gave vegetarian hot meals and relief goods to the typhoon victims.
We were able to give relief goods in three locations.
After our relief operations, we had a visit to the beach and had our time for ourselves, we meditated on the rock and so on. It was an amazing experience and we're definitely going back to give more relief.
