In my 24 years of existence, never in my wildest dreams that this kind of disaster will happen to Cebu! The usual industrialized - busy City of Cebu became miserably devastated by the extremely strong, screaming wind brought by Typhoon Odette. The older generations usually say that Cebu Province is the safest place among Visayas archipelago since it is located in the center part of Cebu Island. The Typhoon Odette had put an end to the famous gossip!
December 16, 2021. 9pm. This is the expected date and time that the Typhoon Odette will take its landfall.
At around quarter to 6pm, we were still on the road travelling back home to Minglanilla, Cebu (Southern Cebu) since we went to Sogod (Northern Cebu) for Karl's Grandmother's wake.
We were sort of confident that the Typhoon cannot totally cause destruction. We were also carefree that it would be okay to travel since the landfall will still be at 9pm. Little did we know that the strong wind will welcome us as early as 6pm. There were quite a few strong Typhoon in the past but Cebu remains untouchable. This time, it was different!
The feeling of "our car is the only vehicle travelling amidst strong typhoon" was so spine-chilling and traumatizing. It was a never again experience. We honestly thought that we could not make it since Typhoon Odette is attempting to blow everything away - including our vehicle.
At around 6:38pm, we were already at Catmon area of Cebu, still somewhere in the northern part. While we were driving down the street, there was a lotto outlet which was blown away by the wind and fell down on the street. There were branches falling on the roof part of the car and also some branches falling in front of the car's wind shield. Every time something falls or blown towards the car, we all scream and gasps. The unusual blue green lightning gives us goosebumps and petrifying feeling.
When we arrived somewhere Danao area, we were already horrified because the screaming wind is so strong to the point that our car will get blown away. Karl was the driver that night and he was so careful to not drive pass on the fallen trees, fallen posts and untangled live wires. It was really dangerous on the road that night because the electricity were off almost in the entire Cebu. The light from the car was our only light on the road to obtain safe travel. Mostly on a road trip going back home, the passengers usually sleep while travelling. But at that time, we were all AWAKE! We were also helping the driver watching the road or a possible fallen branches or blown galvanized iron roofs.
Everyone was anxious.
Everyone was attentive.
Everyone was daunted.
I was too frightened to the point that I was not even able to think about capturing a single photo from that night. This was the only photo I took that night.
P.S. Apologies for the blurry photo. It was too dark to capture a decent one.
When we arrived at Compostela area at around 7:20-ish pm, still at northern part of Cebu, we have decided to stay overnight somewhere which has the nearest house. We could find our way home but this time, There Is No Way Home! So, we rushed to Karl's Aunt's house at Liloan.
When we were one corner away from the house, we have to surpass yet an obstacle. There was a signage blown in the middle of the street which blocked our road way. There was a bended huge tree on our left side, an almost blown metal fence on our right and an untangled wire on the top of the car due to the broken/ fallen posts. We were so anxious of the situation. We were praying and crossing our fingers at that moment hoping that the tree won't fell down the car and the metal fence won't be blown towards the car. Someone has to get out of the car and remove the signage. So, Kieth went out of the car and quickly removed the signage. He was so afraid that time but he has no choice. When Kieth opened the car door, we were overwhelmed on how loud the screaming wind was outside compared when we were just inside the car. It was sooo scary! Kieth ran quickly back to the car and Karl drove the car away from our complicated situation.
We were all relieved when we finally arrived at Ate Jasmine's house (Karl's Aunt). We all felt like we were in a thriller- suspense movie. We realized that the movie scenes could happen in true to life situations.
We were still wide awake until almost 3 am. Everybody was restless and tired because we were also monitoring the water leaking inside Ate Jasmine's house. I could also not sleep because I was far from my family. I kept calling my siblings but they are out of reach already. I tried calling our closest neighbor if they can check out my siblings, but it also took how many hours for them to answer my call. I only felt relieved when our neighbor already answered my call and that our house is just fine.
When everyone has calm down, we prayed the HOLY ROSARY. I was not contented with the HOLY ROSARY prayer, I also prayed a Powerful Novena to Child Jesus by myself. I honestly felt like the wind has slow down when I was already on my 8th repetition of my Novena prayer. I will share to you my prayer just in case it can help you someday.
The Storm Will Pass And The Sun Will Rise Again
December 17,2021. Aftermath of the Typhoon, Cebu does not seems like Cebu anymore. The Queen City of the South has fallen but not its people.
The sun rays reflection from the window touched my face and awakens me. We immediately rushed at the balcony and look at the situation of the neighborhood. Majority of the houses in the subdivision were damaged. We travelled back home worried about our houses and we witness the situation around Cebu. Only a few leaves remain from the standing trees. We were shocked when there were many damaged posts and wires fell on the street. There were many people who lost their roofs and obtain great damage from the Typhoon. A traffic light was also blown away. The Fast food restaurant- Jollibee signage/logo was inverted and many more to describe unfortunate situations. On this day, we were having scarcity of bath water and drinking water. People were lining up at the gasoline stations to fuel up their vehicles. Here are some pictures I was able to capture.
This is what surprised me when I arrived at our subdivision the day after Typhoon Odette's ravage. It was almost noon time. I was so scared to death of what could have happened to my younger siblings because they were the only ones left in the house. I was relieved that they were just doing fine and surviving. We do not have electricity, bath water and drinking water. The strong wind blown away our huge water drum which was full of water. We only just had one last gallon of drinking water that day. Nonetheless, we are still grateful that everyone in our family is safe.
Thanks to Karl and his company for helping in cleaning up the roads and cutting the huge trees especially in the southern part of Cebu. It took too long for the public officials in Cebu to deploy people in different places of the province to help clean up the street. Majority of the Cebuanos just clean their respective areas and fired up the huge trees on their own. Amazing how independent and strong we are amidst calamity crisis! I would also like to give special thanks to our modern heroes- the line men for the restoration of the electricity even under the scorching sun. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
My family is safe but my home city isn't. I am at loss of words seeing wrecked houses and business establishments. Some even lost their loved ones. The devastation of the Typhoon Odette has left my heart broken for my fellow Cebuanos and other co-Filipinos especially Vis- Min areas who also lost their shelter before celebrating Christmas. Cebuanos are indeed resilient but resiliency isn't enough to survive this crisis. Cebu Needs Help. We Need Help along with the other areas who got affected by the Typhoon especially in Bohol, Southern Leyte, Siargao etc.
I think, maybe, this is the only way I can help- To be one of the voices who needs to be heard amidst calamity crisis.
This is the end of Lakwatserang Rich's blog for this post. I will be leaving you all with a bible verse.
11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. - 2 Corinthians 13:11
Abante, Lakwatseras! Abante, Vis-Min! 💪
𝑫𝑨𝑮𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑮 𝑺𝑨𝑳𝑨𝑴𝑨𝑻 𝑭𝑶𝑹 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺 𝑷𝑶𝑺𝑻!
𝑳𝒂𝒌𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒊𝒉𝒊𝒌 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒈 𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝑪𝒆𝒃𝒖𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆, 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅.
𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 @𝒍𝒂𝒌𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒊𝒉𝒊𝒌 - 𝒂𝒏 𝒖𝒑𝒗𝒐𝒕𝒆, 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒈 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒂𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖! ♥
𝑨𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆, 𝑳𝒂𝒌𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒔! ♥☺