Hi everyone, it's me Cian and I’ve been living away from my family ever since I entered college 6 years ago. I’m already used to being independent and doing things on my own. But this one event that recently happened is something I was afraid even way back then - being alone in times where it would be better to have someone to depend on.
I already faced the hectic workloads and deadlines during college and even the pandemic alone, but this time it’s different. A calamity this strong and big is something that happened to Cebu 30 years ago already.
Never in my life have I imagined myself being alone during a time like this, the onslaught of super typhoon Odette.
As someone who have seen and experienced the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda back in 2013, I was already aware of how things might end up by just hearing news about the upcoming typhoon that will hit the center of the Philippines. I’ve been buying a lot of canned goods, noodles, water, batteries fully charged. But even with all those preparations, I still forgot something very important.
The rain is already leaking through my window
We had our work from home arrangement on December 16 or until there’s still electricity in our area. Calm before the storm I must say. No rain and no strong winds not until 6pm that day. At around 5pm, rain and strong winds can already be seen. By 7:00 pm, I can already hear the strong winds inside my room and to my surprise, the air conditioner hole in my room was destroyed by the wind.
I completely forgot that the aircon that we bought for my room is kinda small compared to the provided hole. The Styrofoam that we’ve put to cover up the extra open area got blown away by the strong wind!!!
My room is already full of wind that when I tried to get out, it was so hard to pull to open the door. The maintenance of our building noticed how strong winds are coming out of my room so they also helped in opening my door. Rain water is already entering little by little, and I know for sure that my things will get wet. The maintenance tried to seal off the hole but they can’t since the wind is already so strong. I went out of my room shaking and brought my important things with me while they’re fixing it.
My room was so noisy because of the gusting winds. I can compare the sound to that of a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer, but stronger. I was so afraid at that time and my phones’ signals are already slowly disconnecting / no service. They advised me to stay at our basement area to be with the other occupants to take shelter. I already informed my family in Samar and my friends that I’ll be staying there or sleep there for the night. That was my last message to them because there’s no signal completely down there.
A lot of tenants of our building went to the basement to spend the time there during the typhoon. I’ve seen many tenants together with their families and even dogs. Would be nice if my dog was with me during that time. I remember sitting at the wall all alone. We were advised by the security guards to just stay calm and prepare to evacuate anytime. It was already 8pm and the electricity is already down. It’s dark in the basement and only the flashlights of the tenants shed some light inside.
I can hear the strong sound of wind above us and some things that are getting dragged away. To think that the typhoon still hasn’t made it’s landfall in Cebu is what scared me more. By 9 am, we can already hear breaking glasses above us, the sound of strong winds and rain were so heavy.
I almost cried but stopped and had to be strong because I only have myself.
Thoughts are already piling up in my head. Regrets and realizations keep on coming one after another. I can’t help but think that what if this is it. What if something bad will really happen to all of us? Everyone in the basement were on the edge and scared like never before. Some are waiting near the stairs so that they can evacuate first if ever, some are praying, some are sleeping, some are hugging their babies and dogs, while others like me are alone in the corner.
There was this foreigner tenant who is also alone and sat beside me. The security guards and staff kept on going down to us to keep us updated of the situation from time to time. She don’t know what they were saying because they kept on instructing us using Bisaya / Tagalog. I will go near the announcement area to hear it clearly and later was asked by the foreigner what they’ve informed us. Good thing that I can translate quite good in English haha. Miss Universe translators can never hahahaha. 😂
Finally after spending hours down there being afraid and nervous, the staff went down to bring the good news – THE STORM ALREADY PASSED CEBU huhuhu. Everyone shouted out of relief and kept on thanking God and all the staff who’ve helped us and the tenants who assisted along the way.
We were advised to wait for a while around 11pm before we can go back to our rooms because the tail or reach of the typhoon can still hit us, making it unsafe for us to leave the basement.
Around 11:30pm, we already went back to our rooms. The rooms on our way have their doors already leaking with water. I then concluded that the water also entered their room through the aircon window. I opened my door and the floor’s already wet and flowing. I hurriedly put something to block the open areas in the aircon hole since the strong wind already disappeared.
I touched my clothes and they’re all wet and a lot of dirt can be seen all around my room.
It was a horrible sight to see.
I still can’t view at what happened to the houses around us since it is pitch black outside with no lights at all. I squeezed my wet clothes in the cr and put it to dry. I dried the floor using some of my clothes because I don’t have a mop inside my room. I took a bath and already chatted my family and friends. My family called me which calmed me down a little bit.
I was able to sleep at around 2am and woke up at 8am still shaking.
Seeing the news in the morning at how the houses of my friends got completely destroyed, people died, floods, people asking for help in social media, my friends sharing their experience, lights and water shut down, and phone signal being unstable. It was not a good time to be alone.
I’m still beyond more safe and unharmed unlike most of the people affected by typhoon Odette. And for that, I’m so thankful. Hoping for better days again and while we’re on it, just keep the will to survive going inside you and if you can help, help those in need. 😊
- an upvote, comment, follow, and reblog would mean a lot to them. It would motivate them and learn more from their audience. Thank you and let us all keep safe. 😷
