Sunday, September 27, 2009

When it Rains... It Pours!!!

When I was in my DL yesterday morning, it was still raining, but I had no idea I was going to experience the worst storm to hit Metro Manila in so many years. I am used to seeing floodwater on the streets of Fidel and Ambrocia when it rains.

I watched as the floodwater starts to creep near my DL's gate and I try to tell the kids who are enjoying the floodwater to back off. Kakatalon nila and swimming umaalon yung tubig and pumapasok na sa gate.
Then I saw Ate Neth, the Caretaker, dripping wet with rain water. She told me she was helping the apartment tenants save their things as the floodwater already entered their houses. I started to panic. I was monitoring the floodwater very closely. After a few minutes, Ate Neth came back and told me that the floodwater at the apartment is already knee-deep. I opened the back door to check and foul smell greeted me. I walked to the CR to turn on the lights but after a few steps, I felt my foot is already submerged in water. At first, I thought I forgot to turn the faucet off, but when the lights turned on. I was shocked to see black, dirty and murky floodwater!!! Oh my God! I started grabbing things and placed them on top of the chairs. As in shit, hindi ko na alam kung ano ang dadamputin ko. When I went back to the shop area, I saw the floodwater come in. I told the customers that I have to shutdown all the computers. Then I started to grab my things again. Mark, one of the customers offered help. And I'm so thankful that he did offer. I was able to save most of my things though we did it the hard way, I turned off the main switch to avoid short circuits. So imagine me grabbing things while shouting "Oh my God" and "Shit! Shit! Shit!" in pitch black darkness. When Rellie called, I was literally shouting on the phone... I didn't know how to explain what happened. Things happened so fast. As in, in less than 30 minutes, I found myself already submerged in knee-deep dark water. He couldn't believe it either. I saw some of my things floating but didn't care na to pick them up. I was tired and so stressed out, at the same time worrying too much about my computer units.

I went out of my DL and locked up the shop. It was still raining. I can't go home to MCB1 as the floodwater is waist high at Diego Silang. When I decided to brave the floodwater on Fidel street, I made sure I was holding on tightly to Kuya Alex (caretaker). The current is so strong I had to remove my Havaianas and walk with barefoot. I stayed at the caretaker's house, they are lucky to have a dry home. I was sitting there worried sick, couldn't believe what actually happened. Rellie would call from time to time. By 2pm he told me to go back and disassemble the monitors so I can place them in a safer place. It was tiring. One hell of a day! But my only consolation is that I was there when things started to happen, and that I was able to save most of my things, especially my computer units. And that I am safe. Thank you Lord!!!


Kuya Dennis picked me up from my DL around 4PM. Their home served as my evacuation center. The streets are still flooded. When electricity went back by 8PM, I watched the news updates. A lot of areas got flooded, some with waist high and chest high water. A lot of people were displaced, lost their properties, lost their homes, and some even lost their lives. Some are still stuck in the streets, some on the second level of their houses, and some are already on the roof of their houses. Typhoon Ondoy brought a month worth of rainfall in Metro Manila in just 9 hours.

Sunday morning was spent sorting and cleaning up. Thank heavens my computer units are dry. I didn't try to switch on the electricity yet, I have to wait until tomorrow to make sure the sockets are really dry. As I write this entry... I am renting a PC somewhere in the streets of Amoranto or Mayon (I'm not sure). I'll be spending the night at Rellie's home. I'm glad he's now in Manila because I do need a big, warm hug!


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