Super typhoon Haiyan-our payers are with you all

[sjr09 155]

Wow, after looking at the map I was pretty worried about your family. We're happy to hear the good outcome for you and your loved ones.

Yeah they are very close toTacloban, only one bridge connects the two islands. I’m sure the mountainous island of Biliran helped some.

[kev_n_jena 89]

Good News

Our friends from Tacloban made it through the typhoon alive! They were able to make it to N. Samar with the help of a relative. She recounted on facebook their harrowing experience in great detail.

The water crashed through the back door of their two story house with such force and speed that the mother and son barely escaped to the second floor with furniture crashing around them. Once on the second floor the water continued to rise forcing them to cut a hole in the ceiling and roof to escape. They were lucky to have plant trimming shears in the upstairs that they were able to locate just in time. They clung to the rafters to keep from being blown away and stayed on the roof for four hours. Some of their neighbors were not as lucky.

[sjr09 155]

Good News

Our friends from Tacloban made it through the typhoon alive! They were able to make it to N. Samar with the help of a relative. She recounted on facebook their harrowing experience in great detail.

The water crashed through the back door of their two story house with such force and speed that the mother and son barely escaped to the second floor with furniture crashing around them. Once on the second floor the water continued to rise forcing them to cut a hole in the ceiling and roof to escape. They were lucky to have plant trimming shears in the upstairs that they were able to locate just in time. They clung to the rafters to keep from being blown away and stayed on the roof for four hours. Some of their neighbors were not as lucky.

[Zedayn 485]

I was in Coron when the typhoon hit. The morning of the day we went up Mt Tapyas to see the cross and a view of the town and beautiful scenery. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful until later on in the evening, after we had our dinner. I was watching the news and trying to see when the typhoon would hit us in Coron. From different news sources, the TV and trying to find news online, the path of the storm passed directly over Coron. Aroud 8pm phil time, we lost power. We were getting water in the room from under the doorway, the winds were loud and at times I thought something was gonna come crashing through the window. Did not sleep well that night, as I think the typhoon left the area around 3 or 4am. About 5am or so we woke up and went outside to see the damages done. Luckily the place we stayed was relatively undamaged. We couldn't see too much at 5am as it was still dark, but we managed to get some water after a security guy told us we shouldn't be outside. After it was light out, we went outside and all of us (me, my girlfriend and 2 friends that were with us) went to survey the damage. Power lines were down everywhere, huge trees just uprooted like toothpicks, the huge cross on Mt Tapyas that we had just visited just gone. Pretty much everything we planned to do in Coron was cancelled, and so we just stayed until our flight was supposed to leave on Nov 10.

My girlfriend received an email that our flight from Coron to Manila was cancelled! When we went to the local office for the airline, we were told that the airport was closed until Nov 15, with flights resuming on Nov 16! So then we went to try to buy tickets for a boat off the island...found out that the Coast Guard was banning boat travel until further notice. So we were not leaving Coron yet. We decided to spend the day volunteering to try and help those stranded on Coron like ourselves, and also to help pack needed food for other survivors of the typhoon. Very heartwarming to see so many people helping out, and also to see how strong willed the Filipino people are. We finally left on Nov 12, there was still so much damage at the Busuanga airport.

[Bayareaguy 156]

More before/after pictures:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/specials/typhoon-haiyan-photos-before-after/

[typo808 11]

Fiancee's sister and boyfriend just made it to catbalogan on their way to the remote province where the family house is. The good news is that she received a text saying everyone in the family is alive. But no food is available. The 2 have had a little trouble with someone trying to steal their things but all is good right now. Dressed low key, no jewelry, no watches and not carryinga bunch of stuff has helped. We hopw to move the family to Pampanga leaving a couple men behind to rebuild the house.

2nd time they have lost everything in 3 years. This will need more prayers.