Living Through Super Typhoon Yolanda.

 9:00am. We are waiting. The power wentout about an hour ago ... so no internet and also no internet on my phone. The cities around us have been shut down so this “brown out” could last all day.

It has been raining off and on since last night but so far nothing very heavy.

The mess left by Typhoon Yolanda - 100 kms from the epicentre!

If the typhoon follows the path that it was expected to it will pass the closest to us (less than 100kms away) in about 4 or 5 hours time.  Just to understand the size of Yolanda – the has a diameter of about 600 kms.

The wind has picked up noticeably and the front screen door has slammed a few times as stronger gusts pump through. The lounge floor is damp as the wind drives the rain across the carport and through the gauze screen.

I recall that yesterday I noticed that in a number of places branches were being cut off trees. Now I realize why.

Outside a maid is following her daily routine and sweeping the leaves on the road. It seems pointless as the wind freshens and more leaves fall and debris is blown around.

The conditions seem ominous – grey, heavy skies, gusting winds and the never ending sound of the rain. One is expectant. This is not like the massive earthquake we experienced a few weeks ago.

Although the earthquake was violent – it was sudden and occurred on a sunny morning on a public holiday. This is relentless and will last for many hours. 

My thoughts go out to all the people who are living in wooden shacks. Many with no windows and leaking roofs, having to wait in anticipation … and hope that they wont be too badly affected.

However the path of the eye as it moves from west to east through the Philippines will pass through a number of populated areas. With winds of up to 300kph there has to be some serious damage.

11:00am. The sky is darker. The sound of the rain is relentless and clatters noisily on the plastic roof. The wind has freshened significantly and the front door is closed. Most of the windows have been closed but at times you hear them banging in their frames as the gusts get stronger.

This tree was at least 10m tall - snapped off at the roots. One of 3 in our sub-division

I am certainly glad that I’m indoors and not out there.

There is evidence of the wind strength as you look up the road and see the litter of small branches that have been ripped down. On the upstairs verandah the lounger is upside down.

A few stairs have large puddles of water which are now overflowing downstairs. It’s certainly surprising how much rain can be blown through a sliding door gap of only a centimeter or two.

1:00pm. The worst is obviously over. The rain is spitting and the wind is brisk with quite strong gusts.  After a short walk outside the damage is evident. Large branches have been ripped from trees.

A number of large trees completely uprooted. A few people are out sawing away at the fallen trees that are blocking the roads. Not a chain saw in sight.

Littered around one tree are a number of large coconut sized nuts. Definitely not something to land on ones head! A loose piece of corrugated iron flaps noisily in the wind.

If this is the damage in our subdivision I’m sure that outside there must be some significant devastation.

Thanks to a gas cooker we can boil water for tea or coffee during power outages. But right now (quite selfishly) all we would like is for the power to be turned on.