Ondoy "Ketsana": The Great Devastator (please watch and reflect)

Sit down and reflect...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------­----------
Ondoy made its landfall at Aurora - Quezon province about 6pm PST / 1000 (UTC) of September 26. The government declared a state of calamity in Metro Manila and 25 storm-hit provinces, allowing officials to utilize emergency funds for relief and rescue. Army troops, police and civilian volunteers rescued more than 4000 people. Ondoy roared across the north near the metropolis , dumping more than a month's worth of rain in just 12 hours. The resulting landslides and flooding left at least 122 people dead and 29 others missing. In addition, roads were clogged by vehicles struck in the floodwaters. Thousands of motorist and more than 500 passengers were stranded at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx). Distress calls and E-mails from thousands of metro manila and their worried relatives flooded tv and radio stations overnight. Also, powerlines and communication was shut down. Ondoy swamped entire towns, set off landslides and shut down the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for almost a day. State of Calamity declared together with confirmed deaths

Note: Ilocos Sur must be included as a province for which a state of calamity had been declared.

Several suburban towns on board air force helicopters and saw people waiting to be rescued in their rooftops and in flooded villages. The storm showed a devastating destroyed houses, overturned vans and cars, and streets were covered by mud and debris. The Marikina River and La Mesa Dam were opened due to dump rains becoming wide spreading floods in Metro manila. They smashed against the pillars of the bridges.

At the height of the flooding, around 100,000 liters bunker oil from the paper manufacturing firm Noah's Paper Mill in Marikina City spilled when pressurized by the surge. Most of the oil battered the city's barangays and small comparable amount combined with the Marikina River and basement of SM City Marikina. The spill will later complicate rescue efforts in the city.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) documented a record-high amount of of rainfall in 24 hours at 455 millimeters (mm). They also reported that Ondoy's rainfall was recorded from 8am PST/ 0000 (UTC) of Saturday (September 26) to 8am PST/ 0000 (UTC) of Sunday (September 27). The amount of rainfall recorded for six hours, which was at 341.3 (mm), was comparable to the 24 hour rainfall in 1967. The damage to property was estimated to be Php 6 billion, including Php 4.1 billion in damage to infrastructure, Php 1.9 billion in damage to schools, and Php 212,000 in damage to agriculture.

Various United Nations agencies, the United States, Japan and China also have provided emergency assistance to the victims of the typhoon.

In the Philippines, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) is the head government agency that headed the rescue and relief operations for the citizens affected by Ondoy's flooding. There was also a counterpart private-sector effort among companies and NGOs to provide and coordinate relief activities in various areas.

The Philippine Army deployed about 1,000 soldiers in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces to help in operations. The Philippine National Red Cross and the Philippine Coast Guard also deployed teams on rubber boats to rescue people stranded in their homes. On the Internet, citizens turned to various social networks like Twitter, Facebook, Plurk, and Multiply to share news updates and forward cries for help from people trapped in the floods. Google Maps was used to pinpoint locations of stranded people while various blogs and websites shared information on how to donate money and in-kind goods.

-----------------------------------------------
Photo Credit: Yahoo.com
Music: May Bukas Pa (Rico J. Puno), May Bukas Pa (Kyle Balili), Lead Me Lord (Gary Valenciano)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• tragedy
• typhoon
• calamity
• state
• philippines

[pnoiako07]

...i was crying while watching, specially with the kid singing, i wonder what his name is...

[jsarahina]

it's Kyle Balili. Contestant in Little Big Star (ABS-CBN)

[Gahara08]

this is the effect of climate change..

[jsarahina]

baka effect ng 2012 apocalypse. May parating na naman na bagyo this week...

[junganador]

wag na sana maulit itong nangyari.

[organist1277]

bibili na naman kami ng bagong car tapos sisirain lang ng di maingat magpawala ng tubig sa lamesa dam:-(papaliguan nyo na naman kami ng putikbanlik:-(

[ednafabian]

nakakalungkot tingnan ang mga kababayan hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko. god bless.

[zeniors]

WARNING! For Philippine Government, you need to change your attitude and do the will of God as it is written. The anger of God is at hand, don't wait till it's too late. No rich, no poor, all are affected. Next might be different kinds of sickness that leads to death specially for corrupt people in politics. WARNING!

[otchengco]

kung patuloy na kakalbuhin ang mga puno sa bundok, patuloy itong mangyyri sa ating bansa. sna sa mga kinahuukulan. gumawa nmn kyo praan pra mapigilan ang pagkalbo sa mga bundok na nggng dahlin gantong trahedya.

[XXXocelotXXX]

sobrang lungkot naman ng song!!

[jeruplong367]

may bukas pa mga pinoy sabi ni santino