It has only been a month since our town experienced one of the strongest earthquakes I have ever felt in my life. The 6.9 magnitude earthquake shook not only our homes but also our hearts. Everyone was terrified, unsure of what would happen next. Just when things were starting to get better and my fellow Cebuanos were beginning to recover, another disaster struck us. This time, it was a typhoon named “Tino,” a signal no. 4 storm that once again tested our strength and courage.
**Courtesy: DOST-PAGASA**
It truly breaks my heart to see how much our town has suffered. Many people in our area still sleep outside their homes, afraid that another aftershock might occur. But when the typhoon came, they had no choice but to stay inside their houses despite their fear. The wind was strong, and the rain poured nonstop. It was a terrifying night that felt endless. Yet, even with all the fear, I saw something beautiful in our community. People continued to show resilience. They held on to hope and continued to help one another even in the most difficult moments.
My family and I were lucky to be in the city, far from the center of the typhoon. But even so, we could still feel the strong wind and heavy rain. I could not help but worry about our house in San Remigio. We have not received any news from our province since the signal went down. The connection was cut off, and the blackout made everything harder. Every time I tried to sleep, my mind wandered back to our hometown, wondering how everyone was doing and if our house was still standing.
The city also lost power, and since most of our cooking appliances were electric, we could not prepare meals at home. My family and I decided to go to my aunt’s house because she had a gas stove. We brought our rice and viand with us so we can cook their and eat. It was a small thing, but being their with my family gave me a bit of comfort.
We also bought food and snacks because we're afraid we might run out of foods to eat. We just bought snacks and easy to cook foods so that even if it rains heavily and can't go out to get food, we still have something to eat.
Last night, the wind howled so loudly that I could not sleep. I could hear the roof shaking, and I was afraid it might fly off at any moment. I prayed silently, hoping that the storm would soon pass. When morning came, the damage around the city was visible. Trees were uprooted, electric wires were down, and some houses had lost parts of their roofs. Despite all of that, I was thankful that we were safe and that right now the storm had atleast weakened.
Disasters like this really shows how unpredictable life can be. One day everything is calm, and the next, everything changes. But what remains constant is our ability to rise again. I know that my town will recover just like we always do. The people there are strong and full of faith. They may have lost their homes, but not their hope.
To anyone reading this who has also been affected by the earthquake and the typhoon, I hope you are safe. Please do not lose hope. We are all in this together, and better days will come. Let us continue to pray for one another and for those who have lost so much during these calamities. Nature may test our strength, but it will never take away our courage to rebuild and move forward. Stay vigilant and hold on to hope and we will get through this.
*Amping kanunay!*