I have experienced flooding before- in 1979, 1999, 2011. It happens to us with a more than a decade interval. I did not expect it to come too soon. The non-stop raining for the past two weeks was something to be concerned about.
My cousin and I were chatting about how my aunt reacted to the flooding in their street. She described it as ‘thrilling’ because it has been stationary near their gate for days.
This was our version of thrilling by Sunday afternoon, January 19.
We even managed to build a makeshift fort for our dog to prevent him from jumping into the water.
By late afternoon on Sunday, the water level already rose.
My friend who lives near the river already evacuated their families.
In the evening, I got a text from my boss about a tweet from Prof. Mahar Lagmay, executive director of Project NOAH. I verified it. True enough I got the same information. Prof Lagmay is an expert I asked about flood maps before and I trust his assessment.
This made us decide to prepare for flooding. From previous experience, we know the flood-prone areas in the house so we quickly vacated the area.
Remember my living room last Christmas?
We emptied it. Almost.
We transferred the furniture to my Aunt’s house.
Their living room turned into a bodega. We reinforced the furniture legs with plastic cups.
That afternoon, my aunt already secured her plants on the waiting shed bench.
We slept tight when the 11:30 PM warning of Prof Lagmay had passed.
When we woke up, we are still dry. However, heavy rains kept pounding. The Tropical Depression Agaton showed its strength after being categorized as a low pressure area (LPA) for more than a week. The water level of the mighty Agusan River rose.
Then, my living room had two inches of flood. Yes, we still have power and my aunt was able to watch her favorite teleserye.
My aunt’s porch was flooded. We were grateful that the living room was dry.
My rooms were still safe and dry.
The dogs were safe and dry.
By Tuesday morning, rain was reduced to drizzles and the water in my home was slowly receding. It was cleanup time for us. My aunt started scooping out flood waters to the pail and I carried those pails 50 steps away to my bathroom. It was a good workout.
We did the same thing with my living room that by Tuesday afternoon, my floors were squeaky clean. I purposely sat on the floor to show you how clean it is. Pardon the fashion faux pas.
We had time to roam around the neighborhood and the streets were still flooded.
There are still thousands of families in the evacuation centers. I know someone who lost their home. I know someone whose brother had to be rescued.
My beloved city is under the state of calamity. I am fine. My family is fine. But there are still thousands who are homeless. The water level has not yet subsided.
Please keep us in your prayers.
OMG!!! I hope you’re doing okay there. Ill include you in my prayers. I also have relatives at Leyte and they said they are also experiencing heavy rains there.
Hi Kat! I hope everything’s fine now. Good to know that you were fully prepared. Keeping you and your family in my prayers.
Hope that everything is back to normal soon . Glad that you were prepared.
Omg what a tragedy !! I am glad that you were fully prepared and you managed to “put things in order” after that. Thanks for sharing your experience !! 🙂
That’s terrible, but it’s good that things are coming back to order.
Oo nga pala, I heard Butuan is under flood warning because of Agaton. Thank God ganyan lang inabot sa inyo. Maganda talaga na mabilis ang mga information para safe lahat.
Oo. Alert talaga dapat. Learn from the experiences of others.
Hello from Singapore! Take care and hope your city surpass this challenge.
Hello! Welcome to my blog. That is what I hope, too.
Dito rin palaging umuulan at malakas ng hangin. Pero hindi naman bumabaha.
Mabuti at hindi naman masyadong tumaas ang tubig sa loob ng bahay nyo. Iniisip ko gaano ba kalayo ang bahay ng tiyahin mo at nakaya nyong ilipat ang naglalakihang sofa sa kanila.
We are still praying for our brethren in Mindanao who are affected by typhoon Agaton.
Just two sliding doors away. The safe area with the dogs is our boundary. 😀 Thanks for your prayers!
Oh emm.. I’m so sorry to read about this. I hope you and your family is safe. Take care & God Bless! 🙂
Thanks for your tips, Yette!
Glad to know that you’re safe. Ang hirap talaga pag dumadating ang ganitong panahon. Take care and God bless!
Thanks, Van. Disaster has become the norm and we need to be alert and ready.
I hope everything will be back to normal and Its always good to be prepared at all time. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers:) Ingat always, Kat
http://wish4less.blogspot.com
Thanks, Melgie. The city is trying to go back to business as usual. There are still families in evacuation center, though.
galing nung paper cups! remembered na malapit kayo sa tulay…sabi ko nga kina shirls, may stock ng de lata but looks like hindi nag brown out 🙂 next time na lang tayo mag binondo!
Oh, that elusive Binondo food trip! Sana wala kang trip or activity pag nandiyan ako.
Hope you are fine now… Stay safe.
Allan (www.ourfamilyblogsabout.info)
Did your place get flooded in recent years or ngayon lang? The weather is scary ano?
Third time: 1999, 2011 and then now, 2014.
Since the flooding happened too soon, I think it is about time the government should focus on proper drainage to avoid flooding in areas like yours 🙂
My goodness! I had no idea of the flood you experienced in your home. The pictures worried me until I saw you sitting on the floor after cleaning up… Hope this is the end of it. S
ending you prayers and hugs and glad you are fine.
Elizabeth
it was heartwarming to see you smiling despite the rain water getting inside your house. i saw this news on the tube and it was heartbreaking to see many places flooded caused by this typhoon. i hope all is well at your end now!
All is well in my part of the city but there are still areas with flooded waters and no power. 🙁
I’m glad that in spite of those worries, there’s still a smile on your face Kat 🙂
Thank God all of you are ok and that you were all warned ahead of time.
I’m always thankful for these Social Medias in times like this.
Thanks, Jhari. There are still so much to be thankful for. 😀
Great to hear you and your family were safe during the LPA. Basyang is coming and will hit Mindanao again. WE should be prepared always. Keep safe sis!
Glad to know that you are safe Sis. It’s really stressful pag binabaha, you know all the mess that it brings to the house. Ang hirap atang maghakot ng gamit at maglinis. But more importantly, yung safety ng family nyo. God Bless. 🙂
[…] Meeting new friends. My friend organized a feeding session for those kids who were victims of Typhoon Agaton in her area. We distributed snacks and a dentist was asked to teach kids how to properly brush […]