Different areas of Luzon experienced widespread black out during the onslaught of storm Basyang. My husband and I were up until past 3 a.m. monitoring the rising water level in front of our house. Debris such as fallen branches and leaves covered the drainage passage which made it difficult for the accumulated rain water to go through the drainage. I’m just thankful that the water did not reach our house. Electricity resumed after lunch but many parts of Luzon still do not have electricity as of the moment. Casualties have been reported and my heart goes out to all the victims of the storm.
The country is now experiencing its first tropical storm for the year. Several areas in Luzon are currently under typhoon warnings. In fact, afternoon classes were suspended in several areas in Luzon earlier today. Typhoon Basyong is expected to hit land fall tonight. Pag-asa is warning the public under public storm signals 1, 2 and 3 to take extra precaution. The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) are on alert to provide help to typhoon victims.
It’s the start of the rainy season. Time to set aside the flip flops and use closed shoes. It’s better if you have rain-resistant shoes or boots. Expect water puddles and mud puddles so it’s advisable to protect your feet from getting soaked and dirty. Check the weather forecast before going out of the house. Rain can sometimes be unpredictable so don’t forget to bring your umbrella and rain gear just in case. You can buy a handy umbrella that you can easily fold and put inside your bag or a light, rain-resistant jacket.
Summer is already coming to an end. Rainy season is next. In fact, it’s already making its presence felt through rain showers. The afternoon rain is becoming more frequent signaling the changing season. The roof in our laundry area needs repairs. Hubby already made arrangements to have the roofing materials changed before the monsoon season comes in full blast. We’re also having the living room screens changed because I noticed some holes where mosquitoes can pass through. With the rainy season coming, it’s good to make necessary home adjustments to protect the family from the usual health concerns during the wet season of the year.
The heat was almost unbearable today. It took a while for both the a/c and fan to beat the heat inside the room. But I still felt the terrible heat whenever I went out of the room. No wonder, I found out that temperatures soared to a mighty high today. In fact in Metro Manila, it reached 37.3 degrees today. The worse thing is, PAGASA is saying to watch out for hotter climate due to El Nino.
Some areas in the Philippines were devastated by floods due to typhoon Ondoy last Saturday, September 26, 2009. Unexpected floods hit Metro Manila, nearby towns and provinces. Experts say that the 6-hour rainfall was equivalent to one month of rain. The sudden rising of flood led to loss of lives and tremendous damages to property. Please open your hearts and help the typhoon victims in any small way you can.
Below are some suggested ways on how to help:
I just stayed home this weekend with my family. It has been raining the whole weekend. After several days of hot and humid weather comes persistent rain showers. Sadly my son now has colds and early signs of cough due to the changes in the weather. I hope he gets well soon because he will be going back to school on the second week of June.
Ever since rainy season started, I always make it a point to put a cap and a raincoat inside my son’s bag. Sometimes the weather can be so deceiving. You could wake up to a promising day with bright sunshine and blue skies only to have a great downpour in the afternoon. I want my son to be prepared just in the case it rains and he’s still in school.
Happy Sunday everyone! It’s been unusually cold and breezy in our place for several weeks now. No need to turn on the air conditioner, just the electric fan. During the early hours of the morning, I even turn off the fan. That will cut down our electric bill for the month.
I’m enjoying the cold weather but I understand it has its negative effects too. The changes in weather has been making some people I know sick (usually cough, colds and some asthma attacks). I do hope they get better soon.
Last Wednesday, we were already inside the school service when we heard news that classes were suspended at Yohan’s school. It was raining very hard and the sky cloaked in dark clouds. Good thing we were still inside the village so the driver drove us and the other students back home.
The terrible weather persisted all night and I decided on Thursday morning not to let Yohan go to class anymore. I did not want to risk my little boy getting sick because of the heavy downpour and strong winds. On Thursday evening, I heard the announcement that it was Signal No. 1 in our area because of tropical storm “Mina”. For pre-schoolers such as my son, Signal No. 1 means automatically that they don’t have classes. What does a mom like me do knowing there’s no classes the following day? Blog hopping until the wee hours of the morning, of course. 
I woke up at 9 a.m. this Friday morning unlike the usual 4 a.m. It felt good to stay in bed longer. Then I noticed something weird. It was very calm outside, not a single drop of rain or sign of strong wind in the air. It’s not that I’m complaining, I just think it’s ironic that a few days ago when the weather seemed so terrible, there was no storm signal but now that there is an announcement, the weather is perfectly fine.
I’m grateful though that we are not experiencing signs of the typhoon but I don’t want to be too sure because they say that there is an eerie calmness just before a big storm. It’s still better to remain at home and hope that Typhoon “Mina” will not hit us and change its course.
My heart goes out to all the people who were affected by the two consecutive storms that hit various parts of the country.
Image from Pag-asa website.
