We are starting to get updates from tacloban through the limited media sources. Mai's cousin used her 3 minutes at city hall to contact her sister in manila.
From mai's immediate family miraculously her sister, US husband Hal, 2 of her brothers and their wives and all the kids are safe. Their area was least hit. However the house lost the roof from a very strong house and the interior of the house is pretty much destroyed.
We also learned that Mai's other brother Alvin survived with his wife and 6 children plus her aunt close by. No idea the state of their homes as the surrounding area was hit very badly. (just got news, the water filled the house to the 1st floor, thankfully they survived)!!!
Mai's remaining brother Raffy and family also survived. They live near down town and from photo's we seen the structures were intact but there was a severe water surge and major temporary flooding up tintheir chests. Thank god the kids are all safe and throughout the family the kids are not so small now so can think fast for themselves. house is destroyed but they survived!!!
We still need to find out about many of mai's aunts and uncles, cousins and friends. No news from the farm but we know that Alvin told the families who live near by to stay in the farm house as it was the only concrete structure close by and has a water source a well pump outside, the buildings are not important, the people are important. as long as they survived.
There is a desperate need of food and water! desperate!!! The Philippines is a very unforgiving environment for a young fit man with enough food and water I can assure you, despite the challenges everyone faces.
Hopefully the troops are getting in now. And from around the world supplies are arriving. hopefully the president, government etc accept they need help as any country would in a time like this. This is biblical in proportions.
Mai is getting messages all the time of the scale of the deaths involved. The whole of down town was washed away. mai's friend made it to manila and emailed that there are bodies literally every few metres on the way to the airport. Whole families wiped out. We are constantly hearing from friends who have lost their loved ones.
There is nothing we can do at this moment, money is useless as there are no shops, no markets to buy from. The church groups and barangys are coming together as best they can in the areas that survived. The poor, poor souls from the shore areas are really struggling. God help them.
When we can we will be sending over assistance for our family. We will also be looking into how to raise funds. I may be selling off my collection of napoleonics and pretty much whatever we can to help our family survive and rebuild. we have as a group discussed helping collectively but we are not sure to trust the government with any founds raised. I'm Sorry to say it but any outside observer of Philippines politics will understand this. we have put away a wee bit for a rainy day and that rainy day has come. 1st water, food, medical and shelter. Then we will help rebuild.
Thankyou everyone for your kind words of support. At this time it really means a lot. I think we have had maybe 4-5 hours sleep since Thursday evening , Friday morning. Mai smiled for the 1st time this morning since Thursday night our chests feel like they are going to explode but we are safe in a warm house and have plenty of food and water here in Scotland.
Our thoughts are with everyone who has lost their loved ones and to the survivors with the challenges they now face.
My very, very best regards
Paul
From mai's immediate family miraculously her sister, US husband Hal, 2 of her brothers and their wives and all the kids are safe. Their area was least hit. However the house lost the roof from a very strong house and the interior of the house is pretty much destroyed.
We also learned that Mai's other brother Alvin survived with his wife and 6 children plus her aunt close by. No idea the state of their homes as the surrounding area was hit very badly. (just got news, the water filled the house to the 1st floor, thankfully they survived)!!!
Mai's remaining brother Raffy and family also survived. They live near down town and from photo's we seen the structures were intact but there was a severe water surge and major temporary flooding up tintheir chests. Thank god the kids are all safe and throughout the family the kids are not so small now so can think fast for themselves. house is destroyed but they survived!!!
We still need to find out about many of mai's aunts and uncles, cousins and friends. No news from the farm but we know that Alvin told the families who live near by to stay in the farm house as it was the only concrete structure close by and has a water source a well pump outside, the buildings are not important, the people are important. as long as they survived.
There is a desperate need of food and water! desperate!!! The Philippines is a very unforgiving environment for a young fit man with enough food and water I can assure you, despite the challenges everyone faces.
Hopefully the troops are getting in now. And from around the world supplies are arriving. hopefully the president, government etc accept they need help as any country would in a time like this. This is biblical in proportions.
Mai is getting messages all the time of the scale of the deaths involved. The whole of down town was washed away. mai's friend made it to manila and emailed that there are bodies literally every few metres on the way to the airport. Whole families wiped out. We are constantly hearing from friends who have lost their loved ones.
There is nothing we can do at this moment, money is useless as there are no shops, no markets to buy from. The church groups and barangys are coming together as best they can in the areas that survived. The poor, poor souls from the shore areas are really struggling. God help them.
When we can we will be sending over assistance for our family. We will also be looking into how to raise funds. I may be selling off my collection of napoleonics and pretty much whatever we can to help our family survive and rebuild. we have as a group discussed helping collectively but we are not sure to trust the government with any founds raised. I'm Sorry to say it but any outside observer of Philippines politics will understand this. we have put away a wee bit for a rainy day and that rainy day has come. 1st water, food, medical and shelter. Then we will help rebuild.
Thankyou everyone for your kind words of support. At this time it really means a lot. I think we have had maybe 4-5 hours sleep since Thursday evening , Friday morning. Mai smiled for the 1st time this morning since Thursday night our chests feel like they are going to explode but we are safe in a warm house and have plenty of food and water here in Scotland.
Our thoughts are with everyone who has lost their loved ones and to the survivors with the challenges they now face.
My very, very best regards
Paul
4 comments:
Hi Paul
Tragic times. I stayed in Tacloban a few years back during there liberation celebrations and we were made to feel very welcome. We stayed in a villa right on the coast which I'm guessing would be gone now. Sad to think all the people we met and kids we taught to play cricket will be suffering now
All the best
Steve
Really glad you guys got some good news. Tell Mai that the thoughts of myself and my loved ones are with her family and the people out there. Not sure there's much I can do to help, but give me a shout if there is.
Nei momenti difficili ogni parola è un rimarcare il dolore. Non si ha voglia di dire nulla. Ci vorrebbero fatti pratici, ritornare indietro nel tempo e tornare ad essere felici a quando si era bambini. Ma sai che questo non può accadere e allora taci per usare la mente e rivivere i ricordi. Purtroppo questa è la vita e bisogna andare avanti cercando di godersi al massimo il presente per riempirla.
Thanks for you concern guys, will keep you informed.
Best
Paul
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