andyhb Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Death toll from Bopha now over 900. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullioz Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 Death toll from Bopha now over 900. The death toll has now exceeded 1000 and will likely end up close to 2000 when all is said and done due to the number still missing and those dying from complications after the fact. I was in Baganga over the weekend and shown the bodies of three infants that had passed away from dehydration on Saturday alone. I have posted a few pictures from my trip there in the outdoor photography thread and I have many more along with some video I will share once things settle down. I am heading back up on Tuesday to take more medical supplies as well as much needed tin for the roof of the hospital. The situation in Baganga as well as the town of Cateel is critical to say the least and it will take a very long time for these areas to recover. It is shocking at the lack of aid found in the town of Baganga 11 days after the storm as there is only one doctor at the hospital, and the roof has yet to be repaired. The food packs I distributed over the weekend were some of the first to arrive to many of the families as outside relief has been slow to reach the isolated community. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calamity Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 The GFS has been hinting at another cyclone impacting the Eastern Visayas region early next week. That wouldn't be good news for the areas still recovering from Bopha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullioz Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 The GFS has been hinting at another cyclone impacting the Eastern Visayas region early next week. That wouldn't be good news for the areas still recovering from Bopha. If anyone could post what the Euro is showing during this timeframe it would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phlwx Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 If anyone could post what the Euro is showing during this timeframe it would be much appreciated. Weaker, south, slower, but there's a bit of a low there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullioz Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Weaker, south, slower, but there's a bit of a low there. Thanks for the quick response. I will be keeping an eye on this for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewxmann Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Weaker, south, slower, but there's a bit of a low there. It's there on the GFS too, and a large area of disturbed weather is already showing up around 160E-170E. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HurricaneJosh Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 It's there on the GFS too, and a large area of disturbed weather is already showing up around 160E-170E. What do you think's gonna happen with it? Is it gonna spin up and threaten the Philippines? My friend, James, thinks it might. We're talking of chasing if it becomes something. I'm pissed about not having chased Bopha in Mindanao. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick05 Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 What do you think's gonna happen with it? Is it gonna spin up and threaten the Philippines? My friend, James, thinks it might. We're talking of chasing if it becomes something. I'm pissed about not having chased Bopha in Mindanao. ooh i can't wait! as for Bopha, meh--you could've been stuck there for days... and the towns were obliterated pretty much, hard to find somewhere to stay... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewxmann Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 What do you think's gonna happen with it? Is it gonna spin up and threaten the Philippines? My friend, James, thinks it might. We're talking of chasing if it becomes something. I'm pissed about not having chased Bopha in Mindanao. Eh, not sure about the safety of Mindinao, though I'm not very well versed about the politics of that area. Models have trended a bit weaker with this storm, but I think some form of a TC should still threaten the Philppines (and that's enough cause for concern by itself). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aslkahuna Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Politically, Mindanao is quieter now after an interim agreement between the MILF and the Government. But looking at the aftermath, you would have been in etreme danger during the storm and probably stuck for days afterwards. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullioz Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 I'm pissed about not having chased Bopha in Mindanao. as for Bopha, meh--you could've been stuck there for days... and the towns were obliterated pretty much, hard to find somewhere to stay... I would not be too upset about missing this one. Had you been anywhere near the point of landfall you would have been trapped for 3 or 4 days in a situation you would not want to find yourself in. I had to wait until four days after the storm until the route that runs through the Compestela Valley to Surigao then South to Baganga was cleared. That took 7 hours and normally I can get there in 3 1/2. Once there the people were in pretty bad shape and desperate. I spent the night In Baganga on my first visit and the sights, sounds, and smells were very unpleasant. There was no real shelter to speak of (I stayed in a single room with six other people with damaged sheets of tin for a roof), no running water, no bathroom, and only the food that was brought by myself was available. I would not have wanted to spend the time from landfall until the time I arrived there waiting to get out for sure. The term obliterated used by Patrick would be a good way to describe the villages that were along the coast. Politically, Mindanao is quieter now after an interim agreement between the MILF and the Government. But looking at the aftermath, you would have been in etreme danger during the storm and probably stuck for days afterwards. Steve As for the political climate here, the situation is still very unstable and the framework for peace between the MILF and the Philippine government that was signed in October is still not a done deal as talks have once again stalled. You also have groups such as the MNLF who do not recognize the agreement at all and have promised to continue the fight for their own Islamic state regardless of the outcome. Then there are small terrorist cells such as Abu Sayyef and Jemaah Islamiyah which are very active in the region. Just last Friday a terrorist tied to Jemaah Islamiyah had a bomb in a backpack and was planning to attack foreign aid workers based here in Davao City before he was shot by police. In the areas affected by the typhoon you have the New People's Army which has also been fighting the government for decades. That area is one of their strong holds and usually where most of the fighting with government forces takes place, although they do launch attacks throughout the Philippines. The NPA recently announced a 26 day cease fire in order to observe the Holiday season and to allow aid to freely flow to the victims of the storm. Prior to this however they did attack a military convoy of relief goods in route to the Compestela Valley last week. Add in the weekly extrajudicial killings that occur here and Mindanao can be quite an exciting place to live. Lol. In all seriousness though I feel safe here and have never feared for my safety at any time. That being said, you are correct in saying Josh would have been in danger and stuck here for days. While I am sure it would have been an awesome system to experience first hand, being trapped at ground zero for the hours and days following would have been traumatic even if you were able to escape physical injury. Fortunately the next system looks to be weak and will hopefully pass to the North. I will be leaving again on Monday to travel to Baganga and will spend Christmas there. Looks like it could be wet at the very least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HurricaneJosh Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 That being said, you are correct in saying Josh would have been in danger and stuck here for days. While I am sure it would have been an awesome system to experience first hand, being trapped at ground zero for the hours and days following would have been traumatic even if you were able to escape physical injury. Well... I hear what y'all are saying, but it could have been a life-changing experience-- not just meteorologically and journalistically, but on a humanitarian level. If I was stuck there for a week, I am sure-- as a healthy, able-bodied dude-- I could have helped in some way. It would have been a really hardcore sort of chase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aslkahuna Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 TS Wukong is tracking through the Visayas right now. Rain the primary issue. Oh, I definitely know about the NPA and even more about their predecessors the Huks-more than most Americans and a lot more than I'll ever say. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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