Photos et lettres des Philippines, de France et d'ailleurs

The typhoon Bopha, here called Pablo, arrived here on Tuesday, December 4 at 3 pm with a strength index of 2-3 on a scale of five, with five being the maximum. I thought the end of the world had arrived and even my two dogs were panicked not adding to my serenity as furthermore the electricity and telephone were cut. I did not know yet how lucky I was because at the peak of the typhoon, it was low tide so the sea did not entered our lot despite huge waves worthy of a storm in Brittany. Moreover, from 10 km north of the house and to Dumaguete it was desolation. They were uprooted trees with branches everywhere and electric poles and the electric wires were on the ground in the middle of the road.

(The poles and electric wires in the middle of the highway)

In town, apart from acacia trees on the boulevard almost all the others were uprooted and many roofs gone.

(The fallen trees on the Boulevard)

Worse still the sea terminal of the fast crafts bound to Siquijor which is a kind of floating pontoon that I have known since 2001, broke its moorings and collided was the sea wall of the boulevard. It was a true spectacle of disaster.

(The boat terminal in the sea wall)

Dumaguete has been without electricity for more than two days and in my place it lasted for forty-two hours. During the storm, a little water seeped through the gutters of my sliding windows but I could quickly mop it up.

(A fallen mango tree blocking the road)

In general, the depression affecting the Philippines comes from the northeast and therefore Dumaguete is safe since Negros is sheltered by many other islands in the East. It is the second time in one year that two typhoons hit us from the Southeast. The previous made many victims, especially in Mindanao but this time the alarm had been given earlier so it should be more forgiving. However, according to the latest news, it would have made more than 500 victims. The media say that make global warming is responsible pushing the typhoons more towards the southern regions unaccustomed and unprepared.
Before 2011, my housekeeper had never seen only here one here typhoon force 1 the lowest and he is almost 50 years old now.
Once again, I noticed that faced with natural disasters, Filipinos remain calm and keep a smile but do they have any other choices?

(A destroyed banana grove)