Deeply Saddened About The Aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda

I don't know where to being as I try to write this post. I've watched the news only last night and looked at photos of the aftermath of the world's strongest typhoon ever recorded that battered my home country, the Philippines.

It pains me to see young kids, wet, hungry and confused. It wretches my heart to know so many people lost their lives and many more missing. I cannot fathom the feeling of seeing so much destruction caused by a singular event in a span of few hours. It is okay to lose the material stuff but what about the lives lost?

I wasn't able to sleep well last night thinking of all those bad things.  Many thoughts crossed my mind about why the Filipinos have to go through another deadly calamity when just few weeks ago, we dealt with a strong earthquake that claimed lives.

How much more calamities do we have to endure to say, enough is enough? Who are we to say that?

If only the corrupt officials used their ill-gotten wealth to build stronger infrastructure and dedicated state-of-the-art warning devices then at least, all our taxes were used for the betterment of these corrupt officials' constituent. But it's never the case. I don't think the government will ever learn. Get the billions of pesos squandered by Napoles and give it back to my countrymen!

I'm just angry, sad and really upset with everything that my countrymen is going through. I know I can only offer my prayers and donations at this point but I hope, my prayers and the millions more of people who pray with me that my countrymen will rise above all these. I pray that there will be no more calamities like this that will claim innocent lives. God spare the innocent...

(all photos from news.yahoo.com)

Major Earthquake Hits Iran Today

An intensity 7.8 in the Richter Scale hit Southeastern Iran today around 3 in the afternoon, Dubai local time. So far, 40 have been reported dead but is still not confirmed. The epicenter of the quake near  Khash was strong enough that it was felt in India, Pakistan, nearby Gulf regions including the Middle East.

Iran was also the center of the news last week with a weaker magnitude of 6.3 eartquake to hit the country leaving 37 dead and 850 wounded.

We felt the strong earthquake in Dubai as well. Throngs of people were asked to leave their buildings in anticipation of stronger aftershocks. My office is in the 8th floor and my colleagues and I felt it so bad that I took cover under my table and waited for the big bosses to direct us to leave the building in an orderly fashion.

I am not sure how long the quake lasted but it felt so long. We felt giddy and a bit disoriented. None was hurt in the evacuation in our area. I just pray that there won't be any harsh aftershock to ensue. God help us all.

Anniversary After Shock in Japan

Exactly 1 month after the catastrophic 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami which rattled Japan, another 7.0 magnitude trembler was felt shortly after the ceremony to honor the victims of the event.

Sendai, the hardly hit northern town in Japan has issued evacuation alert citing health risk of living there in a long term basis.

Today's earthquake in Japan is about 100 miles North of Tokyo inland. 

Imminent Danger

Japan is still experiencing after shocks as we speak. The grim reality of facing the catastrophic effect of the recent off-shore quake and tsunami is overwhelming. The threat of a nuclear meltdown is also looming around the Japanese government and the world as a whole.

I am still following the development of the recent natural disasters which hit Japan last week. Bodies are now floating in the coastal areas and the hope of containing the scary nuclear meltdown is becoming dim.

I feel sad and scared. Much as we all want to do our share to help; these events are just beyond our capacity as humans. These things will remind us that there is certainly a higher power greater than mankind.

I pray all these imminent danger come to pass. We need to pray for Japan to have the strength to rebuild its nation. We cannot let the possible meltdown ruin the environment and the rest of the world. I believe that a prayer when said in unison becomes a prayer brigade. Let's do our part in any way we can.

Blasphemous Remarks

"Is this the way you repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you? - Deuteronomy 32:6"

I am really bothered why people who don't believe in a Higher power would leave irreverent comments in some websites about "our God" in the wake of the numerous news about the natural tragedy which struck Japan yesterday.

I will not dignify those people's comments anymore by posting them here but to say bad things about "our God" is totally blasphemous. If you don't believe in God then that's your prerogative. When people say they offer their prayers and pray to God for redemption, let them! BUT don't let us Catholics and Christians keep our faith to ourselves!

Gearing Up for the Extreme Weather

Weather these days is just hard to predict and understand. In places where it usually don't snow, snowed. Moreover, places which experience cold season, albeit in a brief period of time, did not feel the winter at all. And that is what we are experiencing here in the UAE. The winter season is barely felt. I think it did not come.

I was reading the news a while ago and saw pictures of the flash flood in Saudi Arabia. Sure, the people in the Middle East region is not new to some rainfall but not torrential rains. People were not geared properly and they were not ready for calamities like that.

People still walk around the knee-high flood like it was ordinary puddle. They do not have proper overshoes to protect themselves from contaminants in the water or even water-borne disease.

Everyone must be educated on how to act when calamities such as this happen. They should know the rudiments of survival to be able to overcome this natural cause.

It has not rained hard in the UAE yet. After seeing the floods in Saudi Arabia, I think the people of UAE are quite relieved to have not felt the extreme weather at all.

Shaken but not Stirred

There was a tremor here in Dubai around 2:35 p.m. today and I was one of the few in the office who felt it. I instantly alerted everyone that I was experiencing tremors - twice, about a minute apart. The first one was stronger than the 2nd. The epicenter was said to be in Iran. The seismic activity measured around 6.1 in the Richter scale.

My colleagues just laughed it off saying I was overly "sensitive" about these stuff. Well, I quipped: "One day, you people will thank me for being an environmental freak! I am in-tune with nature so things like this, I feel right away." I felt like the "boy who cried wolf" when I told them there were tremors as I spoke. What can I do if I am that princess with a pea under the mattress?

I told them, the next time it happens (which I hope and pray that it doesn't), I won't warn them. I'll pick up my bag and run like crazy out of the office! Leave me a pink slip for all I care!!! I'll be running for my life!