So we are packing up and heading to the bus station in one hour. The bus from Naga to Manila leaves at 8p, arriving in Manila at 4a. The typhoon will hit the Philppines sometime tomorrow. It looks like we will feel it in Manila around Sunday. Given the strength of this storm, and understanding the recent history in Lagonoy with typhoon Glenda this past June, I am figuring that I've seen the last of electricity there. Im not sure how that is going to affect my postings once I get back to site. These next few posts might very well be the last for awhile... I will still record my thoughts on paper and transfer them online whenever I am able.
A few of us were talking today... events like this truly define our Peace Corps experience. That is, in years to come we will look at the PC adventure as "before Ruby" and "after Ruby". There is no doubt that what will happen in the next 72 hours will drastically change my next two months of service. The damage prediction maps I am seeing show Lagonoy in the path of "catastrophic" damage. Thats a step up from "Severe".
It is really sad, and frightening. After Yolanda last year, I am told that many PCVs just cashed it in and went home early because their towns were completely destroyed. There was nothing to go back to. Ruby isn't as large, thankfully, but every disaster is different. It is certainly way stronger than Glenda and is still a Category 4 typhoon. They estimate that the typhoon could bring over 1 foot of rain and Ive seen storm surge estimates exceeding 15 feet. That is going to wipe out barangays along the Lagonoy Gulf. Landslides will be life threatening. Flooding will be severe.
And yet, outside my window, I see the good folks of Naga just going about their evenings... as if nothing is going to happen. Sorry, I am having a surreal moment.
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