Sometimes, no matter how much we carefully prepare, we fail because the disaster is just too big, like in the past Typhoon Yolanda, the Weather Official and the peoples had been monitoring the Typhoon, and advised, prepared the people of what to do for safety but they didn't prepare and had not anticipated the 6-meter (20-feet) storm surges that hard-hit the place of Tacloban.
Typhoon Yolanda considered by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) as a super typhoon ever hit the Philippines. landed on Nov. 11, 2013 at the area of Visayas with the wind blasting at 235 kilometers per hour (147 mph) that occasionally blew with speeds of up to 275 kph (170 mph), and created storm surge which swept through Tacloban area, and other part of Visayas, a life and properties was devastated, lost and ruined, seems to be nothing left. A Thousand were dead and injured. Some are still unidentified and missing, dead and debris mixed together in the streets, so, awful, everything has lost, only the life of survivor‘s left. I was not there but my heart also devastated and my tears broken when I saw it in the news, because of this tragedy several areas in Visayas regions have been declared under state of calamity.
For all we know, what is a Storm Surge?
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| www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/ |
This is the most dangerous phenomenon associated with hurricane or typhoon; it can be devastating to low-lying coastal place like what happened in Tacloban and other part of Visayas that resulted to a big flood. Look like the Typhoon gyrate around Visayan Island and compress the cities with storm surge.
There are many factors that cause and affect a storm surge event:A storm surge is primarily caused by the relationship between the winds and the ocean’s surface.
Storm Winds: Can blow water directly towards the coast, if the winds are blowing perpendicular to the coastline then a greater surge event will occur because water will not be deflected away from land. As the wind-transported water enters shallow areas it slows due to greater friction with the sea floor and "piles" upon itself, resulting in a rise in the observed sea level.
Wave Run-up: Waves transfer water up and onto the shore; the effects of wave run-up can be exacerbated by strong winds and the increase in sea level which allows them to reach much farther inland than they could under normal conditions. Wind-driven waves can destroy structures and infrastructure in a short period of time, leaving an area almost unrecognizable to its former inhabitants.
Low Barometric Pressure within the Storm: Observed sea level within the storm can be raised by ~1cm/millibar inversion of barometric pressure, further adding to the increase in sea level. Think of this effect as being similar to what happens when drinking a beverage with a straw; sucking on the straw creates an inversion of pressure within it drawing fluid up into the area of low pressure from the area relatively high pressure area surrounding it.
Atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric pressure is the force exerted by the weight of air in the Earth’s atmosphere. The pressure is higher at the edges of a cyclone than it is at the center. This pushes down the water in the outer parts of the storm, causing the water to bulge at the eye and eye wall—where the winds have helped add to the rise in sea level.
Astronomical Tides: Can greatly increase the size of a surge event. If the surge coincides with a spring tide then meters may be added to the surge, greatly increasing the potential for harm and the area affected.
The strength of a storm surge as the dome of water comes ashore. The water level can reach as high as 10 meters (33 feet) if the storm surge happens at the same time as high tide. The slope of the land just off the coast also plays a part: Water will more easily flood a shallow coast than a steep one.
What should we do before the typhoon or storm surge comes.
Think that you are under threat.
If you live or work in the coastal tropics or subtropics, find out from your local Emergency Services or local council whether you are in a surge-prone area. If you are, decide where you will go in the event of a storm surge. You might have a friend living on higher ground with whom you could go and stay. Wherever you’re nearest safe high ground shelter might be, work out the safest way to get there.
Be ready to evacuate.
Now is the time to plan for what you will do in the event of evacuation. Will you have essential medicines? What about vital documents? What will you do with your pets? Talk with your local council or Emergency Services about what you plan to do.
And time to evacuate.
Be prepared to evacuate as soon as you are advised to do so. This makes it easier for Emergency Services to manage the difficult task of moving a lot of people all at once, especially if the weather is getting worse. If you choose to leave of your own accord, tell your neighbors.
There is still good thing despite of this tragedy, that is, when the world unite to help the victim, it showed that in time like this we can be as one, one people in one earth. The neighboring countries of the Philippine send a huge help, everything that the victim may need. As far as I know this is the biggest event of donation-giving in the disaster victim ever happen in my time in the Philippines.
The Filipino people forgot their differences and joined hand together with one objective to help the victim of this disaster. God bless us.
Sources/References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
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