NDCC Oct 22, 2009 12mn

Evacuation orders have been given to thousands of families, across the Northern Philippines, particularly areas prone to flooding. As from Typhoon Lupit, the Philippine Government hopes to be “As ready as possible,” for any incident from the arrival of the third typhoon in a little more than three weeks.

The country is suffering as in just over a month of back to back to back natural disasters that has claimed over 850 lives, left tens of thousands homeless and living in shelters.

As well as destroyed major staple crops and and severly damaged infrastructure and overwhelmed the Island Nation affecting over 7 million people.

Typhoon Lupit (Ramil local name), just for hitting the country is living up to its name which means cruel or severe in the Tagalog dialect. As it is one storm too many for the ravaged Philippines.

Flood and Landslide fears:

Much of the damage caused by the storms has come from flood damage due to heavy rains, if Ramil (Lupit) stays longer than forecast as did an earlier storm it could have tragic results in many areas already waterlogged and with many dams both for irrigation and hydroelectric power filled in many cases at over capacity.

Preparedness: All Philippine Government units on full alert,  US forces also ready on standby

Government at all levels bore the brunt of critism some of which was deserved but by and large fueled by Political groups who ares setting into campaign mode for upcoming elections for all positions from councilor to President of the republic in May of 2010.

For this storm after almost 3 weeks the Government already in disaster mode from the two storms that hit the country has been on one of its highest levels of alert.

Ketsana and Parma’s Epic Floods: Nature’s wrath, Mans folly combined for disaster

However, it was a rare middle level storm Ketsana that caught many off guard inspite of warnings it had heavy rain and meant flooding for capitol region last month. Ketsana, known as Ondoy brought to light severe limitations of disaster preparedness in many part of the National capitol region. Where local officals had allowed ignoring decades of warnings from National government planners construction firms to develop projects in areas that has been long classified as flood plains or water shed areas.

Compounding the problems were clogged drainage systems as well as major river channels where squatters, marginal settlers has silted and lowered river depth levels. According to some experts had taken up in some places up to one half 1/2 of rivers capacity.  In other areas garbage filled drains and canals called ‘Esstero’s’ made for some of the worst flooding Metro Manila had seen in over forty years.

Much of it allowed due to ‘patronage’ politics of local officials in some areas.

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