it will be a while before the final total is known
Happywanderer said
06:17 AM Nov 12, 2013
Has now reached China 6 dead. Vietnam 13 dead.
countryroad said
06:31 AM Nov 12, 2013
One hell of a storm...whatever it's called.
I'm sure BG would have prudently made his plans, and probably considered plenty of leeway, so is safely hunkered down riding it out.
Like a sensible GN.
Robyn
Plendo said
07:21 AM Nov 12, 2013
I understand the Australian who has been confirmed dead was an ex priest Kevin Lee.
From interpreting what Ken has posted before he went of the the air, I believe he may be in Ormoc or Calbayog, both of which are on the west coast of the respective islands.
While the wind damage appears severe everywhere in the path of the typhoon, it looks as if most of the damage in Tacloban was caused by the tidal surge which would have been funneled and concentrated by the shape of the bay leading up to Tacloban. Being on the the west coast of the island I doubt is Ken would have experienced any significant tidal surge.
Wherever Ken is he will be in the middle of enormous destruction and devastation, but from his posts I believe he was well prepared.
jules47 said
04:57 PM Nov 12, 2013
Thanks for that info Plendo - Ken did seem to be well aware and prepared for the storm - let's hope we hear from him in the not too distant future!!!
Plendo said
06:29 AM Nov 13, 2013
I Agree Jules, it would be great to hear from Ken, but I suspect we will not hear any time soon. From what we are hearing the infrastructure across a number of provinces is pretty well destroyed. I know the army are using some of their communication resources to enable civilian voice traffic, but I believe they are prioritising domestic calls for family communications.
The latest news is that the food aid is slow getting through, with a recent aid convoy being hi jacked by rebels (they are hungry too.
The BIG fear now is dehydration, starvation, and disease. There are still many areas that have not yet been contacted, especially across Eastern Samar, which is expected to be the worst hit area.
What has happened there is truly devastating, and it has happened to people who do not have the resources to bounce back.
Please folks, think about the poor souls there and give what you can.
Big Gorilla said
03:21 PM Nov 17, 2013
jules47 wrote:
Hope BG survived this ok - our thoughts are with him. I also have a friend over there at the moment working, haven't heard anything from him either. Fingers crossed.
Just been reading thu all the posts and came across yours Jules. If you would like to give me your friend's name, who he/she is working for and in which City, I could try and find out any available information for you. I still have a lot of contacts in the Philippines including the Australian Embassy. If you prefer to keep it private, send details by PM.
-- Edited by Big Gorilla on Sunday 17th of November 2013 06:19:46 PM
Big Gorilla said
11:13 PM Nov 17, 2013
Just arrived in Manila and settling into a comfortable Hotel. Been within 200 kms of where the Typhoon hit. No damage but no power, no Internet, no Radio, No TV, water sometimes. Just isolated. My home in Cebu also no damage. I'll write up my experiences in next few days and post my experience. If you have CNN, watch it. It is giving full coverage. I estimated about 2000 dead. Newspaper I saw for first time this morning said over 10,000 dead and missing. I'm not planning on going out of the Hotel today, so I might write it today. In the Province this Super typhoon hit, sustained winds were 315kph with gusts to 380 kph. Bodies are hanging out of trees, out of windows, on the sides of the road. CNN stated this was the biggest and most powerful typhoon in the world EVER !!! Initially the prognosis showed this typhoon was to be overhead the City I was in, a direct hit. If that had happened you would not have heard from me again...
Thank you so much one and all for your kind thoughts.....mabuhay... Ken (BG)
_wombat_ said
12:56 AM Nov 18, 2013
Big Gorilla wrote:
jules47 wrote:
Hope BG survived this ok - our thoughts are with him. I also have a friend over there at the moment working, haven't heard anything from him either. Fingers crossed.
Just been reading thu all the posts and came across yours Jules. If you would like to give me your friend's name, who he/she is working for and in which City, I could try and find out any available information for you. I still have a lot of contacts in the Philippines including the Australian Embassy. If you prefer to keep it private, send details by PM or ken@southernpalms.com.ph
Phew, good to hear from you BG, and good to see you are safe, have been watching the news and it is all bad.
Perhaps you would like to edit your email addy out of your post and just PM jules, anybody can see your email and you may get a load of spam.
Happywanderer said
01:09 AM Nov 18, 2013
Fantastic news BG. There's been a lot of worried Greynomads on here including me.
Such a sad situation over there, glad you are safe.
D and D said
01:14 AM Nov 18, 2013
Good to see you made it BG. Like most people here I was was horrified at what was on the TV and I was hoping the best for you. Glad to see you back again and that you weren't hurt. All the best, hope things improve.
milo said
01:57 AM Nov 18, 2013
glad your ok BG..
mongrel said
03:23 AM Nov 18, 2013
Glad to see you are back BG. Hope you and your family and friends have weathered the storm (so to speak)and that everyone is safe.Must have been terrible for all those people . Some people who I work with have not been heard from for 2 weeks now .they went on a group holiday.Fingers crossed.As I said ,good to here from you Ken.
i cant believe the death toll.... so sad ..
it will be a while before the final total is known
I'm sure BG would have prudently made his plans, and probably considered plenty of leeway, so is safely hunkered down riding it out.
Like a sensible GN.
Robyn
I understand the Australian who has been confirmed dead was an ex priest Kevin Lee.
From interpreting what Ken has posted before he went of the the air, I believe he may be in Ormoc or Calbayog, both of which are on the west coast of the respective islands.
While the wind damage appears severe everywhere in the path of the typhoon, it looks as if most of the damage in Tacloban was caused by the tidal surge which would have been funneled and concentrated by the shape of the bay leading up to Tacloban. Being on the the west coast of the island I doubt is Ken would have experienced any significant tidal surge.
Wherever Ken is he will be in the middle of enormous destruction and devastation, but from his posts I believe he was well prepared.
I Agree Jules, it would be great to hear from Ken, but I suspect we will not hear any time soon. From what we are hearing the infrastructure across a number of provinces is pretty well destroyed. I know the army are using some of their communication resources to enable civilian voice traffic, but I believe they are prioritising domestic calls for family communications.
The latest news is that the food aid is slow getting through, with a recent aid convoy being hi jacked by rebels (they are hungry too.
The BIG fear now is dehydration, starvation, and disease. There are still many areas that have not yet been contacted, especially across Eastern Samar, which is expected to be the worst hit area.
What has happened there is truly devastating, and it has happened to people who do not have the resources to bounce back.
Please folks, think about the poor souls there and give what you can.
Just been reading thu all the posts and came across yours Jules. If you would like to give me your friend's name, who he/she is working for and in which City, I could try and find out any available information for you. I still have a lot of contacts in the Philippines including the Australian Embassy. If you prefer to keep it private, send details by PM.
-- Edited by Big Gorilla on Sunday 17th of November 2013 06:19:46 PM
Just arrived in Manila and settling into a comfortable Hotel. Been within 200 kms of where the Typhoon hit. No damage but no power, no Internet, no Radio, No TV, water sometimes. Just isolated. My home in Cebu also no damage. I'll write up my experiences in next few days and post my experience. If you have CNN, watch it. It is giving full coverage. I estimated about 2000 dead. Newspaper I saw for first time this morning said over 10,000 dead and missing. I'm not planning on going out of the Hotel today, so I might write it today. In the Province this Super typhoon hit, sustained winds were 315kph with gusts to 380 kph. Bodies are hanging out of trees, out of windows, on the sides of the road. CNN stated this was the biggest and most powerful typhoon in the world EVER !!! Initially the prognosis showed this typhoon was to be overhead the City I was in, a direct hit. If that had happened you would not have heard from me again...
Thank you so much one and all for your kind thoughts.....mabuhay... Ken (BG)
Phew, good to hear from you BG, and good to see you are safe, have been watching the news and it is all bad.
Perhaps you would like to edit your email addy out of your post and just PM jules, anybody can see your email and you may get a load of spam.
Such a sad situation over there, glad you are safe.