Mother Nature Strikes Back

John Paulo Edrosolano

Through the storm. Two men hurried home under the strong rain and wind

Nowadays, we’ve had encountered a lot of problems, but all these has an end. One of the problems that is really hated by the public is calamity. What is a calamity? A calamity is a disastrous situation or event happening in our environment, resulting to damage of all natural resources that man depends on. There are many kinds of calamity that will forever exist, like earthquakes; a shaking of the ground. It can be a slow and sometimes it is violent enough to tear down mountains and cities with one big strike. A hurricane, a powerful, whirling tropical storms, is also a kind of calamity. Hurricanes are also called Willy-willies , cyclones or typhoon. For example was what happened in Anda, Pangasinan when many homes were destroyed by a strong wind as “Typhoon Emong” pounded the place, happening last June 2009.

Also, tsunami is a kind of calamity. It is a huge wave that begins when the sea floor is violently shaken by an earthquake, a landslide or a volcanic eruption. All calamities that are mentioned are caused by climate change.

Dried up. The farmer looking sadly at pond
slowly disappearing with drought.

Climate change is a rapid modification in the atmosphere; it is getting warmer, colder, wetter or drier. There are many theories why it is happening, and one cause of climate change may be shifts in the earth’s orientation to the sun. Many, however, believes that the main reason this calamity happens, is how we treat nature.

When calamity strikes, it is a big trial for us to pass through. The effect of calamity was very terrible; all human resources that we depend on will be destroyed. It can destroyed farms, and houses like those in Anda, Pangasinan last 2009. As I said, a typhoon destroyed all the infrastructure people in that city depended on. After a strike, it leaves many people to suffer, and it results to lack of shelter and clothing. Also, it causes hunger to victims. In that situation, the government had declared that the city be placed under the state of calamity, that they needed more attention and help to survive the challenges of the nature.

Nothing too stable. Shell station pounded by the storm

In our country, we had already encountered many kinds of calamities. Like what happened last June 21, 2008 when super typhoon strokes our country causing floods to most of the part of our nation. This typhoon was called “Typhoon Frank”. Most of us can never forget how it affected the whole nation. Typhoon Frank was one of the biggest calamities that we had encountered. Also, it is the greatest calamity that affected the whole city of Iloilo. One-third of 1, 691, 000, citizens of city of Iloilo, were left homeless because their houses were destroyed. All damage infrastructure that the typhoon left had cost nearly P 1,500,000,000. That time, the city of Iloilo was deeply in help and needed more support in giving the primary needs for all the victims. With all the damage that typhoon Frank left, we needed long time to stand up and start living normally again.

Also this year, last February 21, a volcanic eruption shocked Sorsogon as Mount Bulusan erupted. Mt. Bulusan puffed cloud of ashes that headed towards south and has reached Irosin ,City having 46,000 inhabitants affecting the health of all the citizens near in the explosion . An evacuation was ordered and over 100 families affected of the ash falls left. But thanks to God, the ash fall stopped in just two week and people had their lives back. 

Gravity ruled. People can't help but stare at a building as it goes down after an earthquake hit Philippines

There are some ways to lessen the damage of the coming calamity. Because we are not aware of when it will strike, preventing high number of casualties should be our government’s concern. They should always prepare and remind citizens of what are the best things to do when facing a calamity. Also, all weather stations should always be active to remind the public of a coming calamity, so preparations can be made . If the public can prepare, they can avoid bad things from happening. The purpose of the government agencies is to give information if there is a change in our atmosphere. With this, we can be more aware with the consequences of the things we do as we treat our mother nature.

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