Thursday, November 7, 2013

Bantayan Island in Peril -- In direct Bullseye of One of the Most Powerful Typhoons in History

Amelita Paradela and members of her family have not been able to evacuate the small island of Bantayan in the face of a storm which has estimated 190 mile per hour (305 Kilometers per hour) winds.  Surge may be high on the low lying island.  We have been on the phone to her and other family members in the area.  Many are making contingency plans to evacuate in case of severe storm surge.  However, on the north end of the island at Madridejos, where Villacarlos Academy is located, there are only plans of riding out the storm.  The eye is projected to approach dangerously close to the island perhaps sometime early tomorrow morning.  Conditions are expected to worsen by about 18:00 their time.
We visited the area in September, and returned home to Kansas City in October.  As I blogged about our day trip to Bohol, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck within a few kilometers of the area I was blogging, thus destroying many of the sites we visited and altering the lives of the people we met, including our driver/tour guide, who hasn't been able to provide for his family since the earthquake.  Now, many people in Bohol are still homeless and are having to deal with the effects of Super Typhoon Haiyan, named Yolanda, in the Philippines.  Amelita Paradela runs a private school south of Madridejos for children of poor fishing/farming families who would not be able to educate their kids otherwise.  The village of Madridejos is on the north end of  Bantayan Island.  The population of the island is estimated to be around 136,960 people (source wikipedia -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantayan_island ).  The area is also recovering from a tropical depression which hit the area with destructive tornados, which struck the family home in Compostela, Cebu, according to Amelita Paradela.  There were also reports of tornados hitting in and around Cebu City from the same storms.
Here is a video that shows Madridejos and Villacarlos Academy...
Port of Hagnaya, ferry service to Bantayan Island has been suspended.  Ferry's are the only way to and from the island for most of its residents and visitors.  Hagnaya is also in danger from the Typhoon.
 Villacarlos Academy, where Amelita Paradela is riding out the storm.

 Students and staff at the school

 A picture we took with the family in the school.  Most of the family are on the island facing down the category 5 Typhoon.
 This house is about 200 yards from the northwestern edge of the island.  It has a corregated roof with concrete block wall construction.  It is houses such as these that our family members and many on the island have to deal with 150mph plus winds.  A lot of houses in the area are made of lesser materials, such as plywood and even nipa.
 Municipality of Bantayan, on the southeast part of the island.

Madridejos is a fishing village, and many make their living from the sea.
 Madridejos sticks out as a point on the north end of the island.  A category 5 storm is not good news.
 Madridejos by our Aunts House

 This is the house of Suyen's grandparents, which is a little more substantial, and multi story.  One of her other aunts lives here.
 The view looking west from Madridejos from Kota Park.  The typhoon is heading from this direction.
 These are the types of structures right on the beach, which I am afraid many people are choosing to ride the storm out in.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Yikes! Those poor folks!

Stella Svoboda said...

Jeez, up to 195 miles per hour sustained winds and the surge is greater than expected per Jim Edds at Extreme storms who is tweeting from Tacloban.

Stella Svoboda said...

Bantayan Island sustained a direct hit from Typhoon Yolanda at about 10:40 AM, Friday Morning (8 November 2013) Philippine time. As of this writing, no word, contact or communication has come out of the island to our knowledge. Roads are impassable north of Bogo, which was also hit hard. The roof to the shelter at Bogo was torn off by the storm. Cebu Province is sending a team up to the northern towns and will report as soon as they get through.

Stella Svoboda said...

We are streaming live as we try to find information on Bantayan Island and possible survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. I am broadcasting live at http://ustre.am/wII We are trying to find out any information on Bantayan Island RE: Typhoon Yolanda

Stella Svoboda said...

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/stevos-quad-cam?utm_campaign=t.co&utm_source=ustre-am&utm_medium=social

Stella Svoboda said...

Missing family members... please help with any info:

Amelita V. Paradela, last contact by cell 07:30 at Villacarlos Academy with Lea Bantimano...

Madridejos Bantayan Island Cebu family members... Leticia Villacarlos Mancio, Eddie Villacarlos, Lucia Lizarde, Teresita Golisao

Lynette Villacastin, Dodong Golisao,

Stella Svoboda said...

Madridejos, Bantayan Island Cebu Family: Marsha Francisco, Troy (Tiger) Paradela, Sparky Paradela

Stella Svoboda said...

Update sa lawis as of 12nn Nov 9, 2013 kalabot sa Typhoon #YolandaPH
Para Sa Tanan Taga Lawis
Pag homan palang tawag sa akon utod si Junnelyn Jubay Cabahug. Ara sila sa hagnaya upod ni Marichu Barbas, Joy Cabahug, Allan (manager of bantayan natures park). Dili pa kalahus ang mga barko ky may mga damaged nga fishing boat nag abong sa agianan sa hagnaya.
Ang ila grupo nag rent ug pambot upod ang TV5. Mga 10 sila kabuok mo pasingadtu sa lawis. May mga unconfirmed reports didtu sa hagnaya about sa bantayan proper pero d nakun ma post ky UNCONFIRMED. Sa lawis wa pa gayud sing balita. Gi awhag namon tanan lawisanons sa tibook kalibutan sa pag tabang. Si Mrs. Jayette Goden Salvador nag organize sing bangon lawis. Kihinanglan natun sing mga relief goods dirikta sa aton.mag hiusa kita tanan. Gi awhag namun ang lawisanons abroad, tubong lawis, LA Madridejos ug uban pa sa pag supporta sa aton tinguha. Please contact Mrs. Jayette G. Salvador kag ang mga organizers sa bangun lawis. — with Ruth Almodiel and 39 others.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Centro-Bunakan-Madridejos-Bantayan-Island-Cebu/510473162301286

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