Typhoon Haiyan was one of the most powerful storms to make landfall ever recorded as it swept through the central Philippines in November 2013. Coastal towns were left devastated by 170 mph winds and waves up to 45ft high.
In the city of Tacloban, the airport, a key regional transport hub, was damaged preventing planes carrying international aid from arriving. Airport buildings were ripped apart. Trees were uprooted and cars overturned.
The theme “Communities, Disaster, and Change” brought to mind this horrifying story from 2013. Two local from Valdez, Alaskans were traveling in the Philippines when Typhoon Haiyan hit. They were on Apo Island when they received news it was headed their way. Thinking they needed a sturdy shelter to weather out the storm, they immediately sought lodging that furnished a concrete shower. They hid in the shower during the catastrophic event. The roof was ripped off above them as they huddled together scared for their survival.
The Alaskans were not hurt. They saw Philipino loose what little they had. This impact lead them to volunteer for Red Cross in Manila handing out aid supplies to locals.
Having traveled to the Philippines myself I felt awful for those friendly faces I remembered throughout my travels. This country was one of the most welcoming I have ever traveled to.
After international aid arrived, the Philippines commissioned billboards in some of the world's prime advertising sites to thank people for their help after Typhoon Haiyan.
Do you think it is likely you will ever have an experience like they did?
What terrible luck that travelers from Valdez of all places would get caught in the typhoon! Were the Valdez travelers survivors of the 1964 earthquake?
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