Shaf

Today (08 Nov) marks 13 years since one of the greatest catastrophes of the 21st century: Category 5 Super #Typhoon #HAIYAN in the #Philippines—known locally as YOLANDA. This fast-moving, *extremely* intense storm came roaring ashore on the island of Leyte just after dawn with jaw-dropping ferocity—one of the most intense cyclone landfalls ever observed. And although it was small, HAIYAN aimed perfectly, with its potent right eyewall nailing the large, low-lying city of Tacloban. As the typhoon's center passed just south of the city, the winds shifted direction, forcing a tremendous volume of water into tiny San Pablo Bay—too much water. It overflowed into waterfront neighborhoods in a great, tsunami-like surge, engulfing almost the entire city in a matter of minutes. Unable to react quickly enough, many thousands of people perished. Yes, thousands. I was there and I'll never forget it: first the wolf-like howl of the winds raking the city streets... then the crashing of windows breaking and doors tearing off... then the rushing of water invading the hotel from above and below... and then the screams. People in danger—trapped in their rooms as the surge rapidly swallowed up the first floor. I remember having a sick feeling—that I was going to watch people die. Right in front of me. I needed to do something—anything. I threw my camera down and jumped into that black, horrible water. Working with my chase partners, Mark Thomas and James Reynolds (@EarthUncutTV), and a few other fellows, we somehow managed to pull everyone out of their flooded rooms—through the windows—and get them up to the second floor. I'm proud to say no one in our hotel died, although there were injuries—the most serious being Mark's. While performing rescues, he gashed his leg open—an injury so serious doctors had to fight to save his leg days later in Taiwan. (Someone was watching over me, because despite swimming in that same treacherous water wearing nothing but athletic shorts and a tank top, I had only a few scratches.) (Thanks to James for this shot of me rescuing a victim—it's from his incredible video of this event.) The aftermath of the typhoon was so horrid it almost drove me to retire from stormchasing. Dead bodies everywhere. Injured children. Whole neighborhoods erased. A scale of misery that I couldn't comprehend. I remember shutting off my emotions—just going ice cold—because I knew if I let myself feel anything at all, I would not be able to function. A week later, when I was safely home and had the luxury to feel again, there were many tears. HAIYAN was life-changing. It brought me face to face—in a raw, harsh way—with the ugly side of something I'd always seen as spectacular natural wonder. The urge to chase came back—but very slowly. I've been back to Tacloban City several times since the catastrophe: a couple of months after, a year after, and ten years after. The city occupies a special place in my heart—like a home on the other side of the planet. Seeing Tacloban heal so remarkably—and reconnecting with fellow survivors of the storm—has been healing for me. ❤️