Watch out my brothers. This one is bad - typhoon Haiyan

[diver 85]

How long does it take for critters to come back out from hiding from these sorts of weather events? I know from experience that even small tropical storms seem to make the nudibranchs hide for awhile.

Sometimes weeks for turtles, eels etc...I know for Hurricane Mitch, our son's 'pet' green eel(he was living & working on Roatan then) 'came back' to it's reef(in Half Moon Bay) about 4 weeks after it hit......Will be interesting to monitor these things in the weeks/months to come....Hope all(humans & critters) survive & do well post storm....

 

[DiverGirl1972]

I’d like to think that most people’s first concern IS the safety and well being of the people directly affected by such a terrible disaster. If someone has rather immediate travel plans to go to an area that has been affected, I think it’s absolutely fine to ask the question “should we make other arrangements or proceed as planned?” I certainly wouldn't want to go somewhere if my presence were to place even more of a strain on resources that that could and should be used to help their own people. I also wouldn't want to cancel a trip if the area wasn't significantly affected. They need that revenue to live and I am likely looking forward to the trip! Either way, people will need what the deal is and make some decisions quickly.

That said, if the first thing that is going through a person’s mind is “will the hurricane ruin my chances of seeing a whale shark?” (and they're asking this on a resort's FB page), then that would be rather disheartening.

 

[diver 85]

Typhoon Haiyan makes Sandy, Katrina look like weak cousins - latimes.com

---------- Post added November 8th, 2013 at 12:25 PM ----------

Google News

Katrina really wasn't that bad---except for N.O. levels failing---& Sandy was just a yankee thing......I'm from Louisiana & have been thru my fair share....Hell, 1 month to the day post Katrina we (SW Louisiana) got the unnamed storm---Rita...Bet you never heard of her......Cat 3 all the way ie eye came 30 miles west of us---& we got winds 100 MPH sustained & gust 130, 70 miles inland..

 

[jbb]

I've been diving with TSD on Malapascua since 2004. I consider them dear friends and am a more than a little concerned none of them have been able to make a quick post to Facebook. I'm sure internet connections are down...I hate no news...

 

[Mantra]

Rappler.com is reporting at least 100 dead in Tacloban and the airport completely destroyed:

Tacloban devastated; at least 100 dead

 

[jbb]

Well I have a ticket to fly on the 16th. I will go but will just have to keep the final destination open. I got an email from the small place I stay in Cebu with good news that they are all o.k. no problems but they are in the middle of the city. I asked if they had heard from Malapascua as many divers and shop owners stay there (it's sort of an expat network joint). Sad to hear the devestation in Tacloban. It is open to the whole pacific ocean unfortunately with a bay that can concentrate the waves and storm surge causing great damage. Terrible to hear of the loss of life there. I hope the preparation has paid off for the rest of the islands but I am sure many have lost or damaged homes due to the storm.

 

[DevonDiver]

Locals are predicting a death toll that could exceed 1-2000. That could prove to be a low estimate. There is severe infrastructure damage in the central region and a great deal information will emerge in a slow trickle as emergency organizations slowly make contact with isolated islands and areas. Very little news has yet to emerge - although we know Tacloban was hit hard by the storm surge, which caused tsunami-like effects.

Whilst the Philippines usually bounces back very quickly from typhoons, do not under-estimate the severity and impact of this storm. Sustained wind speeds exceeded the scientific scale for typhoons/hurricanes. It was basically an 1800km wide tornado... and wind speed at the eye-wall was comparable to an E5 tornado (except one tens of miles across, that persisted for the entire transit across the Philippines..

 

[finbob]

Hi, I'm in Cebu City, arrived Thursday evening. The evening flight was a little bumpy. The super typhoon hit here early next day (Fri), before moving on to Iloilo. I am very concerned regarding Malapascua. As you know it is a small Island with little shelter. I do have some friends there. Phones are still down. If anyone has any news, please do post it!

 

[DevonDiver]

Some of the dive ops in Cebu are planning to send a relief boat over to Malapascua. A friend in Cebu spoke with Andrea from Thresher Shark Divers and apparently the island has been utterly devastated, but zero known deaths.

Palawan has not been so lucky...

From: GMA News Online
The body of a typhoon victim is carried out by rescuers in Coron, Palawan on Saturday, November 9, after being badly hit by super typhoon Yolanda. | Photo by Danny Pata

 

[Mantra]

Thanks heaps for that, Andy. Much appreciated.

I definitely would like like to donate something. Is it best now to something like this do you reckon, or best to wait a few days and see what larger players enter the relief effort? It's a worry the relief shipment is being privately organized rather than the government being in a position to respond more quickly.

EDIT: on second thoughts, just donated to TSD. If those guys are sending a private relief boat over, the can probably use some cash STAT to buy things now.