The UN is using the floods to push global warming, but the dirty little secret is that a lot of the flooding was caused by inadequate sewers that are choked with debris.
And the government is pleading for international help. At least a quarter million people are in schools, gov't offices etc and probably many times that number are with relatives and will need help to rebuild their homes.
But a lot of police, military, government workers and civilians have risked their lives, and some have died, rescuing those stranded or in peril in the flooding.
The happiest story which I linked to is from the Inquirer:
The JetSki Judge.
“I was so shocked by the situation when I heard that around 150 houses were already flooded,” said Judge Ralph Lee of Regional Trial Court Branch 83.....
Lee drove from his Fairview home for the stricken community 30 minutes away with his personal water craft, life vests and two rubber boats he used on weekend wakeboarding sorties and mobilized a rescue effort that saved 100 lives.
But there are many other stories that didn't end so happily, like this one:
There were other super heroes, like Muelmar Magallanes, a powerful swimmer who braved rampaging floods to save more than 30 people, but ended up sacrificing his life in a last trip to rescue a baby girl who was being swept away on a styrofoam box.
Other rescuers were killed trying to save neighbors and relatives, but swept away by the strong currents.
No comments:
Post a Comment