Some of my things fell as I neared the car so I had to scramble and pick them up.
I fastened my seat belt as soon as I got in the car. The car was rocking to and fro. Visibility was limited to a few feet. The rain battered the car continuously. Every meter was a battle. We looked for a way out. The traffic signs were not working. The MAPSA officers, who are usually there when not needed nor wanted, could have restored some semblance of order but none were available. Sayang lang yung mga kotong... It was anarchy. A taxi driver cut us off while we were trying to change lanes. A second later a falling tree hit his car's trunk. Our lane was not moving. We took a shortcut near Urdaneta village towards Ayala Ave. We reached EDSA. Billboard structures were swaying and could fall any moment. We passed by a house in an exclusive subdivision whose thick perimeter wall had collapsed towards EDSA. We took the right turn at Kalayaan flyover towards the Fort. Once we had reached the Shell gasoline station, we experienced the full fury of the storm. There were few buildings that could act as wind barriers because most projects were still under construction. A heavysignboard from a commercial area flattened two parked cars. It seems no one was inside the cars.
We decided to take refuge at the nearby Market! Market! Mall. Debris were coming at us as we crawled towards the covered parking lot. As we entered the building, the wind had increased in intensity. The car shuddered every gust. The tires were slipping against the pavement. We were able to park in the second level. We held on tight to the railings as we crossed the slippery walkway that leads towards the mall. Three men were stationed at the double doors to keep them closed against the wind. Yellow Cab and Oody's were the only establishments open. Many people took sanctuary in the Mall. We sat on the floor near the G2000 store and read the books we brought from the car. The storm passed hours later. We arrived home around 4:30 pm. We have no electricity and water until now.
Here are some links about the storm:
Click here for pictures
Click here for Dexter's personal account
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