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Sunday, September 11, 2005
Cariño: After the storm
By Linda Grace Cariño
KATRINA. The images of this hurricane's horrific aftermath on the US Gulf Coast sparked a spirited discussion between my son and myself last week. I said that a hurricane is the same thing as a typhoon. He said that the two are different. I insisted that if there is a difference, it is just geographical. He said something about the winds of a typhoon behaving in one way and the winds of a hurricane behaving in another. We decide to settle matters with a dictionary.
The dictionary defines a hurricane as a storm or a cyclone. A cyclone is then defined as a storm/hurricane. The definition of a storm is: a weather disturbance bringing winds and rain/snow/sleet. Then a typhoon is defined as a storm/hurricane/cyclone. So I have not changed my mind: the terms typhoon and hurricane mean the same thing. There is an etymological difference though, with the former coming from the Chinese taifung.
Mentally reacting to the images of Katrina's aftermath in New Orleans gives one great pause. New Orleans is in a co-called "developed" country, which the rest of the world expects to have physical infrastructures able to withstand a storm. I am definitely not the only one thinking: how could this happen? But it seems that the legendary city of New Orleans is locate d below sea level, and that the levies that kept the water away and the city dry broke from the strength of the storm waters, causing the sea to seek its natural level. Thus, the floods. I think it was the floods that did the city in.
That the Katrina floods follow closely on the heels of floods in China and in Europe gives one even greater pause. We are jolted into accepting a starker than before level of realization that the hole (s?) in the ozone layer is getting bigger, causing global warming, causing the polar ice caps to melt, and causing flooding to occur in many an area that could once take a storm in relative stride. And we are yet again reminded to act locally with the global picture in mind, and take wisely responsible action for our environment.
Emotionally, we cannot help but empathize with the hurricane victims, our own country being one with so many typhoons yearly, we actually have a typhoon "season."
It must have been these thoughts that caused my nightmare yesterday. I was caught in a bad dream where I could not move. I started to pray, and thankfully got to open my eyes to a sunny morning, still praying, even more thankful.
Thankful most particularly for the fact that while we undeniably have a lot to deal with in this country, we aren't waking up to the effects of a devastating hurricane. And I pray for a benign typhoon season this year.
Thankful too, that the aftermath we are faced with has been caused not by floods, rain, and strong winds, but by a political storm, one named Impeachy. This aftermath is way more manageable than that caused by Katrina.
There are rallies on the (NCR) streets, yes. But those streets are not underwater. Verbal battles rage on our airwaves, yes. But they are not about the slow response of government to thousands of homeless refugees in immediate, desperate need of basic items like food, water, shelter...
We even have the luxury of appreciating President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as such a skillful politician even as we must commend her opposition, led by the valiant, valiant Congressman Chix Escudero for such a good fight.
(September 11, 2005 issue)
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