TYPHOON Lawin, a storm in the likeness of Yolanda ravaged the country for a night, packing in winds and rain enough to destroy like a train-wreck.
The one night only thriller hit hard in Benguet Province with warnings for its wrath coming in days in advance urging the public to heed and take cover.
True to its promise of havoc, the one night of winds was enough to uproot trees and rains to cause landslides wreaking damage to the province with its expanse still unknown and with trickles of information coming slow as communication and power lines down.
More than the damage the typhoon has brought, sad news of six deaths has come in its aftermath, with an infant among the casualties, a tragedy because the deaths could have been prevented.
The 20- day – old child was buried in a landslide in a highland town where the parents were warned to flee before the storm arrived but the pleas landed on deaf ears, causing the death of the innocent.
That is the tale of the quick life of the 20-day old child who died without a fighting chance as landslides claimed all six lives in the province with all who perished not heeding warnings from authorities to flee and move to safer ground... that is the real tragedy.
The tragedy of the deaths come in a time when early warning systems are in place to inform everyone of an impending storm in the hope to give enough time to prepare and ensure safety.
In these times, ignoring warnings to keep yourself and your family safe is unforgivable if you live to tell the tale but for those who perished, there is nothing to do but offer a silent prayer for their souls.
The memory of Typhoon Pepping has ceased to be a reality in the province with the hundreds who perished in its wrath forgotten.
Let the warnings for each storm be taken seriously and the wish for a zero casualty be granted for those who heed it.