Up close with death and destruction as Yolanda ravages Leyte

Strong winds and heavy rains were expected from Yolanda, one of the strongest typhoons ever to make landfall. But, it was a storm surge that wreaked the most havoc on the coastal town of Palo in Leyte.

 

In an account by GMA News reporter Micaela Papa, who was on assignment in Brgy. Baras in Palo, Leyte, she recalled how the buffeting winds, heavy rains, and storm surges destroyed infrastructures and killed people. 

 

At around 6 a.m. on Friday, Papa was still able to report on GMA’s “Unang Hirit”, but she was only able to be contacted again on Saturday afternoon, the report aired on GMA’s “24 Oras” said.

 

According to Papa, there was zero visibility on the coastline as the super typhoon made its landfall over the province. The crew thought that they had already experienced the worst. As they went back to their hotel, the tsunami-like waves crept to land and, in a few minutes, flood waters had already inundated over their hotel’s first floor.

 

“Ang taas ng alon hanggang anim na metro. Lumikas kami sa second floor ng hotel. . . talaga naman walang masilungan sa hagupit ni Yolanda. ‘yung storm surge, nilubog sa baha yung first floor,” Papa told Jessica Soho in an interview.