On Sunday night Super Typhoon Megi and it's 180+ mph winds barreled into northern Luzon in the Philippines as the strongest tropical cyclone of the 2010 season. With a minimum pressure of 885 millibars at landfall, Megi, known locally as 'Juan,' could perhaps go down as the strongest landfalling tropical cyclone ever!Last night via Skype I caught up with Claiv Marco from Manila and he provided insight into the state of calamity in northern Luzon, the effects Megi had on his region south of the disaster zone, and an update where Megi is now and where it is headed, as well as some historical perspective on typhoons striking the Philippines.
Claiv is a big fan of The Northeast Quadrant and I thank him greatly for this interview. Check it out here...
Claiv Marco:
good evening devin
Devin Matthew Toporek:
hi!
Claiv Marco:
oh, sorry for waiting
Devin Matthew Toporek:
no problem
Devin Matthew Toporek:
you have video?
Claiv Marco:
my web cam unavailable
Devin Matthew Toporek:
oh that is too bad. was hoping to record something so i could repost it and share with those on the northeast quadrant page.
Devin Matthew Toporek:
so how are things there?
Claiv Marco:
its too bad
Claiv Marco:
mostly in the Northern part
Devin Matthew Toporek:
what are you hearing?
Claiv Marco:
power poles and lines were destroyed
Devin Matthew Toporek:
i'm sure!
Claiv Marco:
most of the towns and provinces in northern Luzon has no power
Claiv Marco:
even telecommunication networks
Devin Matthew Toporek:
i would imagine the storm surge was incredible! do you know how high it was?
Claiv Marco:
what i've heard is about 18-20 feet
Claiv Marco:
along the east coast
Devin Matthew Toporek:
wow!
Devin Matthew Toporek:
i would have expected even more!
Devin Matthew Toporek:
during Hurricane Katrina there was almost a 30 feet surge
Devin Matthew Toporek:
and 20+ with Ike
Claiv Marco:
maybe its because the area there is too terrain
Devin Matthew Toporek:
probably because there is also less influence from a continental shelf like we have here in the United States
Devin Matthew Toporek:
is the area where Megi made landfall heavily populated?
Claiv Marco:
in some part mostly in the Ilagan City Isabela, where its eye passed, the entire province of Isabela is now under state of calamity, and hundreds of houses destroyed
Devin Matthew Toporek:
unbelievable! i can only imagine!
Devin Matthew Toporek:
i find it interesting but extremely fortunate that i have only heard of a few deaths from this storm, so far. it just amazes me because in a storm like that we would lose hundreds, if not thousands... it's happened before here and i am sure it would again. you are very lucky.
Claiv Marco:
yes and we are very thankful to God
Devin Matthew Toporek:
so tell me... what was the feeling like there when Megi was approaching. what were the weather forecasters and government telling the residents of northern Luzon province?
Claiv Marco:
all of the evacuees stayed in gymnasiums and schools
Claiv Marco:
before the landfall
Devin Matthew Toporek:
good!
Claiv Marco:
but unfortunately
Claiv Marco:
the rice fields, corn fields and other sources of their livelihood were totally destroyed
Claiv Marco:
they are crying
Devin Matthew Toporek:
that is sad, i cannot imagine what it would be like to realize such a loss! as i said, they're very lucky to have their life though.
Devin Matthew Toporek:
did you see or hear of many northern residents evacuating to your area down south?
Claiv Marco:
i didn't heard something, i think they all just stayed in government properties in their provinces maybe because they'll be having hard time to go south because you need to cross mountains before going south and they don't need to leave their places
Devin Matthew Toporek:
oh, i see.
Devin Matthew Toporek:
so tell me, living in the Philippines... you have seen quite a few Typhoons, right? which ones do you recall the most and why?
Claiv Marco:
oh great question
Claiv Marco:
i'm gonna share you a lot
Devin Matthew Toporek:
can't wait!
Devin Matthew Toporek:
go for it!
Claiv Marco:
Ok, the most intense and powerful typhoon that I experience in Manila is Typhoon Xangsane or Milenyo here in the Philippines. Because of Xangsane, I became interested in typhoon forecasting.
Devin Matthew Toporek:
how old were you when Xangsane hit, and how strong was it?
Claiv Marco:
i think i'm 17
Claiv Marco:
it's too strong for us living in the city
Devin Matthew Toporek:
what was the devastation like?
Claiv Marco:
lots of billboards collapse and fell down in major roads
Claiv Marco:
trees fell over roofs
Devin Matthew Toporek:
sounds scary! but fun at the same time, obviously that is the weather enthusiast and storm chaser in me speaking!
Devin Matthew Toporek:
i bet if Megi made landfall near Manila the effects would be far worse than what they were!
Claiv Marco:
yes i understand, i feel the same way too
Claiv Marco:
Oh wow maybe
Claiv Marco:
i think there will be lots of damages
Devin Matthew Toporek:
and what about Milenyo? how strong was that storm and how old were you?
Claiv Marco:
Xangsane is Milenyo
Claiv Marco:
we change typhoon name when in enters the territory
Devin Matthew Toporek:
oh, how interesting! is that why Megi you began calling it Juan?
Devin Matthew Toporek:
why do they change the typhoon names when they enter the Philippines territories?
Claiv Marco:
because our authorities wanted to have clear number of storms that enters the country and it is alphabetical in order
Devin Matthew Toporek:
again, how interesting!
Claiv Marco:
right now we are experiencing strong winds and heavy rain here in southern Luzon including Manila
Claiv Marco:
because of the outer rainbands
Devin Matthew Toporek:
right, i saw that the typhoon's outflow was still impressive!
Devin Matthew Toporek:
it was amazing though last night to see just how quickly the storm deteriorated once it made landfall. that high terrain just ripped it apart...
Devin Matthew Toporek:
though having it still emerge over the south china sea as a strog category 2 (hurricane) is yet again impressive.
Claiv Marco:
yes and it still intensifying
Devin Matthew Toporek:
right... will continue to do so until its second landfall later this week in southeast china.
Devin Matthew Toporek:
should not be a strong as it was though, right?
Claiv Marco:
yes, and i think its forecast is to move near hong kong
Devin Matthew Toporek:
i saw that!
Devin Matthew Toporek:
hong kong looks like it will be in "the northeast quadrant" no less!
Devin Matthew Toporek:
my work has a conference in hong kong later this week! crazy!
Claiv Marco:
I see, wow, hope to be like what you are doing
Claiv Marco:
Ok i'll share more experiences in typhoons
Devin Matthew Toporek:
yes, please!
Claiv Marco:
as i've said the most powerful that i experienced was milenyo, now i'm gonna tell you the most devastating, it is typhoon Ondoy or Ketsana in international name
Claiv Marco:
it hit Manila as a Tropical Storm
Devin Matthew Toporek:
oh yeah? what was so bad, the rain?
Claiv Marco:
yes too bad,the entire Metro Manila almost submerged
Claiv Marco:
it brought 348.4 mm of rain
Devin Matthew Toporek:
wow!
Devin Matthew Toporek:
we had a bad tropical storm here about ten years ago. it's name was Allison.
Devin Matthew Toporek:
similar devastation from flooding rains...
Devin Matthew Toporek:
http://northeastquadrant.blogspot.com/2010/06/tropical-storm-allison-lesson-learned.html
Devin Matthew Toporek:
so are you going to study weather when you go to college?
Claiv Marco:
wow 40 in
Devin Matthew Toporek:
yeah, Allison was horrible!
Claiv Marco:
i just study by myself over the web, and meteorology is not actually my course
Devin Matthew Toporek:
you are great at it! i see your posts and maps on your facebook wall. keep up the good work!
Claiv Marco:
thanks!! i just wanted to tell and warn my friends
Devin Matthew Toporek:
let's make a deal! if the opportunity presents itself, and let's hope it does soon, you can come to the U.S. and chase a hurricane with me and i come there and chase a [super]typhoon with you!
Claiv Marco:
wow, if that's it, let's see
Devin Matthew Toporek:
easier said than done right??? ;-)
Claiv Marco:
yes, it's not that easy
Claiv Marco:
mostly in my case
Devin Matthew Toporek:
well let's hope you and your family and friends and all those in the Philippines and south China as well - all stay safe for the rest of the season!
Claiv Marco:
Yours likewise! God Bless you!
Devin Matthew Toporek:
stay in touch... and good luck in school!
Claiv Marco:
Thank you, by the way i already graduated
Devin Matthew Toporek:
do you mind if i post this conversation on the northeast quadrant and blog? i am sure people would be so interested to hear about it!
Devin Matthew Toporek:
oh, i'm sorry. i thought you were still in school... well good for you then!
Claiv Marco:
It's Ok, Thanks for a great conversation
Devin Matthew Toporek:
you too! have a good day...
Return to home
