A day without electricity, water, phones, internet and cable. what can one do?
@Bluebelleangel (428)
Philippines
July 14, 2010 10:44am CST
Yesterday was one of those days that we experienced yet another of nature's wrath, a super typhoon that almost devastated this part of the country. At midnight the electricity went out, phone lines were shut off even cell networks bugged down, all systems down. Our only connection to the outer world was a small radio where we get updated with the situational reports.
For me what was even worse was the fact that we were deprived of a good night sleep specially my little girl who huddled beside me praying no end. It was very dark and almost frightening because the wind was fierce, pounding on the roof of the house as if it was going to tear it apart. Waking up this morning we found minimal damages to the house and roofing but our 4-year old avocado tree fell down, cut right from it's trunk by the furious winds and still we don't have electricity so I can't log in to my computer, no internet, no cable, can't even call anybody. It feels like we were in some remote place and there's nothing to do to while away the time. Even with lighted candles, cooking was difficult. I just pray that it doesn't happen again.
If you are in such a situation, what will you plan to do?
4 people like this
30 responses
@MAllen400 (829)
•
14 Jul 10
Years ago we went to America and got caught up in hurricane Jeanne. We had never experienced anything like it in our lives before and I must admit we just looked out the window at the wind and rain. We did not rent or own the building as we were on holiday but talking to others it wasnt just the terror but the aftermath too. I can only think of making an in door tent with sheets for a 4 year old to do and that doesnt take long. I hope this never happens again to you, it makes you count your blessings though doesnt it.
@Bluebelleangel (428)
• Philippines
14 Jul 10
Hello MAllen400, It could be more devastating to have experienced a hurricane. We don't have those here but the storms here are getting worse each time. The country was devastated only months ago where most of the region went under big floods. I really thank God for His countless blessings and especially for protecting us this time even though our place was directly hit by the typhoon. Thanks for wishing us well.
A good day to you!
@vhings_88 (294)
• Philippines
14 Jul 10
I think your pertaining to Philippines. I heard it from the news this evening that typhoon Basyang made a total destruction in Luzon. And I pray for those who were greatly affected with the typhoon.
@Bluebelleangel (428)
• Philippines
14 Jul 10
Hi Vhings_88, Thanks for the prayers. Where are you from? I'd like to think that you are from somewhere farther south. Our place was one of the hardly hit areas by the typhoon and thank God our house was spared from any major damages.
Have a nice day!
@Jennlk84 (4205)
• United States
14 Jul 10
Honestly I can't imagine living without those things! I'm SO use to functioning with them. There really wouldn't be much to do at all. The one thing that comes to mind is reading - if it were light out. Maybe playing some board games or telling stories with your family? I can definitely see how cooking would be difficult! You would probably just have to make some simple sandwiches with items not needing refrigerated!
@Bluebelleangel (428)
• Philippines
14 Jul 10
Hello Jennlk84,
I would very much love to make those simple sandwiches as it doesn't take long to make and it would actually be a good thing if my family could be sustained with only sandwiches. Sadly my husband can't live a day with only that, so I had to cook a good meal of rice and a viand for him and my daughters despite the situation.
Since the whole of the day was a bit gloomy outside, it is hard to get enough illumination to do anything else. I tried to crochet but it was messed up so I decided to stop after only 20 minutes. Luckily we were those few places where electricity was resumed and of course I logged in immediately. Thanks a lot for the response.
@ET28LV (1890)
• Latvia
16 Jul 10
I too had experience a day without this all things. It is like we life in the uninhabited island. I can only say that we can not do anything. If you want to make dinner you need a water and gas, electricity. If you want to watch somethings, wash, cook you need electricity. You can not contact with others, because you do not have Internet. When this happens I hate It, because It always take long time to repair all things. The biggest problem always have hospitals, because If electricity is lost they risk with people life. Hospital generator do not work so long.I hope you would enjoy less this day, but more sunny days like I now. Take care, Have a nice day!
@cheszka (167)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
If I were in that situation, the first thing I could probably do is find a secured or safe room in the house for my family to spend the whole night, away from falling trees or other threats. Pray hard for that difficult time to be over and for my family to be safe.
@prudent (314)
• India
15 Jul 10
It will be very difficult to express the feelings when we suffer from these problems in particular water. I don't suffer much for electricity, but during dry seasons, the people in our region suffer a lot for water. Even sometime, one needs to buy water at a rate of Rs.3 to Rs.10 per liter. It becomes quite difficult to maintain hygiene as one can't afford to buy water for taking bath or washing clothes etc. So, you see how terrible it will be.
@hanagi (390)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
I was in that kind of situation too the only difference is that I have no kids and I have no radio nor television to listen to and that really made me feel so sad. During the storm I was alone, praying that the electricity won't be shut off. I was so afraid with the rattling of the windows. I didn't know what to do or to go. I just stayed at my bed praying that it would stop. It was so dark and I don't even have a candle to light me. I have no load so I couldn't call anybody. But you know what? We are still lucky because we have shelter. I suddenly thought of the poor beggars sleeping in the streets. I wonder what are they doing in order to survive the typhoon.
@donnelly (86)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
Yes, we too suffered the same hardship brought about by the typhoon. No electricity with matching mosquitoes so its hard to sleep. No water left in our drum reservoir for toilet's use and only a couple of glass of drinking water left in the pitcher. Spent the whole night widely awake with a very dark zero visibility surroundings. Our cellphones run out of battery so we can't ask help from our relatives.
Some activities that we did outside the common practice are:
- We took our dinner using plastic bags for easy disposal after use
- use only spoon with no fork
- opened canned foods so no need for cooking
- got water from the river for toilet's use
- queue in the nearest mall to have our cellphone charged
- bought expensive bottled water available only at the mall.
I just hope this won't happen again. It's very tiring.
@rawr4muzic (26)
• India
15 Jul 10
first of all i will take all precautions to keep away from this situation and if i fail to manage this, i will have a backup plan like in case this becomes true for me i will wish every one i know good bye because i wont even be sure if i am going to make out of here alive.but according to my instincts it tells me that there will be a day soon that i will have to go through the same situation, but i am ready for it.i will care more about my girl friend more than any one else during this situation and hug her and kiss her good bye for the last time...
@Clickenecash (285)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
This are situations which makes you reevaluate your life. Living in a world today full of blessings which come from people who worked hard from the past to give us these things. We should sometimes think about our basic needs in life and what other people don't have but are in need of. If I were in the same situation as you, then I would pray first then make food and basic needs rations to be able to survive the aftermath of the onslaught.
@ajadon10 (48)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
Luckily my family is safe when typhoon last wednesday attack our area. Unfortunately we're also affected by the typhoon's effect where electricity, water, phone, internet and cable supply is out of service. I thought my first routine of that day when typhoon left is to drive on the way to my wife's office. I don't have any info outside because there's no radio available for me to listen to. But instead I went straight to the vacant lot where our trees and perimeter fence were all in different places. We manage to repair and cut down plants that morning and continued until 6 p.m. It was an unplanned task but due to the needs and situation, we cleaned up the mess and rest for the night. It was a tiring and full-packed day. And luckily for us, all utility services is available by 2pm. It was a blessed day for all of us. We're all safe and our house is not damaged.
@mauricel (113)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
I experienced that yesterday, and i can say that I wished that it would never happened a gain. we have to use improvised fan (pamaypay) coz it is hot. Need to cook foods early for when the night fall darkness is every where and it will be hard for us to cook.
But the happy part of it children came out to play the old games that I used to play when I was a kid, the taguan (hide and seek) patintero and the touch the base (habulan taya). It is nice to see kinds actively playing some street games rather than seeing them busy with their PSPs or computers.
@Satenik (102)
• Armenia
15 Jul 10
Hello Bluebelleangel.
Reading your post I remembered our life back in 1991 through 1994. Armenia was in war. We had no electricity, no gas, no water. I was 12-13 years old. The life was terrible. The winters were severe cold and barely enough food to eat. But most amazing thing about human being is that they get used to everything. Believe me it's true.
Now that I look back I cannot believe I have been through all those difficulties.
Today we have all we need. And we can't imagine our lives without all the comfort. But sometimes we take these thing for granted. We shouldn't
@mac_mac1221 (478)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
I had experienced this kind of thing before. Not very long ago. :D I just stayed in my bed the whole time. I didn't have the energy to stand up. Either I was asleep or I was just staring at the ceiling. I didn't even bother to light a candle.
@maylaine (441)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
actually if was such a disgusting and bad day...most of the people was not able to do their task on time because of blackout! and also on my to work i saw trees that fell down up to their roots then i realized how strong the storm basyang is..it so destructive.im just blessed that none of my family got hurt and none of our properties got broken..
@ellie333 (21016)
•
15 Jul 10
Hi Bluebelleangel, That must have been very frightening for you and I am pleased that you only suffered minimal damage and that you and your family are okay. I have plenty of candles if the electric went out and also what I can a provisions cupboard in case of an emergency which includes water purification tablets and dried egg posdwer and foods like that, I have firelighters and charcoal bricks which I would cook from and the prayer like you did for normal service to resume as I do not like being out of contact overthe phone or net. Huggles. Ellie :D
@annavi23 (6522)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
hi there,belle! i guess having no electricity,water,and cable is really a hard one.well,basically we can live without electricity for sometime.same as internet.but water,big NO! my friend,we are like in a survival test here.it's ok if we don't have electricity for some reasons cause we can always have effort to live without it.but still we have to have it cause it gives us light to our ways.we can't see things without light.and communicate with other people all over the world with internet.only water is a big aspect to survive for some time.without it,we can't breath and our throat will be dry causing us not be breath for sometime.we are still lucky to have gained back the electricity and internet as well as water supply.cause living without those is really hard.
@labea17 (443)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
Hi Bluebelleangel! I was very worried about the loss of electricity, but I tried not to think about it too much because I was more afraid that something bad would happen to me and my family because of the typhoon. It was very scary and I could not sleep completely because the wind was howling and was very strong like it would smash my windows at any time. What's even scarier is that we have no connection to the outside world. No internet, no television, and no radio to inform us of what is happening. When the electricity came back the next day, the news about the typhoon was heartbreaking. Then again, many Filipinos lost their homes and their loved ones. It was like Typhoon Ondoy all over again, but I am still thankful that nothing happened to me and my loved ones.
@Rifq_production (8)
• Indonesia
15 Jul 10
I've ever been in this situation when my city, Bojonegoro Indonesia got a big flood of water in late december of 2008. in three days water got 2 meter height and all of our city full of water. the electricity went out, telephone cellular and home telephone can be used. we isolated for three days in dark and information by water. we eat only a instant noodle without cooked, becouse we can't lite fire to cook, the only hope was supply food from the national SAR. it was a very frightening experience and we don't want a great flood happen again in the future.
@samandy_24 (36)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
Without any of those, I guess I'll just read a book. At least you can escape reality even for a bit. Or if one does not like to read book, try doing your other hobbies. I for one likes to draw. or play music from the radio and dance. But I know the wind was so damn scary last Tuesday, but those are things one can do to take his/her mind off of things. :)
