this is actually important stuff. really.

[be_themoon]

 

Most of you have already probably heard about Typhoon Ketsana, which hit Manila and the surrounding areas several days ago. I don't personally have any way to donate, but if you are able to, please do. There's information about ways to here and here. There are around 280,000 people displaced, and I'm not clear on the amount of dead.

While I'm on the subject of horrible things happening, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit Indonesia near Padang, West Sumatra. Same place that got typhoon-ed about five years ago? Yeah.

Comments

[redsilverchains.livejournal.com]

I live there, Quezon City area, though I was away at college when it hit. My family and friends in the city were okay, thank goodness. The poorer people in shanties and low-lying areas weren't as fortunate- my brother described seeing bodies washed up along Commonwealth Avenue. :'(

There's 270 + people dead, overall. Newspapers are full of stories of heroism—just a couple examples: someone chose to save 10 people in his boat instead of loading it with his personal belongings, and this 18 year old guy singlehandedly saved 30 people in the flood and died when he went back for a baby. Am watching the news and the community spirit that emerged is quite amazing.