A typhoon passed very close to Manila last night (with only minimal warning that it would come so close) and much of Luzon has been without electricity since midnight (16 hours and counting). I hope all readers in the Metro-Manila and affected areas of Luzon are safe and dry. With only 40% of power on the Luzon grid restored as of a few minutes ago, it will be a dark evening for many. You would think we could be more prepared for these kinds of situations, since we only get 20 typhoons on average every year for the last 100 years or more… Meanwhile, Angat dam which supplies nearly 97% of Manila’s water is nearly bone dry. Last year, we were under water, this year we have none. I shall now meditate and chant myself into a zen mode. Stay safe everyone.
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Stay safe, too, MM!
Stay safe everyone in the Philippines! I just read a news that a girl and her baby brother were killed in their shanty home when a large mango tree toppled over their roof. Main power facilities have been damaged and the report says may take up to Friday to repair. Ingat sa lahat!
Stay safe everyone and be careful. Hoping there’s no flooding this time.
Flashlights, batteries,,canned foods, sugar, coffee and baby food should be prepared..charge mobile phones and a rubber boat…(Rubber Boat not necessarily)
Storm has already passed. We just need electricity back to the rest of Manila and Luzon…
the storm had left most of the fish pens in Laguna de bay damaged yet again hence lots of milkfish “bangus ” on sale (20 pesos/kilo) but without ice, it’s hard for the fishermen and dealers to transport them…
32 hours without electricity :(
With us it’s 24 hours, got power back at 12mn.
After our generator conked out yesterday I was prepared to throw out what we have in the freezer today but thank God power restored early this morning(June 16, Friday,3am).
Missed reading my daily dose of MM’s posts!
Sorry, I mean July 16
What caused that Black-out ?? Is it an unsolvable problem ?? Should I change my plans of settling in Manila ??
In Bombay (Mumbai) or Abu Dhabi we have never had brown-outs or black-outs for the 48 years of my life.
That Cojuangco senator who had a lively debate here on MarketManila seemed to me talking some sense, would anything he was saying solve this problem ?? Is NoyNoy in a position to do something ???? Who can be held accountable ?? What is the solution ??
NoyNoy was going to have another EDSA if he lost the elections, is he going to have a EDSA for loss of electricity ???
Are we doomed ???
Jack, I am not sure if Bombay is prone to 200kph typhoons for a 4 month period of the year. The storm brought down national grid transmission lines, so the entire island of Luzon went dark. Roughly 50% was electrified within 24 hours, and I suspect the last 10% will be done by the 4th day. If you are thinking of settling in the archipelago, you have to be prepared for storms, an average of 20 of which come near or do a direct hit on the Philippines a year. Nuclear power has nothing to do with it. Even with nuclear, you would still have transmission lines subjected to the vagaries of nature.
Don’t forget your ☂ ! Raining like crazy since 4:30 am here. Hope all’s well in Manila.
MM….sorry to use your food blog to air my queries/concerns, its because I admire your considerable knowledge of the Phils and your concern for its children and development. Also since I know your blog reaches out to people in high places where I hope to find you in the near future
Does that mean there is no foreseeable solution to this situation ?
Sure Typhoons are annual recurrences and one has to live with them in the Hong Kong Singapore, Philippines Triangle. However, Transmission lines could also be laid underground or on the ground in Conduits which protect them from the elements. Surely Meralco or the Govt. have had over 100 years of the same weather to consider before laying out the transmission lines. And that is only part of the solution.
What about the perennial brown-outs or load shedding that happens almost everyday in the dry season ?? Wouldn’t Nuclear be part of the solution there. Isn’t Energy/Electric Power one of the pilars of Industrial Sustainability ? and part of National Security and Success ??