The Harsh Realities of Post-Disaster Zones: A Personal Journey Through Woes

Experiencing the aftermath of natural disasters and recovering from them can be one of the most challenging and disheartening experiences one can go through. In my personal journey, I've encountered not just the physical devastation, but the emotional and social challenges as well. From witnessing the post-disaster scenes in the Philippines and Japan to coping with the recovery of my own community, each experience has left its mark.

Funeral Travel in the Philippines

My journey to my grandmother's hometown in the Philippines in January 1992 was for attending the funeral of her second husband. The flight to the remote province had been cancelled, leading us to take a cross-country bus ride from Manila. Along the way, we encountered the remains of the Clark Air Force Base, which had been evacuated due to the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. The landscape was a desolate, post-apocalyptic scene, with ash dunes and a blackened, smoky-horizon volcano. Legally, I marvel at the resilience and perseverance of the local residents, who continued to make a living despite such calamity.

Rest Area Bathroom Horror

The most horrifying sight, however, was at a remote highway rest area where we had to stop for a necessary break. The facility was so repulsive that using the restroom was a painful ordeal. The room, which was supposedly flushed into the ground, was instead flooded with raw sewage. As a result, we had to walk across boards above the sewage to reach the one, clogged toilet—without a partition. This experience is one of the most vivid reminders of the stark realities of the post-disaster zone.

Earthquake Recovery in Kobe, Japan

While living in Japan, I felt the Kobe earthquake of 1995, despite being 200km away. Four months later, I was in the city of Kobe for a conference, which organizers deliberately kept as is to show the resilience and recovery efforts of the city. The scenes we encountered were sobering. In some neighborhoods, older or underprivileged buildings had burned completely, causing tens of thousands to become homeless. Some neighborhoods were simply gone. Despite this, the streets were bustling, with people going about their day as if nothing had happened. It was a stark contrast to the disaster that had occurred and the emotional toll it took on everyone.

The Aftermath of the 1992 Hurricane

Returning to my island in 1992 after the hurricane was just as challenging. The island was hit hard, but it was the period of time when we were without water and electricity for weeks that was most crucial. It was a period of unemployment that marked a turning point in my life, leading me to move to Japan. Our community hasn't fully recovered yet and suffered 3 billion in damage, with major employers being forced to shut down, and my family faced financial difficulties.

Conclusion

Between the desolation of post-disaster zones, the stark realities of living through them, and the resilience of the people who continue to thrash against the odds; each experience has taught me something invaluable. These harrowing stories are not just about destructive natural calamities, but about the human spirit and the challenges of resilience in the face of adversity.