Typhoon Dante

The relentless rain of April 30 eventually developed into Typhoon Dante on May 1, ripping us off of our holiday--and weekend--plans. Of course, typhoons are but natural in this part of the universe. Lying as it does on the country's typhoon belt, Sorsogon is visited by at least four strong typhoons annually.

Although I wasn't around when Sisang hit Sorsogon, I knew that the damages were almost insurmountable. Milenyo, which hit Sorsogon in 2006, was just as disastrous, minus the body count. For almost a month, we were left without power, making us race for a bleak Christmas.

Dante wasn't that strong, but it did leave Sorsogon virtually unaccesible for two days: a portion of the highway was cut off, making it impossible for buses and other vehicles to pass through.

The cut-off portion may have been quite short, but it certainly did much damage.

The damage Dante left behind: