Powerful twister hits QC areas

MANILA, Philippines – As though the relentless rains brought by Tropical Storm “Falcon” were not enough, a twister hit Quezon City shortly past noon Friday, destroying houses and damaging public and private property.

Aldczar Aurelio, weather forecaster at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, said eyewitness accounts and an on-site inspection would be critical in determining whether a twister had indeed landed in the metropolis.

“We have people surveying the area, asking witnesses. We have to base our conclusion on scientific evidence,” he said.

But whatever it was that tore off roofs and felled trees in Kamuning, New Manila and Kamias in Quezon City, Aurelio was definite that Falcon and the southwest monsoon caused powerful winds to spin around the area.

Carla Santos said she watched the twister from the covered entrance of the Quezon City Jail and described it as “a huge dark grey cloud that toppled, ripped and hurled things that got in its way.”

“We were standing outside the jail and waiting for our turn to go inside when we heard a howling sound,” Santos told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “When I turned to look, I saw the circling strong wind and saw a huge tree uprooted and a roof of a house torn off and sent flying toward Edsa.”

Santos said the onslaught “seemed like forever, but I understand it lasted for only about two minutes.”

Retired Chief Supt. Elmo San Diego, Department of Public Safety and Order head, said the tornado also tore off the roofs of 40 houses in the wealthy residential area of New Manila.

In Kamuning, a satellite office of the city welfare office located beside Bernardo Park in front of the city jail was destroyed when a tree felled by the twister hit one of its rooms.

“I heard a loud thud from above me … when I looked up, I saw the ceiling and the fluorescent lamp coming down on me. I crawled on the floor, then stood up and kicked a door and went out of the room as fast as I could,” Edielyn de Castro told the INQUIRER, describing the scenario when the tornado hit the office.

The vehicles parked beside the Kamuning police station 10, where a press office and the Traffic Sector 5 office were located, were also not spared when a concrete wall collapsed at the height of the tornado.

“Pakiramdam ko, lumundo yung bubong nung dumaan yung buhawi at lahat kami sa loob tumakbo sa ilalim ng mga upuan,” said reporter Ricky Tulipat.

The collapsed wall damaged two taxicabs, a Mazda 6, and a Honda Accord, among others.

Vehicular traffic in front of the station stalled due to a big tree that fell in the middle of the road. A police officer said it was fortunate no vehicle was passing at the time.

Electricity in the area was also interrupted but was restored an hour later.

“It was scary because you cannot tell where the wind is going and all you could hear was the howling air and the sound of dropping walls and sparks from electrical wires,” said Noel Celis, photographer of a wire agency.