Day for Hearts and Floods?

Recently, the PSHS-CRC Campus has been afflicted with floods and heavy rain. This caused much discomfort for the students and staff alike. One shall delve into why these events happened and how they are related to weather cycles.

First of all, rain is a common form of precipitation. It happens over time when an ample amount of water molecules evaporates, gather, and condense in the sky to form clouds. When the cloud gets heavy enough, the water droplets fall down and become rain. When there is too much rain, that’s when floods are born. Usually, they are the product of excess and overflowing water that sewage systems or natural bodies of land or water cannot contain.

The Philippines is known to be frequented by extreme weather conditions that can seriously affect the community. An example of this would be the flood on campus a few days ago where the students and staff had difficulties proceeding to their classes and going home. especially for those who rely on public transportation or forgot to bring their umbrellas. Moreover, a student slipped and fell down the stairs because of the wet floor. Strong winds also worsened the situation because they blew the water further into the buildings, even seeping into classrooms, offices, and laboratories. The water level was halfway up your leg in some areas, such as Dormitory 1 and 2, and the cafeteria.

There was a weather forecast for February 14, 2023, which stated that there was a low-pressure area. (ABS-CBN News, 2023) “Bagamat mababa pa rin yung tsansa na ito’y maging isang ganap na bagyo, yung trough or yung extension nito ay magdudulot pa rin ng mga kaulapan na magdadala naman ng kalat-kalat na pag-ulan, pagkidlat, at pagkulog sa malaking bahagi sa Visayas at sa Mindanao.” The forecast outlined the potential for thunderstorms and heavy rain in the affected areas which perfectly aligned with what happened. This turn of events even made the school issue a suspension of face-to-face classes the day afterward, as did the local government of Butuan City because of the floods and heavy rain.

These atmospheric events do not happen on whims but are generated by certain conditions in the climate. One major cause was the heat. The temperature during the days prior was quite high in the Butuan City area, and since clouds are formed from water vapor, it will definitely come down as rain. Another factor might also be climate change. February is known as the coldest and driest month of the year here in the Philippines, but recent weather activity says otherwise. This sudden shift might also change the ways of life for people and other flora and fauna. Another consequence is the rising recurrences of low-pressure areas. Perhaps sometime in the future, we’ll get LPAs every week. More causes of the flood include the lack of drainage systems in areas with flood risks or muddy roads.

Despite the difficulties presented by the harsh weather, students and staff showed perseverance and continued with their activities. Some might’ve caught fevers the day after, had their shoes soggy and ragged, their umbrellas broken, their bags soaked, and their items damaged, but they came back to school the day after the suspension of classes unscathed and as eager to learn as ever.

Unfortunately, the people had to celebrate Valentine’s Day with rain tapping on their windows and flood drenching their floors. Some receive flowers, chocolate, confessions, and love letters but everyone is equally getting their clothes and possessions wet. This did open people’s eyes that we should always bring our own umbrellas and prepare for every situation we might end up being in since anything is possible, especially with the unpredictable weather. As Kuya Kim said, “Ang buhay ay weather-weather lang.”