Stormproof

Rainy weather is a blast for some people, but stormy weather is not. I’ve seen more than a hundred people in downtown Cebu get stranded under the rain because they didn’t carry umbrellas with them. In a tropical country that also often gets hit by storms, not possessing even a tattered umbrella is a crime.

Just this week, the country was deluged by another storm. Some of my neighbors were not even aware there was a storm that was raging along the Visayas. They thought “gisapot lang ang panahon (the weather was just having a tantrum).”

One neighbor asked me how one should get ready for a storm. Although this is a past-tensesort-of-storm-readiness, I will still write it. Every year, we get slapped and tossed and rinsed by storms, and so I rush on with my face-storms tips.

■ Please buy an umbrella. Chose a sturdy one, preferably not a folding one. You can opt for a colorful one to lift your rainy day mood, but any functional piece will do. While you are at it, do buy a light, folding type to stuff into your designer bag or backpack. This way, you are always rain-ready.

■ For emergency mud splatters, tuck a face towel into a ziplock bag along with a small bottle of alcohol for quick foot wipes. Wet tissues may be used as substitute. ■ You have heard it once too many times, store water when there is a storm coming. Power outages will occur and you don’t want to get caught without a bath before going to work.

■ Store drinking water. After the storm, you will have a good stock of bottled water. Not a bad idea.

■ Batteries! Buy batteries, keeping in mind

their expiration date. For that matter, buy a couple of flashlights or battery-operated lanterns. Of course, you can also purchase rechargeable light sources. If you can find solar-powered lanterns, invest in a few of them.

■ Canned food is a must. Opt for easy-open canned goods in case you have to go to an evacuation center.

■ Do heed warnings. When your barangay disaster preparedness team alerts you about flash floods in your area and to leave your house, leave immediately.

■ Power banks, battery-operated chargers and cell phone load cards are essential. ■ Place your gadgets in waterproof containers and in turn, place these in resealable plastic pouches.

This will be a short one. I have a friend to help after the storm, although Cebu City was not directly hit.