Pinoys in US Midwest prepare for ‘Sandy’

CHICAGO – Although superstorm “Sandy” appeared to have dissipated Wednesday after blasting the northeast, Philippine embassy officials in Washington advised FilipinoAmericans in the Midwest to “brace for the passage of one of the most violent storms in American history.”

Television weather forecasters in Chicago, Illinois reported that “the slow spin-down of post- tropical cyclone Sandy keeps wind velocities on down- ward trajectory Wednesday (Oct. 31); wave heights and water levels lowering slowly too.”

Chicago’s superstation WGN Weather Center said, “Sandy (is) weakening after blasting the area with high winds/waves.”

A news release from its press attaché, Elmer Cato, said the Philippine embassy continues to monitor Sandy as its passage across the Midwest is expected to bring heavy rains and strong

winds that could affect another 50,000 Filipinos.

ABC- affiliate WLS Channel 7 said a twoday forecast for Thursday and Friday places temperatures at a high of 51 (degrees Fahrenheit or 10.5 degrees Celsius) and a low of 34 (1.1 degrees Celsius). The weather will be mostly sunny and breezy, with a high of 48 (8.8 degrees C) and a low of 36 (2.2 degrees C), mainly sunny, respectively.

Despite these “clear, breezy and chilly Halloween conditions,” Ambassador Jose Cuisia Jr. said the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago is in touch with Filipino community leaders in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana who were told to tell their members to steer clear of the storm’s path.

Cuisia said Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim has advised the Filipino community in the Great Lakes region to stay indoors and avoid coastal areas where waves are expected to be as high as 20 feet. Herrera-Lim said the effects of the storm are now being felt in the area and all cargo shipping activity in Lake Michigan has come to a standstill.

He said there are already reports of floods in Cleveland, Ohio. Meanwhile, Herrera-Lim said he is going to check whether Rhonda Lee Richoux, a descendant of early Filipino settlers in Louisiana, has “contacted us or our friend in New Orleans.”

Richoux e- mailed this reporter and Marilyn Doromal, of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations in Region 4, that her “mobile home and everything in it was destroyed” by Hurricane “Isaac” last Aug. 28.

Continuous updates

In the East Coast, Cuisia said the Philippine embassy in Washington and the Consulate General in New York continued to receive updates about Filipinos in areas hardest hit by Sandy. “We continue to receive reports of Filipinos affected by floodwaters and power outages,” he said. “Fortunately, there are no reports of any Filipino casualties and we hope it remains that way.”

Consul General Mario de Leon said the situation in New York and New Jersey has started to normalize, but many Filipinos are still without electricity and could not be contacted because of downed communication lines.

On Wednesday, De Leon visited affected Filipino neighborhoods in Jersey City, one of the hardest hit areas in New Jersey. He was accompanied by Councilman Rolando Lavarro who showed him the damage caused by floodwaters to homes and vehicles in Country Village where an estimated 2,000 Filipinos reside.

The Consul General said the consulate has received reports from Filipino community leaders that the homes of some of the estimated 20,000 Filipinos in the South Jersey and Cherry Hills areas also sustained some damage from the storm.

Homes of two Fil-Am families lost

Additional reports received by the consulate also indicated more damage to property of Filipinos in Suffolk County, Long Island – another hard hit area in New York swept by floodwaters Tuesday.

At least two Filipino families were reported to have completely lost their homes on Staten Island.

De Leon, at the same time, called on members of the Filipino community to rekindle the spirit of bayanihan and help each other cope with the effects of the disaster.

“We would like to call on the innate concern of Filipinos for their kapitbahay or kababayan and help each other in making it through this ordeal,” De Leon said.

He said a cellphone charging station is available at the Philippine Center on Fifth Avenue for Filipinos from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting Wednesday and until the situation normalizes.

He urged community members to inform the Consulate General of their concerns so this could be relayed to authorities for proper action.

– With Pia Lee-Brago