Residents in areas ravaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 commemorated on Monday the 8th anniversary of the killer storm, remembering the thousands of people who perished.
In Tacloban City, considered as Yolanda’s ground zero, a Holy Mass was held at the mass burial site inside the Holy Cross Memorial Park in Basper village.
The activity was highlighted by the blessing of the mass grave.
Also blessed was a marker engraved with the names of typhoon victims at the Tacloban City Convention Center grounds.
In his message, Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez recalled the horror and grief of seeing the remains of victims, including those of children, piled up on roadsides in the aftermath of “Yolanda.”
“I would like to thank all the organizations who helped rebuild our city.”
“Thousands of lives were lost, but many came to inspire us to move forward. I would like to thank all organizations who helped rebuild our city,” Romualdez said.
The city government earlier issued an executive order suspending work in the government and classes on Nov. 8, 2021, to allow the commemoration of the super typhoon’s onslaught.
The nearby coastal towns of Palo and Tanauan also held their respective commemoration activities.
The nearby coastal towns of Palo and Tanauan that were also hit hard by storm surges also held their respective commemoration activities. Work and classes were also suspended in these towns.
During the onslaught of Super Typhoon Yolanda, five-to-six-meter-high storm surges struck this city, killing over 2,000 of its residents.
The official “Yolanda” death count was 6,300 with 5,902 recorded in the Eastern Visayas region.
