Journalists are always after a phrase that summarizes the news. They are always looking for a word that reflects what is happening.
It was hard to find one to describe Upala’s situation because every person who talked about it gave me the chills. And now, as a worker, but even more important, as a human being, I found one that could describe all the feelings I got: helplessness.
After hurricane Otto, it was difficult to accept that everyhing was real and that it was not a nightmare.
The first person we talked to was Dona Nelis. She was in front of her house, trying to clean the mud with a shovel but it was useless.
When I approached to her, she just burst into tears. I was the first person she spoke with after the tragedy.
I cried because the truth is that we have made a great effort to have what we have and know there is nothing left,
declared Dona.
The same situation took place with all the people I talked to. Every time they hugged me, I felt aa little bit worse. The pain was transmitted by every mean.
How they had survived was not important right now. For many of them, the tragedy was just starting and to put a face, a microphone and camera to this was a challenge.
I share these thoughts because I know it would be illogical to say that I feel their pain but I want people to know what is happening and that everyone is working restlessly, with love, with a passion and an effort that I have never seen.