Yo!
Turn off the TV and stop watching depressing news! Yes Japan did experience a terrible strong quake. At first report it was an 8.8 magnitude, then a few minutes later they have edited their reports and say it was 8.9 in magnitude. Then finally they say it was 8.4.
But all news around the world stuck with the highest, 8.9 magnitude. You have to wonder why they didnt want to report the real magnitude of 8.4. To sensationalize! What do you expect? That is how the media works.
So how strong is an 8.4 magnitude quake? Majority of the Baguio people should have an idea. Several years ago, 1990 to be exact, we had a 7.7 magnitude quake here in Baguio. Well they kept changing its numbers too and say it was just 7.2.
No matter what the number was, IT WAS FREAKINGLY STRONG!!!
I was strolling along Session road, my usual path from school. I do remember it was day light saving time and i was a cleaner at class. So with DST the time was advanced by one hour. I cant imagine what would have happened if it was not DST. We could have been inside the classroom...all students would have been.
So as i was walking, a street vendor started to shout "GINGGINED!" and she was holding on to her small seat. I was not fluent on Ilocano back then yet so i didnt know what she was saying until the earth shook.
Oh no it was not the usual cradle type shake. It was a really strong shake that would make you lose balance. I really fell down, well almost everyone did. We could not even stand up because the quake just kept on getting stronger.
The parked cars on the downward sloped Session Road were even moving! The buildings were really swaying. We were so damn scared we just had to stand up, holding on to each other even if you dont know them. Everyone just helped each other to get up and we all ran towards the center isle to avoid the buildings.
Safely at the center the earth just kept shaking wildly, while a lot of people were praying and crying, some of us was staring at one building, we were watching it sway and a few seconds later the first floor was gone. The building lost one floor but it was still standing.
I was alone that time, so i decided to go home even if the earth just kept on shaking. I saw my "Lolo", i call him lolo because he was the mentor of my dad. He was not really my grandfather. He was on the other side of the fence. "Nandon kotse ko sa baba, antayin kita don" he said. Great! Now i have a ride home since we were neighbors. The problem was the earth shook strong again and there was this guy from the City Hall office using a megaphone telling us to move away from the center isle since it was made of metal and the electric wires could snap and you know what comes next.
Every moved away, one strong quake and we were all moving back to the isle. It was like dancing cha-cha, when the quake subsides we would move away from the isle, when there is an aftershock we would all go back at the center. LOL!
What made it worse was the sky became dark and it really rained hard. My heart was pounding, i was afraid but there was no point in screaming and crying like what others did. I just had to go home. So i walked amidst the rain and aftershocks. I saw people coming out of windows using tied blankets, most of them were even naked. Oh that building was a hotel...then i suddenly remembered the toy store. Oh yeah, our favorite toy store and i wanted to go there but then i saw...it was the floor that the building had just collapsed on and it was even across the fence.
So i continued walking, and i saw lots of people gathered at Melvin Jones football field. All kneeling and praying to God. I could have joined them but i just said my own little prayer. All i asked was he guide on my way home.
It was going to be a long and lonely walk but i think God answered my prayers immediately. I saw my schoolmate with his mom and brothers. They too were heading home and it just so happened our houses were on the same direction.
We walked, we never felt tired. Maybe it was adrenaline. It was a long walk really then once they were close to their home my godfather and his family drove by. They saw me and offered to take me home.
So i got home. i was not shaken, i was not scared anymore. There is no point in being scared. You just have to plan for the day when it stops. Baguio was in ruins for a long time. It took us a long time to recover but look at us now.
So stop worrying and stop thinking of scenarios. If calamities happen, they just happen. You just have to look forward to the things you want to do after it.
Am i stone cold? Nope, i just have hope that there will be a brighter day ahead.
Always remember shit happens.
But there is always hope.
Ciao!
My flickr album
