OCTOBER 15, 2013. The day started fine and normal. Got home early from work with droopy eyes and my mind brimming with ideas for the day. I was thinking of going out or at the very least, spend the whole day sleeping. Like usual, all my plans changed when i got inside the bedroom.
I was planning to chage right away, eat breakfast and get some sleep before the malls open but i ended up merely unbuttoning my jeans and played with the tab. I completely forgot about changing and instead i started reading manga. I was so lost in the Fairy Tail world when suddenly, something weird happened. The room started to vibrate, the glasses started to topple and before i could comprehend what was happening, my instincts kicked in and i ran out of the room, tablet in hand, jeans wide open and heart beating so fast.
The whole world was shaking violently. People were screaming and running. There was a very loud rumbling noise*, windows and roofs were ratling, the very ground i’m standing on was shaking. I was so confused i looked around and saw panicked faces, probably a reflection of my own. I didn’t know what to do. For a second, i stupidly thought it was a flashflood and looked up over the roofs. I half-expected water and rocks until i realized, scared and shaking as i was, that it is impossible. We’re too far from the mountain and even the sea. Then it dawned on me, it’s an earthquake and it’s getting stronger.
Would you believe this all happened in less than a minute? Less than a minute but it felt like a lifetime.
I am not a stranger to earthquakes. I have lived in this world for 24 years. Not long enough, i know, but long enough to experience numerous quakes. Negros Occidental, where i came from has seen it’s fair share of earthquakes mostly caused by an active volcano and the fact that of course the Philippines is in the ring of fire. This earthquake, takes the crown for the strongest i had felt in my whole life.
The rest of the day was probably one of the most exhausting days of my life. Aftershocks sends new waves of panic. People scrambling for cover, hoping this is the last or at least that the next one will be weaker. Several strong aftershocks were felt allthroughout the day. We did not get enough sleep. Each aftershock jolts us awake, with panic in our eyes, wondering if we have to run or stay. It was very exhausting but at least we’re still alive.
According to reports, the quake was a Magnitude 7.2, stronger than the one that hit the country in 2011. It was tectonic in origin and was caused by the Bohol fault. It devastated infrastructures in Cebu and Bohol and claimed lives as well. It toppled various historical landmarks that stood for centuries. It was a tragic day.
It was also a day to give thanks. When you see the destruction caused by the quake, you realize that you’re still lucky even though you don’t get enough sleep because of the aftershocks. You re lucky because unlike those who died, you can still spend time with your family. You are lucky because despite the discomfort caused by the tremors, you’re not homeless and you can still sleep in your own bed. You are lucky because the only thing you lost that day is your sleep and your composure. Others lost their lives or their loved ones while some doesn’t have a home to go back to.
I think the best thing to do now is to live with this. The aftershocks will keep coming, hopefully less and less and weaker than the previous ones, and we can’t do anything about that. It is scary but what can we do? Nature’s the boss here and we can only wait until this all subsides. The fear will remain for days and no one should blame us for that. It was scary but i, for one, will do my best to forget that rumbling noise.. Soon, things will go back to normal.
The future is not in our hands. We don’t know what happens next. For me, two things are certain 1.) i have a God who protects and is in control and 2.) i have family and friends who will help me face whatever the world decides to throw next.
*i live near the Banilad flyover and i suspect this was what caused the rumbling sound
**please forgive the spellinga. I did my best to proofread but i’m having a hardtime typing.
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