So, it’s not even 8am and I was doing a taste tour of all the breakfast cereals I could find here, for a later review post when all of a sudden I thought I was getting dizzy or lightheaded. Maybe I should lay down? It quickly got worse. Is that a train? No. That is an earthquake unlike I have ever felt before.
I was pretty scared. And it kept growing. What do I grab? My hotel room card. As I start to move towards the door my legs go weak. I’m on the second floor so I sprint down the stairs using the handrails for balance. One old Chinese man is just chilling in the lobby like nothing happened.
Out on the street there are parents clutching their babies. A patron came running out in nothing but his underwear. I looked up to see if the buildings above are made of brick but everything seems designed of steel beams well suited for this. Maybe it’s safest in the middle of the street?
After about 40 seconds the shaking stopped. The man in his underwear quickly retreated to his room. For the next few minutes it was like a day with unexpected snow where you become suddenly friendly with everyone around you. The mother with her baby looked tearful, while others laughed at what they had experienced.
I messaged my kids to see how they were. They had moved the entire school out to the sports field. Everyone is safe.
In the last 30 minutes I’ve felt 2 smaller aftershocks. Each one less significant than the last. All the adults are on our way now to the school to meet up with the kids. I’m sure everyone is going to have some exciting stories about this one!
P.S. 2 hrs later and aftershocks continue to hit every 20 minutes. The kids have fun jumping under the tables each time, but the local staff don’t seem too bothered by any of it.
