Feb 6, 2012 (11:49 a.m.) While in the middle of updating a rather voluminous excel file, my monitor started to shake. Thinking that it's just the weight of a passing truck, I didn't mind until everything inside the room shook like it never did before. Torn between switching the main switch and shutting the PCs down, I did the latter. Thinking of what to bring, I was rooted by the door for a spell, immobilized by shock at the sight of people rushing out of the grocery to my right and the students rushing down the stairs to my left. The plastic roof above me rattled in unison with my heart's beating, which at the time has began to accelerate. Without nothing but the clothes on my person, I joined the rest of the throng and let the tremors pass at the empty lot at the back of the building. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Classes was suspended that afternoon and we all went to check whoever was left in our homes that day.
Two more notable tremors struck between 6-7 that evening which prompted sis and myself to save water in a huge container prepare a disaster kit :)
Feb 7, 2012 - Spared from destruction that was much evident in the southern tip of the island, the city still looked like a ghost town. Some old public buildings (and some new private ones built with substandard materials) resisted the tremor and cracked from pressure. Even my nook at school was not spared with two prominent cracks running from floor to ceiling where the A/C was located. The same is true for the wall barely three meters away. The inspector declared it safe so what's a chemical engineer to do but listen to the structural expert. Still, classes were cancelled as we waited for the inspection of the other parts of the building.
At noon, it began to rain. Not long after, the water that came out of the faucet was already powdery. It was expected yet we saved only enough drinking water for a day. Bummer!
Feb 8, 2012 - Two tremors woke me from a late sleep early this morning. At school, attendance was good but I preferred to stay off high places. The apprehension was of course was not unfounded. At a little past 9, we felt another tremor and we were more calm this time. As to when this will end, we can only hope that it would be soon. Our concern for now is WATER...
