The earthquake that shocked and shattered my heart...
Hazel was calling me to ask how I was.
I just woke up 9AM NL time and I still had no idea that a major earthquake occurred at approximately 8 AM in Bohol, my home province in the Philippines. Hazel continued by saying, I was just checking on you just in case you've heard from your family. It was quite strong she said, 7.2 magnitude (I seriously have no idea how strong this was until I read about it later)...Honestly in my mind, I am not very used to the fact that Bohol experiences major calamities nor disaster. We have been spared by floods the likes of those that hit the Luzon area or fires or even typhoons and storms that pass the province is not as harsh as those that claim lives in other places but this...I was not prepared for this news...
I immediately called my mother's number to no avail so I tried my father's phone. He picked up and confirmed he just experienced the most devastating earthquake in his lifetime...He was thankful enough that it was not kind of a 'swaying quake' he described it as if someone was jock hammering non-stop for a minute. He said everyone is safe thankfully, they have evacuated in the open area just outside of our house in mommy Dolor's terrace. The rest of our cousins and neighbors also gathered together. They spent lunch together and are still outside even as of this writing...
I haven't checked the news in the internet until I came back from returning a friend's bike and getting my bike from the shop where I had it repaired. Marlon called, Maecel was asking when she could call me so the nervousness and panic rose within me wondering the extent of the damages. When I got back to my room and finally was able to turn my laptop on...the overflow of information complete with pictures splashed all over websites creeped in. I still could not believe what happened...We lost a lot of our historical sites and churches. Even the modern buildings like the city hall, capitol, my school and some other business establishments were not spared from the aftermath of what was compared to '32 Hiroshima Atomic Bombs' by Solidum, the head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).
The epicenter was in Carmen, Bohol according to the reports. A lot of other provinces in the central visayas were also affected but it started in our province. I could not stop the tears when I scrolled over the pictures of the ruined churches...I thought at first only one was totally destroyed but when I saw Maribojoc's church also in rambles, I am on the verge of sobbing. I have called my sister twice and told her to convince my mom that they should on the ground area for at least this week just in case the aftershocks will indeed last this long as presumed by PHIVOLCS. Hedz and I are chatting on FB to continually update each other and perhaps to convince ourselves too that our families back at home will be okay. Roda and I had been exchanging tweets, she was also sending her morale support and hoping my family is okay. I earnestly told her they are fine now and electricity has gotten back but I could not help thinking again and again of what will never come back...OUR CHURCHES...The churches that were part of my life growing up in that province. For instance, we always visit this church in my father's hometown during the feast of its patron saint and now it seemed like a part of my past is totally gone with the wind...as if a part of me crumbled today too...
It is still amazing how people continue to have high spirits. The most positive excuse was that it was a holiday and people were at least not gathered together in a buildings that might be strongly affected and could have taken away lives. I thought, what if it happened on a sunday? 8AM on a sunday? My GOD! people will be in churches...the churches that were the main casualties of this disaster...I still have a heavy heart
I know we will recover one day...
I know God will never forsake us...
I have faith we will overcome this test...
But today, I mourn
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