It's been a weekend of continuing earthquakes, y'all.
I mean, I've always read about how when there's a big earthquake (like we had here just two days ago, and if you didn't get a chance to read that blog post of mine yet, you may want to start there and then come back) there are then "many aftershocks."
Yeah, sure.
Let me translate the phrase "many aftershocks" for you. "Many aftershocks" means: And then, for the next several days, you will have literally hundreds** more earthquakes...they just won't be quite as large as the first one was.
Some of the hundreds** of earthquakes will be small enough that you don't feel them. Or you only feel them barely. But some/a lot/many/most? will be big enough that you feel them. And not just that you feel them, but some will be big enough to also alarm you.
One "aftershock" yesterday was an earthquake that measured 5.5. It was big enough that James and I lept out of bed and started to leave the apartment again. All night long - both last night and the night before - there were earthquakes that would shake the apartment and the bed and wake us up or keep us awake.
I'm sorry, but continuous earthquakes (and they come regularly, sort of like labor pains), are no fun. One will hit and during it we'll be all
And then it will be over (until the next one). Leaving us even more stressed out.
Or, if we're REALLY unlucky, we'll be trying to sleep or rest and a bigger one will hit (the kind that starts shaking/rocking the bed and the stuff on dressers back and forth) and we'll be all
And then you can FORGET about sleep.
For the last two nights, we haven't slept.
We are tired.
We are VERY tired.
(But we won't get one.)
James is stressed out and exhausted. I am also stressed out and exhaused. The kids are freaked the heck out, my younger one big time.
Don't get me wrong. PLEASE don't get me wrong. We are alive. We are safe. We have a roof over our heads and electricity and running water and drinking water and food and people who are looking out for our welfare and safety. We are a thousand times more fortunate than many others nearby. And just like I predicted two days ago when the big one hit, the death/injury totals have been steadily climbing. As of today, the lastest news is that 186 people have been killed, 11,200 have been injured and 8,200 have been hospitalized. Many of those have been hospitalized here in Chengdu, as the epicenter of the quake was only 70 miles away from us and Chengdu is the capital of the province.
And our family isn't the only family freaked out by the "aftershocks" - many other folks are, too:
The continued "aftershock" earthquakes also are truly annoying because all of the shaking and all of the movement gives you a kind of a seasickness feeling. Like the sort of way you feel when you've been on a boat for a while and then you get back onto the land. You sort of feel like you're still moving, you know? Well, couple that with motion sickness or some kind of sea sickness and that's how James and I are feeling. And you can't get away from it because it's not like you can go somewhere that isn't shaking all the time.
We've just gotta - wait it out. It's day two. Hopefully it will end soon. But I feel awful for all of the people nearby who have lost family members or lost their homes or are awaiting being rescued or are injured or have no drinking water or no food. Please keep this area in your prayers.
[**UPDATE: Know how I put in my blog earlier that there have been "hundreds" of aftershock earthquakes since the big one hit two days ago? Yeah, well, I was a little off. There have literally been MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND. I stand corrected...]
Oh man. I'm sorry. That whole area is in our thoughts and prayers.
Posted by: Becky | 04/23/2013 at 08:09 AM
Been in temblors in Central America -- your illustrations are right on!! Keeping all in prayer -- stay safe.
Posted by: Nomads By Nature | 04/23/2013 at 10:02 AM