Earthquake in Turkey

Earthquake in Turkey

I am very sorry to see what has happened in Japan.   This terrible devastation in the eartern part of our Earth, reminded me of an earthquake I witnessed a few years past.

I will only write briefly about this incident, and sometime in the future, I will elaborate on this terrible experience:

The year was 1999.

(of August 19'th).

I went to Turkey for a one month vacation on August 1, 1999.  I was staying at my parents home in Istanbul.  They live on the 5'th floor (top floor) of an apartment complex.  We had company over that night, it was Saturday.  The people left and it was very late, like around 2:00 AM before we went to bed.  I was sleeping on the couch as there were no other beds - my papa and mama, brother Atilla and sister Gulsen all were in their own beds.

It was about 3:00 AM as I had just fallen asleep when I awoke, as I felt the couch starting to move, looked up and the chandelier was swaying back and forth.  I jumped out of the couch and just waited on my feet, I saw and felt the apartment (the entire apartment building) swaying back and forth and I thought it was going to collapse.  I remember being right beside the open window and was thinking should I jump on to the street while the apartment swayed downward.  Then, I heard this incredible sound like metals scrapping against each other (it was so loud) then the building started to shake instead of sway.  Then, I started hearing people all around the neighborhood screaming.

I reached for the light, the lights were out of order.  My parents got up and Atilla, and Gulsen started to run downstairs, to the street.  I was the last one behind them, when my mama said "I forgot the keys....someone grab them!" I remember taking a very deep breathe and going back up the stairs (tiptoeing back up the stairs) and looking for the keys for the apartment in the dark, while I heard screams coming from down below and all around me of our neighbourhood.  I grabbed the keys, shut the door, then ran downstairs to the street level.  What did I see? Hundreds and thousands of people, all just awoken, in they're pajamas, looking dazed and in absolute shock.

After the shaking stopped, it was so quiet, dark, only light was the stars illuminating brightly.  I have never experienced that degree of peacefulness,unpredictable'ness and terror (all at the same time) in that big of a crowd before or since.

Morning came and we were informed that (I cannot remember the exact level) but a 7.5 earthquake had occurred approximately 150 km's away in a small city called Kocaeli.  I believe the final death total was just under 20,000 people.

Incredible experience, I just thought to share.

Did you read my other blogs titled 'MLS' or 'Being a Muslim in Angola', yet?