The Periscope Post

I was in my sister’s one bedroom central Santiago apartment when the earthquake hit Chile at 3.34am on Saturday morning. We were awake as soon as the small loft apartment began to shake but, accustomed to the weak tremors often felt in Chile, I was calm at first. However, as the quake began to crescendo into something far different to what we had ever felt before, I began to panic. The sound of glass shattering, car alarms sounding and women screaming overwhelmed our groggy senses. All we could think was 35^th floor.

Our parents were on the 35^th floor of one of the tallest buildings in Santiago. I remember reassuring my sister, telling her they would be fine, that the building was strong – but I don’t think I was sure of anything at that point.

We didn’t get out of the bed we were sharing until the intense jolting finally stopped. We quickly felt our way out of the darkness grabbing shoes, phones, keys and our beloved old cat as we fled the apartment and made our way out onto the street.

Outside the building we were joined by other scared and dishevelled neighbours. I stood near the open window of a car that had its radio blaring as the first frenzied reports came through. Phone communication was impossible at that point – but after some time, perhaps 40 minutes later, a text message came through from my father telling us they were out on the street and fine.

We later learnt that my parents had been sure their numbers were up when the quake hit. As their room began to shudder they managed to roll out of bed and onto the floor. Seconds later the bed shot through into the living room and the headboard crashed to the floor as the building began to sway and shake violently. They were able to make it down the thirty-five flights of stairs once the worst of the movement had stopped. Reunited within several hours, we were some of the lucky ones. Over the weekend we yo-yoed between feelings of relief that we were safe and horror as the catastrophe began to unfold elsewhere in the country.

Other regions of the Chile, particularly further South and on the coast, have been devastated beyond belief. Over half a million people have lost their homes, the death toll is in the seven hundreds and rising, many people are still anxiously awaiting news from family and friends while armed looters now add to the terror that is already being felt by many. The live testimonies from survivors, constantly being aired across local radio stations, give a voice to the tragedy.

Aftershocks continue and millions of people in the most effected areas are still desperate for basic necessities. Rescue and aid efforts, and the maintenance of order must come first, followed by the process of rebuilding this shaken country. Chile is a humble nation, reserved, modest – but also quietly strong and inherently proud. This country will no doubt rise to such an undeserved challenge and continue to flourish again, but it will take time. Fuerza Chile lindo.