Last night's earthquakes (continuing through today still) are the recent talk. Not having television, apparently I missed the interminable coverage of the television station's own aquarium spilling water over the sides as it rocked.
I happened to be outside near Cheng Ching Lake, far away from any tall buildings, so I was probably in one of the safest areas in Kaohsiung. Still, we definitely felt a nice roll as the ground bucked under us.
12/26 8:26 p.m. felt it. Sounded like a big truck rumbling by at first.
12/26 8:34 p.m. the big one, it registered a 5 in Kaohsiung city because its epicenter was closer to Kaohsiung
12/26 8:40 p.m. totally missed it
12/26 11:41 p.m. felt it, but not too big
12/27 10:30 a.m. I am actually not sure if I felt this one. I was parking my scooter, I think.
[image from Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau website]
As an exercise with my students, since we have been working on descriptive writing, I had them write 3 descriptive sentences about their recent earthquake experiences. These were some of my favorites:
"The ceiling fan swung around like it was going to attack me."
and
"I was as calm as a vegetable." I am pretty sure this student was building off of (or somehow mistranslating) "cool as a cucumber," but "calm as a vegetable" is quite endearing in its way. Yes, indeed, we are just calm as vegetables.
Hi, I've been living in Kaohsiung for 8 months now and love your blog. My husband and I were in Kaohsiung City (near FE21) at the time of the tremors. And I tell you, I wasn't calm as a freaking vegetable :p. I was terrified, maybe on 14th floor was worse than on the ground, I don't know. The second big one (6.5) scared the life out of us as the building swang from side to side so violently that we thought that the walls woulnd't make it. After that we were told to evacuate the flats and go to the main hall on the ground floor. We did that as many of our neighbours did too. I'm still traumatized. This morning's earthquake wasn't so bad but enough to make me panic again. I hope it stops, fully stops, I really do. Take care.
Posted by: Marcia | 2006/12/27 at 下午 1:27
Marcia-
Thanks for reading. I suppose you get used to it, and it depends on where you are. I have only felt about 5 or 6 earthquakes here in 3 years. This was the first in a long time. It is definitely worse on the top floors, where you swing and sway a lot. Out where I was, we actually had fun rolling around. Others I have talked to, however, were not so amused. Next time it happens, just repeat the mantra "calm as a vegetable, calm as a vegetable, calm as a vegetable"!
Posted by: taiwantiger | 2006/12/27 at 下午 1:38
I'm calm as a cabbage. I am calm as a cabbage.
I feel like one of those chicken from Chicken Run who says "We shall not panic, we shall not panic. AAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHH!" :D
I'm calm as a cabbage.
Posted by: Marcia | 2006/12/27 at 下午 6:27
my family and i were in Hua Hin, Thailand and they had a tsunami warning there. thankfully nothing happen. but the water did go down some
Posted by: Tasanee L S | 2007/1/13 at 下午 8:08
Nice blog about taiwan, good information. We would like to wish you good luck.
Posted by: web directory | 2007/2/17 at 下午 11:43