My Memory of the Most DestructiveEarthquake: ten years ago and now
Ten years ago, I was a seventh grader, twelve years old. Having no experience in real earthquakes, I could never ever imagine what would it be like when an earthquake really occurs.
At 14:28 on 12thof May, an earthquake truly and unexpectedly stuck in my province (Sichuan province located in the southeast of mainland China). It was so massive that I could not walk in a straight line while rushing out of my school building, which was located in the centre of Chengdu (the capital city of Sichuan province), around133.6 km (85.015 mi) far away from the earthquake-stricken county, Wenchuan.
Around ten minutes later, I was happily safe with the whole school of teachers and students on the playground. All networks were cut off. We had to wait for further news and alerts. While some of us were frightened, many were excited. My geography teacher, surrounded by my curious and somewhat cheerful classmates, was telling that an earthquake occurs usually due to tectonic movements (plates of ground sliding and grinding against each other).
In the consecutive seven days, floods of news urgently covering the situations and circumstances were continuously televised both locally and nationally without any breaks. Premier Wen, the former prime minister of China, hastily arrived there immediately after the occurrence of the disaster. It was terribly raining (in Chinese culture, if it is rainy in a sad situation, we say that the sky is also crying). The raindrop blurred Premier glasses, so I could not tell if it was rain or tear or both.
During the next few weeks, I had been reading articles and news telling what happened in the area and what soldiers died in the searching rescuing. All networks were cut off. Not knowing whether it was abysmal despair or bright survival waiting for them, soldiers randomly jump off helicopters with food in their arms and bags. Some acquaintances of my parents came around after they volunteered and came back from the area, telling us the situations with a choked voice. Words, sometimes, are too plain to express the fear, horror and awe while we were confronted with the natural disaster. A young girl as I was, at that moment, all of a sudden, I realised that the difference between life and death could exist in the blink of an eye.
Nowadays, ten years have passed after the earthquake left a lasting memory in every Sichuanese. The county of residents moved to a new town, starting a new life. After his retirement, Primer Wen went to a school, delivering one geography lesson to a class of students. Today is a day for people to remember their deceased and beloved ones. Today is the birthday for many other people who were born or survived in the earthquake. Today is also my grandfather’sand friend’s birthday.
Time can heal, although it takes time. The scar in that area and in people’s heart will not disappear. Sunshine will eventually shine through and into there.
12.05.2018