Earthquake in Nagaoka
Asraf Akhimullah Bin Norazman
Nagaoka Kousen, Japan
JPA`s Malaysian student
The sound of the alarm clock started up that day. The day was hot, as it should be, since it`s already summer. It has been more than 3 months since I came here to Nagaoka, but the changing of season still fascinate me the most. It`s amazing how people choose to adapt in an environtment that always changes. Skiing when its winter, baking potato on Autumn, and Hanami on Spring. There always things to do in a particular season. Of course, that too makes me fell fortunate that I`m from Malaysia. Where we are the one setting our own pace of life, all through out the year.
We did not have any classes that day because it was Umi no hi ( the day of the sea ); one of Japan`s national holiday. Despite the fact that I stayed up late last night, waiting for Subuh on 2:50pm, I woke up and hit the book.
That was when it all happened~~
It was just past 9, at first it started to shake, gently like the heaven was rocking the land in a cradle, but then the shake gotten worse, from a baby, I felt like Jack when he tried to steal the golden egg from the giant. Eveything started to fall..
The picture frame of my family that I put on the edge of my desk was the first to fall, the frame hit the ground and the mirror smashed to pieces. From the outside, I can hear the sound of car alarm, mixed with screams. The funniest thing was... I was not afraid..
Indeed this was my first time experiencing earthquake, but I felt calm. Infact, I was excited! It felt like a rollercoster ride.
"giler ah!! jishin siot!!!'' (god! an earthquke!!~)
The tremor lasted like 30 seconds or more. The whole time, instead of hiding below the desk like I was taught during my preparation period, I was holding my computer tight, afraid that it would fell and broke.
Seconds later, we, the Malaysian students and other Japanese native student were ask to assemble. Basicly its just to make sure that everyone is OK, which fortunately, everyone was.. And then we wait, in about 30 minutes or so, just in case that there is an aftershock. During that time, I felt like it was a big bother. I just started to study after days of book-free time, and although I am NOT the nerdy type, but hey, I DO cherish my time. To kill some time, I spoke with some Japanese students, asking of their previous earthquake experiences. What I learnt from their story was this; the rescue squad make tasty curry. Seriously.
When I settled back in my dorm, like it was fate at play, there was an aftershock. It was so little, that one would just pretend not to felt anything. And everyone did. No assembly whatsoever. Thank goodness for that.
The lunch that day was reduced to bread. Just plain bread. Technically, the earthquake stopped the water supply thus making the dorm`s canteen couldn`t cook anything. Fine, bread is food, it is halal and Coirssant is a favourite of mine.
It was about 2pm when the real second wave strucked. I was napping, the one that woke me up was a friend of mine; Ridzuan, hysterically saying " Aki!! Aki!! bangun!! jishin! jshin!!" ( Aki, wake up!! Earthquake!! )
God, I felt like that was such an annoyance... I didn`t even bother to wake up. So what?~ we already felt it this morning~~ let me sleep~~ for god sake, I was already short of sleeping time. Like that morning was, the was assembly. Cursing to have to assemble, I brought my TV built-in handphone with me.. That was when I saw the news on TV..
Never experienced earthquake before, I thought that this earthquake was minor. about 1 or 2 scale..
But hell was I wrong...
The first one on the morning was about 6, and the second one reached nearly 6.4 on richert scale – FYI, One that killed in Indonesia was just about 5.5 . 9 people died so far that time, thousands was injured, train were thrown offtrack, road was cracked open, houses were broken, all hell broken loose..
And I....
I hold on to my PC instead of my life..
I laughed..
slept and refused to wake up..
I thought it was INTERESTING...
It`s true what they say, " Ignorance is a bliss "; not knowing is in fact a wonderful thing..
This thought me not to take everything lightly, and to be grateful to Allah that I`m alive.. Though it didn`t even felt like it was a life threatening situation, but it certainly was. And I survived it. Everyone was worried, friends messaged asking if I was alright. Family tried to get into the internet to get in touch with me, only to find that fate is at work, the streamyx broke..Which later resulting them to call the Malaysian embassy in Japan.
The day ended well with no aftershock, but during the whole week, there were still some minor earthquakes. Even when I was writing this, there was an earthquake. Hopefully, I can get through this. For now, I am still alive, in fact, I am livelier than ever.
