Shocks and aftershocks

Disastrous Earthquake

A few important topics or news spread like wildfire. Slowly it becomes a major issue and gets on the lips of most people in the world. 

A recent example can be seen in the disastrous earthquake in Nepal. It has claimed thousands of people and injured uncountable number of the residents. It is said to be the most disastrous earthquake after the Nepal-Bihar earthquake in 1934.

I was stunned when I heard about it. I couldn’t stop thinking about the people who lost their lives and children separated from their parents. I wanted to do something but except praying, I couldn’t do anything.

However, I am happy that many countries are sending relief material after supporting Nepal in rescue operations. India and China, the two immediate neighbours, have been helping Nepal. Similarly, the UAE and many other countries too are making all efforts to provide relief material to the survivors.

The best thing I have felt was that many schools in the UAE have also launched a drive to collect relief material to send to Nepal. 

The drive has motivated students to get involved in bringing relief to their brethren in Nepal, for whom it is quite difficult to get out of the shocking incident.

Talking about the shocks, people in various parts of India were terrorised more by the aftershocks. The fear increased to such a level that many people were found relating normal happenings in their daily lives with an earthquake.

A few days back, when one of my neighbours in India felt dizzy, he thought there was an earthquake and started shouting ‘Everyone get out of the house’.

One of my close friends also narrated a similar incident. The fan of her house back in her native place was creaking very badly. Seeing this, her grandmother fainted. On coming back to her senses she said that she thought there was an earthquake.

(Published in The Gulf Today on May 9, 2015)