Irishman describes terror of being caught up in Japanese earthquake

Limerick man Garry Irwin, a teacher in Japan, tells how he was caught up in the mayhem surrounding the earthquake in Kumamoto city. Nine people were killed and about 800 others injured in the 6.5 strength quake.

I WAS in Kumamoto city when the quake started. It was a typical Thursday evening, the weather was finally starting to get warm and feel more like summer.

While browsing the shelves of a large bookstore at around 9.30pm, the first bout of shaking began.

I was calm as all the cds and dvds in the section of the store I was in were sliding off the shelves.

Usually when these sort of things happen, your phone gives out a little warning alarm and the shake lasts for a few seconds, then everyone goes about their business.

But this one lasted far longer than usual, enough time for me to be able to walk a few aisles to the exit.

Japan earthquake - Intensity 7 in Kumamoto, south west Japan. That's very strong, maximum intensity on scale. pic.twitter.com/9VfDomjVNO

— Martyn Williams (@martyn_williams) April 14, 2016

People were running to the stairs, a woman was crying into her phone as she ran past me, a man was hunched down with his head in his hands in the doorway of a fire exit.

The staff were ushering people out onto the street.

Every building had been ejecting people onto the footpaths below. With all the bars, restaurants and shops emptied into the city centre, I was surprised with how many people were around in what I had thought was a quiet Thursday.

I made my way through the streets as I walked towards my car. The police and the fire brigade were screaming up and down the road as the throng of people were on their phones checking in with friends and family.

My phone was now giving off an alarm where a voice in Japanese warns you to take care for an upcoming earthquake.

At the corner of one of the main streets some chunks of masonry had smashed on the ground, luckily it looked like no one was injured.

I walked over sections of kerb that had cracked and broken away. Looking into some restaurants you could see the destruction; barely a bottle was left standing on a shelf, coolers had been knocked over spreading glass everywhere. As I made my way to my car, an aftershock hit.

Because it was a lighter shake, I assumed normal order would be restored and things would die down. I live nine kilometres from the city centre, so I started my journey home. When more aftershocks hit I would pull my car into a convenience store and wait a few minutes before continuing.

Over 1,100 injured in SW #Japan's M6.5 earthquake as more aftershocks are feared pic.twitter.com/4ylGS8rZNK

— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) April 15, 2016

Whether driving along the road or sitting in a carpark, when the shaking begins it’s like you’ve been caught in a strong wind.

As the ground began to settle down, I would journey onward. Convenience store car parks were almost universally full.

People were buying up food and provisions. Families with suitcases were sitting together at the front of the store. Some people were just waiting in their cars as they charged their phones and looked for news.

Halfway home I pass a Japanese Defence Forces base which had soldiers streaming into it. There would be no time off tonight.

When I finally arrive back at my apartment, most people are in their cars or hanging around outside waiting for the all clear. My apartment block is rather old, plus I live on the ninth floor, so when it shakes, you really feel it.

BREAKING OVERNIGHT: Rescuers pulled an eight-month-old baby alive from the rubble of Japan's devastating earthquake pic.twitter.com/2cpsOQRn20

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) April 15, 2016

I decide to head up the stairs and grab a blanket and some water as I may have to sleep in my car tonight.

When I enter my apartment I see that my sitting room had spread its contents all over the floor. My fridge had moved about three feet into the middle of the room, but thankfully hadn’t fallen over.

As I was surveying the damage another quake hit. Nine storeys up, your head and stomach feel like you’re being dragged around on a rollercoaster. There is no point in even trying to tidy up so I grab some items and head to my local evacuation centre.

Around my apartment block tons of people were huddled together in the local park. People were setting up plastic sheets and blankets’, reasoning this was the safest place to stay tonight.

Teachers were standing outside schools, having been working when the original quake hit over two hours previously and were still waiting to be left home. Volunteers in hard hats were directing traffic towards the community centre.

I work at the local board of education which is right beside an evacuation meeting place. As I sit at my desk and fire off emails etc. for the next hour, another four or five small quakes hit the building.

People gather around TV screens taking in the latest news. A town only 15km away has had buildings destroyed and were battling fires.

There were reports of a number of casualties. Apparently we were to expect the aftershocks to continue for another day or two, perhaps even a week.

Deadly earthquake topples houses and destroys roads in Japan. #ITPhotoblog
Photo: Agencies pic.twitter.com/nc02EAtthh

— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) April 15, 2016

As the sun comes up the next day, you can see more of the damaged caused. Cracks in buildings, businesses that had to move everything outside onto the street, and cars just left on the side of the road.

As I return home I check into a local kindergarten where I was to work today. The teachers were cleaning up, and any parents who brought kids were told to go home, all the schools in the area have been closed for the rest of the week. I check in on a few more friends before getting back to my apartment around eleven o’clock.

I check the gas and the water before heading out again. Quakes hit intermittently during the day.

They are usually light and only last a few seconds, with the occasional one being stronger and giving you pause for thought as to why you are bothering to tidy up!

As I type this almost twelve hours after the initial quake, the aftershocks are still going and I’ll probably have to spend a second night away from my apartment.

In this part of the world, you get used to preparing for natural disasters, complacent even. Typhoons have kept people indoors, but you can track a typhoon.

The volcano at Aso has also been active, so people are told to avoid the area and not to spend too long outside, but you can see smoke emitting from a volcano.

And normally earthquakes are predicted and you get a timely warning on your phone. But this time it feels different. You can’t settle if the ground won’t settle.

Another small quake happens. People barely look up from their desks. Live goes on. Be safe everybody.