When One Night Became a Nightmare : A Traumatizing Earthquake in Northern Cebu

As I was about to go to bed, something traumatizing happened unexpectedly. At exactly 9:59 PM , the house started shaking violently. I immediately ran to open the door, but then everything went black. The shaking intensified , causing me to fall and struggle to stand up. When the earthquake stopped momentarily , we immediately went outside to a safe place with our neighbors.

We were staying on the road that night. We lacked space and supplies since we didn't bring anything with us; ensuring the safety of ourselves and our loved ones was our top priority. The sky was dark and starless , acting as a sign that it would rain. Thankfully, the boys found plywood to sleep on, and something to use as a roof. However, it wasn't enough for all the people living here, we didn't have enough sleep because just a small tremor made us scared especially when they said there was a tsunami alert.

The next day, we moved to another spot. The move presented challenges, as the grass was overgrown and the shelter provided was limited in size. However, the new location offered the advantage of being situated away from tall trees and poles.

We didn't know when the electricity would be back at that time, so we were really saving our battery and only opened our devices for important updates.

So many things came to my mind during that incident. Every time we went to get something from the house, I feared there might be another earthquake anytime and that the house had really collapsed. Every aftershock brought renewed fear; it was undoubtedly a traumatizing experience.

It was also heartbreaking hearing bad news due to the 6.9 magnitude earthquake here in Northern Cebu. Some people lost their lives , others were injured, and we constantly heard the sound of ambulances.

To ensure our safety, we are still staying in the grassy area because some parts of the house have cracked and are dangerous. When my father and uncle arrived from the city, we moved to another spot. We built our own tent that could fit all of us, and we felt a bit more secure because we had a larger space. But one thing is still there—the trauma. Nevertheless , we still haven't lost hope and continue to trust in the Almighty God.