Earthquake in Folkestone

Saturday the 28th April 2007 is a day I will never forget. It started of as usual. I got up, did my ablutions as was just contemplaiting wether to shave now, or have my breakfast first. The time was 08:17.I decided to shave first. I reached for the shaver, then heard a huge commotion outside.
All the seagulls in Folkestone suddenly took to the air screeching out their alarm call. Seconds later the whole house shook violently from side to side. just about everything in the room that wasn't already on the floor was thrown down. This was accompanied by a terrible rumbling sound. It seemed to go on forever, but was probably about ten seconds. I was very scared, more than I had ever been in my entire life before.
At the same time, the electricity went off, adding to the scareiness even more. I threw on my dressing gown and rushed downstairs, (I am on the second floor).
On opening the front door, my ears were assulted by a huge cacophoney of sound as all the alarms in every shop and building in the town centre went off together, not to mention thousands of car alarms as well.
As I looked up at the building and all the others in the street, I was relieved not to see huge cracks in the walls. I also noticed that our chimney stacks appeared to be intact as well. I went back upstairs to my room and started to pick everything up that had fallen over.
After that, I tried to phone friends and family to find out how they were, but the mobile lines were in meltdown and I was unable to make a call.
Luckily, the landline was still working so I phoned those people who had a landline, but anyone who had cordless phones were all unable to be contacted as the phones went off when the electricity did.
I got dressed and went down the town to visit friends I couldn't contact. The town centre appeared remarkably undamaged, but I heard later that streets in the Radnor Park, Pavilion Road, Blackbull Road and Canterbury Road area had suffered the worst with chimneys coming down and destroying roofs etc.
With only one serious injury reported, Folkestone seems to have got off somewhat lightly.
The quake was measured as "a mild 4.7" on the scale. If that was a MILD one, I NEVER want to be anywhere near a strong quake!

© Stan Cascino in Folkestone

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