Right after the opening hymn, we were told to go home as quickly as possible because of flooding caused by a tidal wave. That was all we knew at the time, but as I waited for my trishaw to arrive, more reports came in.
Earthquake 6.something on the Richter scale hit Kandy in the centre of the country this morning. Whether it was before or after the big one off Sumatra, I have no idea at this point. I’ve heard that it lasted for 5 minutes. Bloody long.
Some people, after leaving church, had to return to the church because their streets or homes were already flooded and they had no where else to go. Luckily, we have a potluck every Sunday after church for people who have late meetings, so there’s plenty of food for them. I have no idea how long they’ll have to stay there.
Fahim and I live far enough inland – about 20 km – that we are in no danger and have not been affected. We’re lucky.
Get more information here and here
This is the worst earthquake worldwide in 40 years. It’s caused tsunamis which have resulted in flooding off the east, south, and western coasts of Sri Lanka. Already, reports indicate that at least 300 are dead in Sri Lanka.
The tsunamis have also flooded parts of India, Thailand, Indonesia, and other parts of south Asia.
Reports initially indicated it was 8.5 on the Richter scale, but was then modified to 8.9. Holy crappola!
