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Yet, paralyzed by fear, I laid there for a few more seconds waiting. For what, I have no idea. Then I literally rolled out of bed as the house shook and swayed harder. I checked the time and it was 1:49 am. I didn’t know how long before it had started while I was asleep. And I was hanging on to the bed trying to figure out what to do.

Fear that the glass panes were going to smash moved me from where I was, in a state of shock and stupid, and I rushed to stand in the doorway. I braced on the wall as the floor shifted beneath my feet and I felt like a woman in a drunken stupor.This was the longest and most powerful tremor I’ve ever felt. And it just kept going on, and on….

The vibrating cell phone in my hand caused momentary panic until I realized it was an incoming call. It was one of my deacons calling to check if I was ok.  That was most reassuring since I was alone in the house. He set off calling around even as the rumbling ceased and vibrations stopped.

But I still couldn’t move for fear of after shocks. I stood where I was for about 8 or so minutes before rushing to my office to the computer to check for updates. Finally, I saw a guy post a link to a USGS earthquake Hazards Program site which reported the measurement as being 6.0. I nearly had a stroke when I saw the measurement.

Apparently, this tremor took place some 65 miles ENE of Colon and 60 miles NE of Panama City. It was deep a little over 43 KM underground. the report said that had it been shallow, or nearer to the surface there would have been serious structural damage and possible loss of lives. We can only give thanks that it was deep underground. CTV reports that residents in Panama City rushed into the streets. While it is also reported that 2 high rise buildings suffered cracks. They reported a measurement of 6.2. Wow!

By 2:15am, a steady buzz could now be heard in the neighbourhood, as phones began ringing. One of my next door neighbours turned up the volume on his praise choruses. Quite appropriate, I thought. We really needed to shout our praise and thanksgiving to God for sparing our lives.

Now the online buzz was happening on Twitter and Facebook as persons began to share their experiences. I left it all to return to bed, sure I was going to lie in the dark for a while wondering if it was all over. And I did. Morning brought relief and a nasty thunderstorm. But it was daylight. And where there is a little light we are better able to deal with the worst situations.

But we are reminded that some of the worst terrors strike at night. This goes down as my most horrible experience of a natural disaster to take place at night. The first was Hurricane Ivan in 2004 in Jamaica. And now this. I don’t believe they are they are the last. And I can say, they are more traumatic when they occur in the night when its dark and you are not sure which way is up.

But what a reminder of Jesus’ metaphor describing his impending return. Jesus said, ‘the coming of the Son of Man shall be like a thief in the night’. And that will be no earthquake. Will we be ready? Lord I pray that I will be…

Do what you can, so that you might be ready too.

Peace!
Marvia

UPDATE – July 6, 2009
Sunday July 5th at 11:13pm a second tremor measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale hit Panama. The location was way too close to the first one. This time 70 miles E of Colon and 60 miles NE of Panama City. It was powerful but very short. From the details given this one was also closer to the surface at 30.9 Km underground.

There are predictions that we are going to feel a few more tremors in coming days. No one is able to say though, how strong they will be. And so we continue to wait and trust…

Marvia