The Earthquake

On 8th October, 2005, something so tragic and horrible happened which destroyed the lives of many people. It was one of the most disastrous earthquakes in the history of this region.

On that tragic morning, people got off their beds with brightness in their eyes to start a whole new day and to meet the happiness, sorrows and the challenges, and also to fulfill their long awaited dreams. Someone was going to get married, for someone, it was the first day at job, children were going to schools to take examinations and make their parents and teachers proud. The weather was quite well but the people were unaware of what was about to happen that would shatter everyone and everything as they were going to fall victims to a tragic moment. 

A VERY TRAGIC MOMENT INDEED!!!!

At about 09:00 A.M., the worst happened. A merciless earthquake followed by three dreadful aftershocks, and at the blink of an eye, cities that used to be full of laughing kids, joyful people, beautiful places and tall buildings, were giving horrible scenes. The buildings collapsed as if they were hit by a big airplane, roads got destroyed like they were been hit by a gigantic meteor giving scenes of hell. Everything got vanished within seconds as if there was nothing there.

There was a cute two year old boy (the only son of his parents) who, along with his mother, was saying goodbye to his father as he was leaving for his office. His father was very happy as he was getting promotion that day. Just half an hour later, a shocking earthquake was felt by everyone in the city and within minutes, they received a shocking news that his father got killed under the fallen roof of the office’s building along with hundreds of other workers as a result of that catastrophe that tilted the whole city, and that his dead body could not be found under the debris.

The boy was too little to understand that he had lost his father and that he would never see him ever again. The innocent little kid was only thinking that his father would bring many snacks and presents for him for his birthday celebration when he comes back, whereas his mother got unconscious as soon as she heard the bad news. He started to cry seeing her in such condition. And then just moments later, one after another, three aftershocks occurred and the ceiling fell over them.

Hours later, his mother regained consciousness and some-how managed to get out of the rubble. She searched for her child, looking here and there, but could not find him. Suddenly, she heard his cries and saw his hand (the only part of his body out of the rubble). The boy was crying out loud in pain, constantly asking his mother to get him out. She was anxiously calling for help but nobody came as the whole city was converted into ruins and the lucky survivors, or should I write the unlucky ones! , were searching for their beloved ones. But she was still consoling her baby and hoping for someone to help them.

"Please mama! Pull me out of here and take me in your lap", the baby was calling out loud with regret in his voice. "Just a second my baby, help is coming", she would reply anxiously with tears in her eyes. You might not believe it but two days passed and nobody came to their rescue. She tried several times to pull him out but could not do so. And so, after battling death for many hours, the innocent little warrior lost it and died with his arm in his shattered mother's hands. She could not hear his cries anymore.

Hoping to hear his voice, she lost her mind over her baby's death and fell into a swoon. And then suddenly, the whole house collapsed and fell over her head and the family came to a terrifying end!!

Not only that but every other house had lost many of its members, majority of whom got buried alive under the destroyed houses’ rubble and those who survived, were not in a very fine condition either. Many parents had lost their children, many children became orphans, and many people lost everything that had ever worked hard for and were left handicap forever.

Beautiful cities turned into scary ruins and were showing scenes of commotion and helplessness. And the cities having joyful people, laughing kids, many beautiful places and tall buildings would remain silent and ruined for a long time. 

Muhammad Ameer Hassaan

University of Lahore, Islamabad