Interrupted work
I was working on the 11th floor of the building when suddenly I felt my computer monitor shake (‘UAE geologists advise people to stay calm as country hit by tremors from major quake in Iran,’ Gulf News, April 16). My cup of tea spilled over my table and the computer’s processor got damaged so I could not work for the remainder of the day. I then planned to leave the office. One of my colleagues fainted because of a panic attack and was in a dizzy spell long after. While we were running down from the 11th floor, one woman got struck down in the stairs due to her high heels. One of my stronger colleagues lifted her up and ran down. Another colleague was eating chicken biryani when the earthquake happened and he lost the leg piece because of the tremor. All my colleagues were panic stricken; so much so that the office closed by 4.30pm.
From Mr Clinton Beyerle
Dubai
Better at a lower level
Wow, this was the second earthquake experience of my life. The first one was just last week, when I felt a bit dizzy. We were in the office but we didn’t realise that it was an earthquake, until the news flashed on Gulf News and phones started ringing. But this time it was worse. At first I thought it was my imagination, but then I knew it was an earthquake because of last week’s experience. Everything was shaking. I stood up and then sat down on the chair again. The shaking became vigorous. My chair was swaying from one side to another. At that point, I and my colleagues rushed out of the building. I made sure that everyone has left the office before I got out because that’s what my husband has taught me as he works as a Safety Officer. We all came down through the stairs and for the first time I was glad that our office was on the 6th floor and not higher. Before this experience I always hoped that we were at a higher floor. We waited down for almost about half an hour and then got back into the office. That was my experience and I will never forget it.
From Ms Mareena Deepak
Abu Dhabi
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Scared
Just like my daily afternoon routine, I was relaxing on my sofa and working on my laptop. Suddenly, I felt the sofa move. I thank God that my sofa is quiet heavy, otherwise it would have moved to and fro too. This movement shook me. My dad immediately called from office and informed me about the earthquake. This was the first time in my life that I felt a tremor. I was scared. My sister was in her office and she informed me that her building has been evacuated. I ran out of my house and saw that the entire community had evacuated. I live on the ground floor and I still felt things moving. At first I thought that there were vibrations due to the nearby construction. Glories to God that people are safe and there were no casualties. I pray for those who were victims of the massive earthquake in Iran.
From Mr Sairah Zakir
Sharjah
Website comment
Status update
I was in media city and in terms of precautionary measure I quickly updated my status. I also have a picture of my boss screaming at me for doing that.
From Mr Shabbir N. G.
Facebook comment
Saving loved ones first
I felt the tremor when I was in the kitchen. Initially I thought I was feeling dizzy but when things started moving I realised that it was an earthquake. My first instinct was to save my children. I took them and ran down the building.
From Ms Cheng Pohl
Facebook comment
Keep us updated
I was in my house in Buheirah, Sharjah, when I felt everything started shaking. The show pieces and glassware around started clinking. I and my family rushed down and so did all residents of our building and other buildings close by. For the first time I experienced such a strong tremor. I request the media to keep the residents updated of any such expected disaster.
From Mr Aamir Shaikh
Sharjah
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Experiencing earthquake
I was on bed watching television. At first I thought my blood pressure was low so I was feeling different. Then suddenly I realised that the television was shaking too. I knew something was happening. It was my first experience of an earthquake. A few seconds later we and my siblings evacuated the building. I am glad that there are no reports casualties in the UAE. I PRAY TO God to bless us all and keep our families and friends safe.
From Mr A. R.
Abu Dhabi
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Name withheld by request
Cracked walls
I’d like to describe how I felt the earthquake. I was at my residence in Dubai, Al Quoz. I was sitting on my sofa watching television when I felt slight vibrations. Initially I thought that it was the base of my sound system, but I was wrong. The vibrations got stronger and it felt like my apartment was swaying back and forth. I grabbed my mobile and rushed downstairs. When I returned I was shocked to see that I had cracks on my walls and ceiling.
From Mr Verel Rodrigues
Dubai
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Haunted experience
I am Maria Vincent, a tenth grade student of Indian High School, Dubai. I would like to tell you about the earthquake on Tuesday. I was with my sister having lunch while my mother was talking over the phone. My mother noticed that the leaves of the money plant in our house started shaking. At first we thought it was funny. We were wondering if our place was haunted. I was standing barefoot and felt the floor underneath vibrating. When I sat back on my chair, the chairs were shaking. I shouted that it’s an earthquake. My sister got scared. We opened the front door and my mother spotted the pendulum of my grandfather’s clock was swinging rapidly. Our neighbours were out in the corridor. Everything was just saying one thing, “It’s shaking it’s shaking”. The tremors lasted for about 20 seconds. Then we saw on news that there was a major earthquake at the Iran-Pakistan border, which was felt in the UAE, Pakistan and parts of Northern India.
From Maria Vincent
Dubai
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Necessities
Children just reached home from school and were about to have their lunch when the earthquake happened. Everything was shaking, the paintings, the lamp, the bed. It was quite scary. I took my passports, mobile and some cash and rushed down the building. We used the staircase from the fifth floor.
From Ms Rakhi Kapur
Facebook comment
My first experience
I am 30-years-old and I have never experienced a earthquake in my life before. I was at work, suffering from a terrible head ache when I felt something was different. It was like I and everything around me was shaking for 10 seconds. The bottle of water on the table was moved and the water inside was rapidly hitting the inner walls of the bottle. However, I am grateful o God for keep people safe. God is great!
From Mr Shree
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
Save our planet
This is just the beginning. We exploit our earth in so many horrible and extremely harsh ways. Nature will react slowly and will end everything. We need to look after our planet.
From Mr Latheesh
Dubai
Website comment
Don’t use the elevator
I was at my laptop when I felt the earthquake, and I posted a line about it on facebook. I was on the 21st floor in Jumeriah Lake Towers and my grandson as asleep. My neighbour knocked and asked me to evacuate the building. I quickly picked up my grandson and rushed down using the elevator. It was scary as I know we are not supposed to use the elevators but I thought it was the fastest option to reach down. The cutlery in my kitchen was going cling clang cling clang. Few things fell inside some of the kitchen cabinets. I just know that it was a horrible experience.
From A Reader
Dubai
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Pray for the best
I was eating my lunch with my sister on the dining table when all of a sudden my plate started shaking. The empty chairs next to us started moving. At first it didn’t click me that it could be an earthquake. But then I saw the chandeliers swaying and my mother came rushing out of her room. We all quickly ran down the building. It was a really bad earthquake. My neighbours and friends who had also evacuated the building were mostly barefoot. It was scary. I pray for those who lost their lives due to this horrid natural disaster. I hope we don’t have experience the same again. We all must pray to God to keep the world safe.
From Ms Sara Ali
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