We had no way to access the outside world, no clear information about the particular parts that had been affected by this catastrophe. The only thing we knew for sure was that, at this moment, we could only worry about surviving ourselves. It was a sobering realization. Even though we had created a relatively secure base here — preparing ahead of time, reinforcing the buildings, stocking food and necessities — we could not forget one crucial truth: Nature is unpredictable. No matter how much effort we had put into preparation, we were still at the mercy of forces far beyond our control.
After a brief discussion, everyone agreed it was safer to stay outside the buildings until the high-magnitude earthquake waves finally stopped. No one dared to take the risk of being trapped under crumbling debris. It was decided that once the ground settled, we would move into the first floors only — quick to escape if needed. No upper floors, no unnecessary risks.
