# 11

Today ( Sunday, January 3) At 4:35 AM, an earthquake struck Indonesia. It had a magnitude of 7.6 and stretched about 95 miles.
It occurred near the north coast of West Papua and killed at least 2 people. 35 are injured, and a sweep of the rubble revealed nobody else trapped inside. Four large buildings and many, many houses collapsed, leaving destruction and homelessness. Initially a tsunami warning was issued, but lifted soon afterwards. I can't imagine what it would be like to live in one day where everything turns to nothing so quickly. I'm not sure that Indonesia has as many resources for disasters like we do in the US, and I hope they get some foreign aid for the victims of this tragedy.

A poem from a child in the middle of it would sound something like this:

Earth shaking legs quaking
get in the doorway.
broken glass
from pictures I won't see again
mom holding dad's hand
crumbling plaster
mumbling prayers
neighbors screaming
thunder from the ground
squinting my eyes
clenching my fists
and sudden silence
and eerie calm.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/03/indonesia.earthquake/index.html