OFW in Taiwan recounts earthquake experience: Sobrang takot na takot kami

An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who was among the injured following the magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Taiwan on Friday recounted her frightful experience during the temblor. 

Sheila Anne Lapada said she was in the meeting room on the third floor of the building of their company when the earthquake occurred near 8 a.m. on Wednesday. 

“Yung mga kisame ng production namin naglaglagan po. Talagang sobrang takot na takot po kami. Nagyayakapan po kami,” she told Unang Balita in an interview.

(The ceiling fell down. We were really scared. We embraced each other.)

“Hindi namin alam kung bababa kami kasi kung bababa kami baka mahulog din po kami sa hagdan. Ang daming consequences na dapat mangyari kung bababa kami if ever man,” she added.

(We didn’t know if we should go down the building because we might stumble in the stair. There were so many consequences that could happen if we go down.)

Lapada said the earthquake was so strong that they could not even run. 

“Siyempre, first time lang po kasi nangyari yun sa buhay ko na ganun kalakas yung lindol. Ang lakas po kasi halos hindi na kami makatakbo. Yung mga kasama ko, sinabayan ko nang tumakbo yung medyo humina na ang lindol,” she said.

(It was my first time to experience an earthquake that strong. It was so strong we could not even run. My colleagues ran only when the earthquake had weakened.)

On her way to exit the building, Lapada said one of her hands slammed into a wall. 

“Then tumama yung kamay ko sa wall. Hindi ko po alam kung saan bandang wall kasi sobrang taranta po namin kasi ang lakas po talaga ng lindol. Napasabay na lang din po ako na tumakbo kaya po ganito po ang nangyari sa akin,” she said.

(My hand hit a wall. I didn’t know where because we were really panicking because of the earthquake. I joined those who were running, that’s why this happened to me.)

Citing the doctor who looked at her condition, Lapada said her arm was bruised. She said she had to stay for hours at the hospital with the other earthquake victims.

Lapada, who is already planning to return to the Philippines on April 9 even before the earthquake, said they cannot sleep at night because of aftershocks. She said she already packed her things in case she needs to evacuate, considering that she lives near the coast.

According to Lapada, Philippine government agencies have reached out to her about the assistance that she can receive after being hurt in the earthquake.

A total of four Filipinos sustained minor injuries resulting from the earthquake, the strongest in Taiwan in 25 years.

The earthquake left 10 people dead and left hundreds of people stranded in a national park as boulders barreled down mountains, cutting off roads.

Taiwan’s fire department put the number of people still missing at 18, including four foreigners previously listed as being Indian, Canadian and Australian whose location it said was unknown.

Another six people are missing on a hiking trail, and a 45-person rescue team is trying to reach them, it added.

Rescuers have confirmed that around 400 people cut off at a luxury hotel in the Taroko Gorge national park are safe, and has been helicoptering in supplies and taking out those injured. —with Reuters/KBK, GMA Integrated News