Earthquakes
I don’t
think I have written about earthquakes yet, which might be because I remember
feeling only one weak tremor last semester. Furthermore, as far as I can tell
from the maps that locate earthquake epicentres, most earthquakes tend to hit
the east of Taiwan (which is logical as its mountainousness betrays the
region’s proximity to a tectonic plate boundary). Therefore, even 5 points on
the Richter scale in Yilan, which is not that far away from Taipei, feel closer
to 2 in the capital. So I am told, at least, for I have no idea what 2 points
on the Richter scale are supposed to feel like.
Recently, two
such earthquakes (both at least 5 points on the Richter scale) struck the east
of Taiwan. The first happened while I was in the shower, and for a few seconds
I was not even sure it was an earthquake. I thought that perhaps the hot air
had risen to my head making me dizzy. When I leaned my arm against the wall
though, I felt it swaying with me, and at that point I grew mortified that I
would either die naked and afraid, or, in the better case scenario, be
discovered in the rubble, naked and afraid, by a rescue team.
The second
earthquake struck while I was doing my homework on the living room couch. I
distinctly remember being more reconciled to the situation: I was just
listening to Szell’s orchestration of Smetana’s first string quartet, and it
dawned upon me that of all the deaths one could die, this one would not have
been the worst.
Anyway, I
clearly survived both times (as did everyone in Taiwan), though not without
consequences. Being unused to earthquakes, I am still new to the supposition
that an earthquake occurring is as likely of an explanation for everything
swaying as a momentary loss of equilibrium. This knowledge has not been to my
benefit, as a hyper-awareness of my surroundings has fooled my brain several
times into suspecting tremors. For several days after the shower incident, for
example, I was not able to get rid of the feeling that the room was swaying
with me. Same with sitting on couches. I wonder whether suspending a pencil
from a table or some similar technique would assuage my senses in these
situations.
Comments
Post a Comment