Ring of Fire

I have been living for the past year in what is commonly known as the Ring of Fire. It’s an area of the world where the earth moves, a lot. I’ve been through almost two dozen earthquakes or tremors since arriving here in Banda Aceh last September.

It’s a little unnerving. Things literally start shaking; the penguin figurine on my desk, the blinds on the windows, the desk, the entire building. At home, earthquake alarms blare loudly. The louder the alarm, the more serious the tremor.

I was at work on Wednesday September 30th when the 7.6 magnitude earthquake rocked Padang in West Sumatra. It was the longest tremor I have felt, lasting about a minute or so. It was also the strongest. And our offices are located about 900 kilometers away from the epicenter. I can’t imagine what it would have been like for the people caught in the middle of it.

The Red Cross response was immediate. Local volunteers are helping to conduct search and resue, evacuate people to safer areas and provide first aid.

I am being deployed to Padang, with two other Canadian Red Cross workers to assist in the relief efforts.