Quake survivor: Supermarket building collapsed in seconds

PAMPANGA, Philippines – In the blink of an eye, dozens of lives were placed on the line when the fourth floor of Chuzon Supermarket in Porac, Pampanga collapsed and pinned its customers and employees after a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck parts of Luzon on Monday.

And then there was darkness. Silence

“Akala ko nga last day ko na eh. Biglaan lang talaga. Hindi mo alam saan ka dadaan,” Romylyn Bhey, a survivor, said in an interview with INQUIRER.net

“Wala na akong nakikita, nasa ilalim na ako. Ano yun eh, fourth floor yun tapos nasa ilalim kami. Yung fourth floor nagbagsak, sobrang bilis, biglaan, biglang bagsak nung lumindol, segundo lang,” she added.

The first floor is where the grocery area was located.

The second and third floors were used as a stock room, while the fourth served as living quarters of the stay-in employees of Chuzon.

Bhey, 25, recalled that she was with a friend when the building collapsed.

Prayers, hope

She said that both of them  prayed that they would be eventually rescued.

She was on a crouched position to protect her head from the falling debris. Her friend, on the other hand, was in prone position.

Bhey said her friend was screaming for help as rubble surrounded them.

“May eskinitang maliit, ginapang na namin, tapos may guard na dalawa, nagpatulong kami kung saan yung daan,” she said.

“Umiyak ako kasi kinabhan ako, wala na ako sa mindset nun, nablanko na talaga ako nun. iyak nalang ako nang iyak,” she added.

After being rescued from the collapsed building, they were promptly brought to hospital.

Trauma

The ordeal, however, still traumatizes her.

When asked if she is still willing to work at Chuzon after the incident, she said: ‘Hindi na. Maghahanap na ako ng ibang trabaho, hindi ko alam saan, pero hindi katulad sa Chuzon.

‘No quake drills’

“Kasi sa loob ng one year stay ko sa Chuzon, never kong natandaan na may earthquake drill. Kaya rin siguro hindi kami handa sa nangyari.

Family, family, family

She said she tried her best to survive since she is a mother to a 5-year-old child, a caring wife to her husband, and a loving daughter to her parents.

“Nagpray lang ako na sana matulungan kami, kasi kala ko mamamatay na ako talaga ako. Kinakausap ko na yung nasa taas, na sana makalabas ako dito para sa pamilya ko,” she said.

Iniisip ko yung mga oras na yun yung magulang ko rin, yung anak ko, yung asawa ko, yung pamilya ko. Sinasabi ko sa utak ko sana okay rin sila,” she added. /gsg