I had been out in the city to get my hair cut and returned to my desk at 12:45PM At 12 50PM the 6.3 earthquake struck. It was so violent. The 5 storey office building started to sway and twist. I dived beneath my desk. My computer fell off my desk, coffee went everywhere. ceiling panels fell out, filing cabinets toppled over. When it finally stopped, I grabbed my keys and went for the emergency exits. Bits of the concrete structure had fallen into the stairwells. Outside there was broken glass everywhere.
On the pavement outside, there was an aftershock. The land was moving like it was alive. Four men carried a young girl to the hospital - she had a blue face so I fear the worse. People were crying, being hugged, desperately trying to contact loved ones on their mobile phones. We heard stories that office buildings had collapsed - later confirmed. We saw a dust cloud rise from parts of the city - it was either a fire or buildings collapsing.
After 15 minutes I left and started walking towards my car. The pavements are all buckled, kerb stones raised. The front of buildings have collapsed. You can hear sirens and car alarms. Water is coming up from the ground due to broken water mains. I cross Mortimer Square and people are sat around supporting each other.
I eventually get to my car and drive to Jake's school. There is liquidfied sand and water on the road. The school chapel is missing part of its walls and roof. The bridge over the stream is all buckled. All the pupils are on the school field. I sign my son out and drive via the side streets to Harewood in search of some diesel - I didn't have enough have get home. I find a garage so I fill up my car and drive home.