IM TRANSCRIPT OF EARTHQUAKE AFTERMATH
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| The following “Instant Messaging” exchange happened - in real time - between Aaron (alyman1) and Eric (ernestweatherspoon) just 3 hours after the latest earthquake struck Sumatra Indonesia on March 28 at 11:09 pm local time. This latest earthquake, measuring at 8.7, was the 8th largest earthquake ever recorded since 1900, and at least a couple thousand people are expected to be dead once the extent of this disaster is known. This quake, along with the 9.0 quake of Dec 26, 2004, are the only quakes of this size to occur as close to each other, happening about 100 miles apart. We know now this quake was a horizontal movement of plates on the Indian ocean floor, not the vertical type that produced the 100-ft tsunami of 12/26. Still, and as expected, locals headed inland and uphill by the thousands in the immediate aftermath. This version of the interchange between Aaron and Eric has been edited a bit (yeah, in our excitement, we threw out a bunch of cuss words!) The original text is actually pretty amazing. Let us know if you want a copy of the original text…and if you guarantee us that you are older than 21, you can read it! Date & time of exchange… 3/28/05 @ 3pm, Austin time (4am Indonesian time) alyman1: hey eric, are you there buddy? ernestweatherspoon : aa alyman1: hey yo eric alyman1: was a big quaker huh? ernestweatherspoon : “bleep” dude , you wouldn't have believed it ernestweatherspoon : “bleep”ing rocktaah alyman1: how big ernestweatherspoon : 8.5 ernestweatherspoon : biggest on earth since tsun alyman1: “bleep” ernestweatherspoon : yeah “bleep” ernestweatherspoon : no “bleep”ing “bleep” dude alyman1: any people killed near you or damage? ernestweatherspoon : this building felt like it was on a huge swingset ernestweatherspoon : two minutes alyman1: what time of day? ernestweatherspoon : shaking hard “bleep”ing hard ernestweatherspoon : three hours ago alyman1: no tsunami? i haven't been able to find out about their expectations alyman1: the geologists dont seem to know yet ernestweatherspoon : I didn't see any damage, thousands upon thousands fled ernestweatherspoon : coming back now ernestweatherspoon : both lanes bumper to bumper hauling ass south alyman1: did pak s's place shake ok? ernestweatherspoon : han ernestweatherspoon : ORIGIN TIME - 1610Z 28 MAR 2005 COORDINATES - 2.3 NORTH 97.1 EAST LOCATION - NORTHERN SUMATERA INDONESIA MAGNITUDE - 8.5 ernestweatherspoon : WARNING... THIS EARTHQUAKE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A WIDELY DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI IN THE OCEAN OR SEAS NEAR THE EARTHQUAKE. AUTHORITIES IN THOSE REGIONS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS POSSIBILITY AND TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION. THIS ACTION SHOULD INCLUDE EVACUATION OF COASTS WITHIN A THOUSAND KILOMETERS OF THE EPICENTER AND CLOSE MONITORING TO DETERMINE THE NEED FOR EVACUATION FURTHER AWAY. (This information comes from Earthquake Watch http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/ our favorite website here at AIRO) alyman1: yeah, looking at it on earthquake activity site ernestweatherspoon : Dude, it shook this building and it swayed back and forth like a big swing set, no kidding ernestweatherspoon : two minutes alyman1: yeah, they have it as 8.7 ernestweatherspoon : I was too sczared to go downstairs so stood on the balcony with the repel and over the side if it was gonna get to crumblin ernestweatherspoon : all taught and ready in my harness alyman1: so you were probably standing on the balcony doing a hula buck naked eh? ernestweatherspoon : damned near ernestweatherspoon : no one would have cared ernestweatherspoon : when I got out there some folks thought I was jumping ernestweatherspoon : they're all yelling alyman1: oh, it was at 8:00 pm or so? alyman1: yo dude ernestweatherspoon : no later, alyman1: but you werent in bed? ernestweatherspoon : big tankers within minutes hauling ass out of the city with people clinging on ernestweatherspoon : no sitting here at the desk ernestweatherspoon : kinda kept typing for a bit cuz you know earthquakes are common alyman1: i saw it as soon as i walked in on yahoo, and went ape “bleep” ernestweatherspoon : then, “bleep” it got pretty heavy and this building kept swaying, ernestweatherspoon : very weird feeling alyman1: started trying to call you, but the cell deal is not thrilling me...so i pinged you and in seconds you came back....was very relieved ernestweatherspoon : a while later I thought we were having an aftershock but it was my heart pounding alyman1: the news said that alyman1: http://news.yahoo.com/news? tmpl=story&e=1&u=/ap/20050328/ap_on_re_as/indonesia_earthquake&sid=84439559 ernestweatherspoon : yeah going to check it alyman1: dozens of people buried and hundreds of buildings destroyed...and that no cell phones worked in BA alyman1: per the red cross, so, this is some of the first news out of the area maybe from anywhere ernestweatherspoon : everything is back to normal here it seems, I'm sure there were some problems though just haven't been out to look, alyman1: the red cross is not returning any calls from the area, and the press release was issued from Banda Aceh ernestweatherspoon : felt just like a big pendulum alyman1: so i was freaking out ernestweatherspoon : yeah, maybe phone knocked out, I saw bules (white guys) walking out of town with backpacks ernestweatherspoon : all their drivers ditched their ass alyman1: eddie and i spent all morning with an attorney who is going to help us get our 501 C 3 filing done, so we were talking about you and the project all morning alyman1: yeah, well is nice to know that AIRO is so well connected and high tech dude alyman1: what do you mean? ernestweatherspoon : I've sent two journal entries and “bleep” load of pics ernestweatherspoon : updates the project pretty well for anyone who wants to see it progressing alyman1: yeah, well Molly does this stuff in her spare time, can take a day or two...especially since you sent on Fri...w/e here alyman1: yes, i saw them, they looked great ernestweatherspoon : molly is awesome ernestweatherspoon : hey, Inda (our Indonesian travel agent) is off to china ernestweatherspoon : she hooked me up with another dude. they are united yes? alyman1: people are hitting the website in droves to find out what the crazy idahoan is gonna write next alyman1: np, just any airline...probably garuda (the Indonesian Airline) ernestweatherspoon : oh they are an agency? alyman1: yes ernestweatherspoon : I pay garuda right? alyman1: you arent flying from BA on United on a 747 dude, it will be small and local..yeah we have been flying garuda alyman1: yes, you can go to the local office there and pay ernestweatherspoon : ok don't know here that's all, no prob ernestweatherspoon : local office to pay ok that's better alyman1: jackie chan took me over to the office...just down the jalan from your suite. alyman1: hey E, gotta give us update once you know status...or i will be back on in about 1.5 hours to talk again ernestweatherspoon : sure later bro thanks for ringin alyman1: yeah, see you later tonight if you are still up alyman1: i love you bro alyman1: glad you are safe |