Tremors...

On the beat, 30 Sept, 2009:
Earthquake tremors were felt in many parts of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. I don't know about the other states but back at my office in Cyberjaya, tremors were felt too as Indonesia is not far from me. Jolts were felt for a succession of three times. Many ran out of the office fearing a calamity. And for others, this must have been the first time. I left early from office so I was excluded from the tremor "feelings."
Well! To say I DID NOT feel the tremor is actually an understatement.
You see...I'm a Penangaite and have lived there like forever. Medan, Indonesia, is like a stone throw away, and on any clear night, tiny twinkling lights from Medan can be seen from the small mount behind the all famous St. Anne's church opposite my house. Over the years growing up in Penang as taught me many things never to take anything queer for granted except EQT (Earthquake Tremors). I had often wondered why my mother's hanging pots, sometimes water in containers and the hanging tungsten bulbs in my half-wooden house sway like pendulums when everything outside is calm breezeless. I would stare at the cobwebbed ceiling to see if the house is ever "wiggling." Thru' nuff, I've felt giddy over these episodes. In fact EQs became a norm to me an my family long before I even went to primary school.
Truth be told... long before the word Tsunami and Tsunami warnings came about, long before EQ warnings were installed and used to warn the masses, there were EARTHQUAKES. And Penangaites being nearer to the "Earthquake Belt" often felt it and mused over it.
I for one have for countless times felt the tremors ripping thru' Indonesia and the aftershocks hitting our shores here in Malaysia. Penang, I suppose Langkawi and Tioman as well, must be the first Isles to feel the EQT (Earthquake Tremors) and the AS (After Shocks).
So the evening tremors over the city felt by most Malaysians ain't a surprise to me. I've lived the experience ...all the time long long ago and it wasn't pleasant.