‘The Ground Was Opening Up’

At my house we were asleep and then we felt some shaking. It started off slow, then it went faster and faster. My TV fell on the ground. Then we heard rocks falling off the roof. Then it stopped. Then we started cleaning up. We went outside and saw our chimney on our porch. If it would of been any longer our house would of broke. I hope I never go through that again . . . GLADSTONE RAMOS

The gas went out in people’s houses. Houses got burned down. My wall cracked in my house. A lot of people died in their cars. People are scared. My light went out. AMBER WALTON

We were getting out of the house. The house was moving. Inside the house there were things broken and we had to go in the car. And we went in the house when the earthquake stopped. GUSTAVO TORRES

The house was shaking. The ground was opening up. The house was cracked. People were hurt. When the earthquake shook Mom stood in the doorway. DERRICK GREEN

I was asleep and my uncle was on the telephone and my auntie was awake. My auntie woke me up and said it is an earthquake and my uncle threw down the telephone and started screaming, “It is an earthquake!” I was standing in the doorway with my uncles and my auntie and my grandpa and my two cousins. . . . Some people got injured, 5,000 were homeless and some people died. CHINA MONTGOMERY

I was very sad and my sister was saying I want my grandma and my mom was saying “Isaiah, Timothy,” but Timothy was asleep and I thought my brother was dead. When my brother got up I was happy. ISAIAH NEWCOMB