Am a Survivor
I'm still in one piece. God blessed. 
This is the story. Yesterday, August 20, was the Hungary's National Day. Fireworks celebrations was on from 9pm along the Danube river. I went there with 5 other friends, including my so-called brother and sister-in-law. First, we reached at the Pest's side of the Elizabeth Bridge and walked along to Chain Bridge to find the best location so that we can have the perfect view of the whole gala. We stopped in a gap where we could stand in the 2nd row away from the railing along the river.
9pm sharp, the bridges' lights were off. Everyone becoming excited and lights were flashing the sky. No, the fireworks has not started but the sky was warming up the crowd by striking some thunders to brighten the dark environment. When the fireworks was launched, everyone was like *wow*, appreciating the show. Around 15 minutes later, I started to feel some rain drops. "Hmm..I hope it's just drizzling..." Some people started to leave their position and we started to move a little forward. I was delighted for a while for having a better view. But it didn't last for long. Just in 5 minutes, it was raining cats and dogs. From *wow*, everyone is now *ahhhh*, trying to escape from the heavy rain.
And I? Like the others, trying to leave the river and find a shelter. 6 of us were separated into pairs. I was hanging on Pras-the-Scum cause I was too frightened to be left there alone. Before I could even leave my initial spot, I could feel something was wrong. This is not the normal heavy rain, it's drops were so much bigger and heavier. The wind was extremely powerful that it almost blew me away (luckily I gained 6kg here in Hungary). I could hardly breathe nor see because of the strong wind and rain. The first thing came to my mind was Tsunami. Oh no.....please....not now, not here, not me!!! BUT, eh, it's only a river, shouldn't be Tsunami. But the raindrops were so huge and heavy that I thought it was swept and brought from the river and fell on us.
And then I felt pain in my head and my whole body. "Muthafucka, who is throwing stones on me??", I thought. And then Pras-the-Scum was yelling, "Hailstorm!!! Hailstorm!!!". hmm....Hailstorm, no wonder it hurts so much. But my worries didn't fade away as I was still near the river. What if it suddenly flood the whole bank? 
By this time, everyone was fleeing in all different directions and children started to cry for mama. Despite the bunch of people in front of me, I tried to get through everyone and climbed up the next level of the bank to rush to the bottom of the bridge to get shelter. By the time we reached there, we met my so-called brother and sister-in-law. Only then I was a little released. At least there were more of us.
While waiting under the bridge, you could see everyone was panic. Cars' alarm was triggered by the strong wind and rain. Everyone was soaking wet. Phone network was busy, probably everyone was trying to call each other or the network was interrupted by the storm. Two words, TOTAL CHAOTIC!
Although everyone was running for their life, the fireworks was still ON at this point of time. Practically, I would say because the whole fireworks was programmed and cannot be stopped. Logically, I am telling you, as a controller which is also a human being, he was frightened by the sudden storm and fled away as well. No one remember to stop the fireworks. *kidding*
So, after the rain receded a little, we started walking a bit to go to the other separated people's flat (which is about 1km away) to have a cup of warm tea before heading home. On our way, the underground station was already packed with people from the staircase till up the street.
 | You want to join the cruise? |
Before the whole incident, this bunch of people were proudly cruising their ship, paying a heaven price ticket just to have a better view of the fireworks. I bet they were scared to death during the storm.
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| Environment under the bridge when people starting to fade away. | |
With our wet clothes, we had a cup of tea, chatted for a while, and went home. As my home was too far away, my bro & sis-in-law invited me to stay over-night at their place to make sure I am safe. And there I was staying there till 10 am this morning, then left for home, and reached the office at 1 pm, and went straight for lunch. It was really a tough day, man.
Someone was happy though...
This was the worst night I have ever had all my life. This was the first natural disaster I have ever encountered. I certainly hope there's NO second one.
Updates I got today:
- The authority received the weather report that there will be a storm heading towards Budapest ONE hour BEFORE the fireworks and yet, nothing was done.
- The wind was 120km/hr.
- The wind tilted the formation of the fireworks.
- The wind was so strong that it blew the fireworks source and it started to launch into the river.
- Official figures showing at least 4 people died and 240 were injured.
- 2 boats collided.
And there, Hungary's National Day was ended with a disaster.
I bet if this happened in a Chinese community, you'll start hearing several stories and signals about such disaster in such honorable day. Everyone will suddenly become a fortune teller and they could foresee the future of Hungary because of the disaster. Storm is certainly not a normal phenomenon. National Day only happens once every year. When two rare event COINCIDENTLY slammed into each other, what does that symbolize? I will leave for you to figure out and time will prove the rest.
After this, I can't avoid but to think, if *touch wood* something bad happened to me during this predicament, what might happen next? What about my dreams which I have not discovered and yet to be fulfilled? How about my home coming?
So, while I still have the ability to write here, I need to tell everyone out there that I know, I LOVE YOU ALL, and I really need to take this opportunity to thank Pras-the-Scum, for being at my side and was really taking care of my safety during the whole disaster, Manindra-the-BrotherManager and Nisha-the-SisInLaw for offering me a shelter and helping me calming my emotions. It would have been much tougher without them. Thanks!
So, now you know who's my brother?
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posted by Survon @ 5:48 AM,
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