Icelander in Bangkok: « We got no warning »

Þórður Aðalsteinsson lives on the 30th floor of an apartment building in Bangkok. He was at home with his wife when an earthquake hit Bangkok yesterday, about 40 minutes after the earthquake occurred in Myanmar.

« It is under discussion now why we got no warning, it was about 40 minutes since the quake occurred in Myanmar, if we had received, for example, SMS we could have left the building sooner, » says Thórðr in a conversation with mbl.is.

When asked, Thórðr says that he and his wife had realized at the same time that an earthquake was taking place.

« We live on the 30th floor, when you are so high up, you shake more.

Protect the head with your hands

When the couple tried to get down the emergency exit staircase, they met the other resident of the building, a woman who looked to be a stirring. Ang, Thórðr’s wife, did nothing but help the woman down and, according to Thórðr, she ranked after a few floors and could then continue herself.

Finally, they came out on the street where we took a great crowd.

« It was like 100,000 people, we found that buildings all over Bangkok had been evacuated, » says Thórðr.

« When we got out into the crowds, we took the wear and out of the building at the same time that the cladding and the outside of the buildings were hitting the street and the pavement, you just protected your heads with your hands and tried to get out on the open street. »

With older buildings in the area

When asked, Thórðr says there has been a slight damage to their married couple’s apartment on the 30th floor, everything can be fixed and no danger is due to some damage. He says the appraisers have come today, reviewed the circumstances and accepted this opinion.

In this context, he has said that the building has older buildings in the area. In this case, it was a losing life, but the newer buildings in the area, he said, was said to be considerably worse out of the earthquake.

« It was like 100,000 people, we found that buildings all over Bangkok had been evacuated, » says Thórðr.

Photo/Þórður Aðalsteinsson

Because of this, they were among the first to return to their home, residents of other buildings had to wait longer due to the great security inspections. Safety had to be ensured for the aftermath and building inspectors had to evaluate all buildings in the floors and floors, which took longer in the worse ones.

However, the couple waited for a total of six hours to get back in to them.

« I was barefoot in shorts, just with the phone with me. You don’t get to grab anything in such a situation, you just try to get out and out, » says Thórðr and thanks that Ang managed to catch his wallet with him, it saved them in the 35 ° C heat from being able to buy water and coffee.

The couple waited for about six hours to get back in to them. Safety had to be ensured for the aftermath and building inspectors had to evaluate all buildings in the floors and floors.

Photo/Þórður Aðalsteinsson

« Did not understand why the staircase did not collapse »

« There were certain variations to walk up and down 30 floors, but the lift will be closed for two days following the quake, » says Thórðr.

When asked, he says the couple is somewhat stirred, but happy and grateful that it did not go worse. Their minds are with those who were not as lucky.

« What comes to mind a lot are these minutes in the emergency exit ladder, » says Thórðr.

« At that moment you didn’t know how this would end, I remember not understanding why the staircase didn’t collapse, he was jumping two meters from right to left.

The woman we helped down was actually acting like we were all thinking, but we chose to continue. « 

Þórður Aðalsteinsson lives on the 30th floor of an apartment building in Bangkok. He was at home with his wife when an earthquake hit Bangkok yesterday, about 40 minutes after the earthquake occurred in Myanmar.

Photo/Þórður Aðalsteinsson