27-12-2014, 09:29 AM
2
Re: Time Flies!
Originally Posted by Bruce
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25 years since the Newcastle earthquake, 13 killed10 years since the Indian Ocean Tsunami, 250000 killed
40 years since Darwin was destroyed by Cyclone Tracy, 66 killed
Merry Christmas?
Doesn't time fly?
I cant keep up with it
27-12-2014, 04:28 PM
5
Re: Time Flies!
I remember disasters that affected me more than the obvious ones Jem, the ones that sort of "punctuated" my life if you will.On May 11th, 1977 in Saudi Arabia I worked in the Qatif area not far from Ras Tanura when we heard, and felt an explosion.
It was at a place called Abqaiq, which was about 80 clicks from where I was at the time - Dhahran.
Before I knew what was going on we were requested to head off to the Abqaiq plants to help with evacuation of women and children from the major fire there.
I still remember having lots of badly-burned people in my pick-up, ferrying them back to emergency points.
Quite harrowing and I still don't know how many died as the Saudis clamped down on reporting.
On October 10th, 1980 I was working in Algeria but this day we were off.
At about 12:30 we felt the whole camp shudder and we all came up with jokes about the beer etcetera - until the radio operator came over from his shack and told us El Asnam had virtually disappeared.
About 21,000 died there and many of our lads volunteered to go down there with the dozers and back-hoes.
I went there myself later and I couldn't believe that almost the whole town had dropped into a huge hole.
We came through the town several times and the people kept coming out to thank us as our lads did a fantastic job so the name NACAP on our vehicles meant heroes they said - very, VERY humbling.
Finally, in February of 1981 - can't remember the actual date - I was at a place called Rahouia in Algeria when we heard from our camp radioman in Sougueur that a flash flood had wiped out most of the village and 60% of the population had died.
Some of our lads went to help and it was bloody heart-breaking finding so many little kids drowned in a sea of mud - the same little kids we all got to know living there for 7 months.
Yes, time does fly Bruce but memories never fade. stevmk2
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