Cries of terror and anguish filled the streets of Algiers early Thursday after a powerful earthquake claimed at least 538 lives in northern Algeria.
The quake, measuring 5,2 on the Richter scale left a further 4 700 people injured, according to early figures which were certain to rise.
The capital was plunged into darkness as powerlines were cut and the screams of women and children could be heard as they fled from their apartments homes.
One young woman fainted while the old women, trembling with fear, were helped to safety by neighbours outside on 14-storey apartment block in an eastern suburb.
”Old Rashid. Don’t forget old Rashid. Help his wife to get down,” someone shouted into the night sky after Wednesday evening’s devastating quake.
”Mummy, mummy, don’t leave me!” cried a terrorised child.
Debris was strewn around the building as the facade cascaded down with a frightening noise, spreading more panic among the fleeing residents.
”My apartment was completely devastated. The armchair, the crockery, the television, everything was thrown to the ground, broken,” said a shaken Seghir, who lives on the top floor of D block.
”I was on the balcony, looking at central Algiers when I saw what looked like an enormous dust cloud. I went dizzy as the building began to sway back and forth like a see-saw. All the furniture fell over, the chandelier flew out of the window,” bemoaned her neighbour Lounis.
After the initial blind panic subsided, the residents began to organise themselves.
The gas supply was switched off at the mains and a guard was mounted to ward off looters.
A rumour had already spread that one looter had been surprised and beaten up by angry residents in a nearby block.
Debris was removed, by watever means available, from the street to allow traffic to pass.
The mayor and police officers were swiftly on the scene and women and children were taken to the town hall and a local school.
Bottles of water and bread were distributed as the most traumatised were comforted by the less traumatised.
Wrapped in blankets and sitting on the ground, the survivors prepared for a long night. – Sapa-AFP