'The floor broke open'

kos - Empel's Dutch Laury was in the center of Kos City when the earthquake hit the same Greek island. 'The floor broke open, people guessed and ran. It was terrible.''

The 21-year-old woman from Oisterwijk arrived yesterday on the holiday island and went straight with her friends in the evening. In addition, she ended up in Bar Street, just the street that was so heavily hit by the earthquake in the old town. 'We stood outside at some sort of crossing when we heard a loud bang and then saw smoke. At first we thought of an attack. ''

But people around them soon knew it was an earthquake. The girls put it on a run. 'I have no idea how long it took. I've seen someone lying down on the floor. No idea whether he was unconscious or dead. We got there without injury. A girlfriend of mine fell on the ground, but could quickly get up and run again. ''

The girls hurried to the harbor, where the sea water sprang through the earthquake. 'It was said that there was a tsunami hazard, so we had to go to a higher point. Until six o'clock this morning we sat on a mountain. A Dutch boy was told that a friend had died of him. He was in panic. ''

Eventually Van Empel returned to her hotel, where she took her stuff and went to the beach. She waits until Sunweb knows if she and her traveling companions can stay in the vacation home. 'I would stay here for six weeks to work in a club. It is still over, but I have no idea whether it will continue. ''

'It's very weird. Everything is glaring, you do not know where to go, 'says Martijn Ballast from Kos. About half past two local time, he had a great time sleeping with his family on the Greek island when the earthquake struck.

The family fled outside, where it soon became apparent that the damage was relatively high. 'Our hotel is built earthquake-proof, with extra steel in it. That has shed a lot of it. When I started the TV this morning and saw the pictures a few kilometers away, you see the difference. Then we have been very well. ''

In Ballast's room there was a lot of casualties, but great damage remained. Tomorrow evening, the company has to fly home, but for the moment the flight is still quiet. 'TUI is first inventing how it is with everyone. We are waiting for it. We would go for a day today, but let's go for a while. We had a short night and did a good job. ''