Sunday Times photographer James Oatway reports from the devastated streets of downtown Port-Au-Prince.

Haiti: Day 5

I am writing this diary entry from the car park outside the hotel where I have been staying. There were three earth shaking tremors today. The last one was about thirty minutes ago. I'm not going anywhere near a building tonight. I didn't even feel yesterday's shake, which apparently measured 4.9 on the Richter scale. I was on a motorbike when that hit, so maybe that's why.

Today at lunchtime, I was working on my pictures on the first floor restaurant of the hotel. Suddenly I heard a deep rumbling sound and then the walls started to shake. People shouted in alarm and ran outside... I ran like the wind. The tremor only lasted about 5 seconds.

Then everyone was told to assemble outside on the road and we were made to wait there until NBC's private security firm had done a "360 degree" inspection of the building. NBC have a large team at this hotel. The mood outside was jovial, people were giggling and talking crap. Exactly like you do after you just had the fright of your life. My heart pounded. About 15 minutes later we were given the green light and everyone went back inside.

I was in exactly the same spot when the second one hit, just now. This time I was barefoot because I had just dressed my injured foot (from stepping on a nail... idiot). But being barefoot didn't slow me down.. I was one of the first outside this time. The same routine played out but this time the security informed us that the hotel had sustained some structural damage. They reckon that at least one perimeter wall will come down if there is a similar tremor. Scary.

The earthquake sensation is difficult to describe. The noise sounds like a groan or a growl coming from an angry monster. Then the walls shake. I can imagine how the city must have been on that fateful Tuesday. People running out of every building into the street.. Shouting and screaming. One feels completely helpless. You can't file a complaint and demand that these tremors stop.. The situation is out of your control and you are completely helpless. That is the scary part. I just pray that these tremors stop now. These poor Haitians have gone through enough now. Surely God won't be so cruel as to smite down another catastrophe upon them? Please God don't do it.