They left nearly everything behind.

The elevator was not working.

So they took the stairs.

Downstairs, neighbors were already moving toward the evacuation route.

An elderly man was struggling to walk.

Two younger residents stopped to help him.

Someone shouted that another wave was coming.

The group moved faster.

Hana looked back toward their home.

“Are we coming back?”

Her mother hesitated.

She didn’t know.

Then she said:

“We’re going somewhere safe first.”

It was the only answer she could give.

Behind them, the sound of the ocean grew louder.

---

A City Without Electricity

The earthquake had damaged electrical infrastructure across parts of the city.

Some areas went dark almost immediately.

Traffic signals stopped working.

Streetlights disappeared.

Buildings that had been brightly illuminated only minutes earlier became dark silhouettes.

Emergency generators activated in some facilities.

Others had no power at all.

Without electricity, everyday systems became suddenly difficult.

Elevators stopped.