Families quaking with fear
SOUTHERN Downs holiday-makers kicking back in south Asia got the shock of their lives when an 8.7 magnitude earthquake hit on Wednesday night.
But social networking again showed its power in such events with former Stanthorpe girl Carly Harslett relieved to hear through Facebook from parents Peter and Rosey, who were in Malaysia at the time of the earthquake.
Miss Harslett took to Facebook to voice her concern for her parents after hearing about the tsunami warning.
"... is a little bit worried about the olds over on their tropical island," she said in her status update.
"Hoping this Tsunami does not eventuate."
Miss Harslett's fears were eased when her mother Rosey saw the status and used her own Facebook account to comment on the status and let her daughter know she and her husband were fine.
"We are good just had another after shock could be sleeping with the monkeys tonight in the trees hope they don't have fleas," Mrs Harslett said.
Former Stanthorpe lad John Mann also used the social networking site to let friends and family know what was happening minutes after the earthquake shook his holiday destination.
"Just felt an earthquake here in Phuket," he said in a status update.
"We are heading to high ground.
"Whole place has been put on tsunami alert."
He later posted to let them know he was okay with many posting back their relief.
