London attacks: first thoughts....

My dad woked me up from my afternoon nap to inform me that a series of explosions has ripped through central London, which apparently bears the resemblance to the terrorist attack. The explosions - supposedly up to 7 separate explosions hitting the Underground and several London's double decker busses - wrecked havoc with London's public transportation, leaving the city paralysed.

The locations of the attacks

I must admit that I'm still reeling from the shock of it; not that I never expected such attacks to happen in London, rather I am shocked at the sheer scale and the obviously high amount of coordination of the attacks. As more and more news of the attacks comes in, a sinister spectre of the attacks begin to take shape.

In addition, the fact that these attacks targeted London's old and decaying public transport system - which is already straining under pressure from commuters daily - and occured during the daily rush hour made the attacks seemed even more devastating. Naturally, London's public transport system have been suspended for the day and perhaps for several more days to come; this necessary but inevitable would undoubtly bring the whole city to its knees.

I could only imagine the horror of being trapped in the tube during the explosions, the panic, terror and the feeling of helplesness one have to endure while waiting for emergency rescuers to arrive. I think the fear is no less if one were trapped in the bus involved in the explosions; seeing the familiar double decker bus - the one we normally took to get around London - ripped apart leaving the upper deck exposed and thinking it could be you riding that particular bus, it just give you the foreboding sense of chills.

And to think that what we have seen so far are only bits and pieces of the attacks; I could only imagine the sheer magnitude of the full scale attacks i.e. the casualties, the injured and the destruction. I think it will be a while before the full magnitude of the attacks could be comprehended; the scale of the attacks is too difficult and mind-boggling to be fully grasped.

I realized that I am extremely lucky to be back in Malaysia when the attack occured; I am also relieved to be able to talk to Charlotte and Nik Azmi online, to know that most of my Malaysian seniors in London are safe and doing well. I think it is safe to say that all of us - both seniors and juniors - are still shaken by the attacks.

London has been my home for the past 9 months and naturally, I have developed a deep sense of longing and attachment towards the British capital. To hear that such attacks have happened in London - claiming many innocent lives and bringing the city to a halt - both pains and outrages me tremendously.

One thing for sure, these attacks will cast a long shadow on London and its citizens; it will be a long time before the sense of normalcy will return to London.

These are challenging times indeed.