MANILA, Philippines - British journalist Robert Michael Poole was on a vacation in Bohol when the magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck yesterday morning, making him one of the first witnesses to the destruction left by the disaster.
Poole, global chief editor of Performing Arts and Japan bureau chief at Blouin Artinfo, told CNN he was biking in the island when the quake hit and split the road in front of him.
Poole took photos of structures that caved in, including the centuries-old San Pedro church in Loboc, the houses along the coastal road, and the Chocolate Hills.
His photos went viral minutes after he uploaded them on his Twitter account. Netizens and some media outfits picked up the photos.
Poole told CNN he was used to earthquakes as he was living in Tokyo, but he described the Bohol quake as “very strong and it shocked a lot of people in the area.â€
“Lucky thing it’s a holiday here today and it happened at a time when nobody was in the church,†he said.