Young woman from Echo Bay describes quake experience

A former Echo Bay resident went through today's earthquake in downtown Hamilton.

Hana Alton works for Bell on the sixth floor of a Jackson Square Mall building.

"I was on my way to break and was with a friend in an elevator," she told us. "It started shaking and then stopped completely for about two minutes. We had to grab onto the handles in the elevator to keep our balance." The timing proved ironic as Hana had just recovered from three months of vertigo.

Eventually, the elevator started moving again and upon exiting Hana learned what was happening.

Others working in the building described seeing papers and computers being knocked off desks. Hana says shaking from the earthquake lasted about five minutes in total.

The day won't be forgotten anytime soon.

"It was no fun," the personable 21-year-old noted. "I was scared. I don't like being stuck in an elevator. Everybody was a little off and confused by the earthquake."