Mexico earthquake survivor: 'This is the worst experience I ever had'

Mariana Valdez, a teacher from Puebla Mexico, said she was in her classroom with more than a dozen three year olds when the earthquake hit.

She tried to keep their minds occupied while leading them to safety.

“They got really scared so I tried to tell them that the floor was dancing, that the floor wanted to dance. So I took them outside to the camp and we remained there until their parents came to pick them up,” she said.

The school where Valdez works remained standing, but she quickly became aware of the devastation all around her. She said she has never seen anything like it.

“This is the worst experience I ever had because we have earthquakes, but this is one of the worst,” she said.

About two hours away, in Mexico City, Carla Fuentes said she felt frightened during the chaos that followed the tremors.

“All communications were stopped, so trying to communicate with the family was very difficult,” Fuentes said.

While help is arriving in Mexico to help meet the physical needs to those affected by the earthquake, the mental and emotional pain will last much longer.

“People are shocked and sad. Many people lost their homes. They don’t know what it going to happen next, “ Fuentes said.