An Aberdeen University graduate who was teaching a class during Tuesday’s earthquake in Mexico City said the devastation throughout his homeland has been “absolutely horrific”.
Alan Amper has joined thousands of other volunteers in the nation’s capital handing out fresh water, food and blankets, and searching for the injured.
The 30-year-old, who graduated with an MSc in international relations this year, initially thought the 7.1 magnitude tremor was a lorry passing outside.
But he quickly realised the vibrations were far too powerful.
After he rushed his pupils to a meeting point at the downtown Mexico City school, he took shelter as the natural disaster sent shockwaves through Mexico.
The Mexican national said seeing the destruction throughout his country first hand brought him to tears.
He said: “I’m very fortunate because me, my family and my friends are okay, so now we’re spending as much time as possible helping people that are in trouble.
“We’ve been working until almost 5am, going around downtown and helping where we can.
“So many buildings have been completely destroyed, collapsed into rubble. There are literally thousands of thousands of people doing as much as they can to rescue those who are trapped.
“Seeing my home like this has for me been absolutely horrific. But there are so many places outside of the city as well that are some of the poorest parts of Mexico, and there are millions of people suffering.
“There are so many people sleeping in the streets, both people who are now homeless and volunteers who want to get up as early as possible to help those in need.
“But Mexican people always unite when something like this happens. We are a mess of a country in many, many aspects, but I can say that I am very proud of Mexico and being Mexican after what I have seen after this catastrophe.
“It’s been enough to make me cry, because of frustration, sadness, but also because of how proud I am of how we have been able to get aid to people.”
