In which there was a wee earthquake
So yesterday I experienced my first earthquake, which I have to say was rather fun. I know that sounds mental, but it was a 5.8, the epicenter was about 80 miles away, and by the time I knew for certain what it was, it was trailing off. Of course, not being accustomed to earthquakes, I didn't do any of the things you're supposed to do. I didn't head for open ground or a nice doorway. Nope. I took one look at the chandelier in my study, swinging back and forth over my desk, and figured the best thing was to put my body between the chandelier and MY COMPUTER. Yep--turns out in an emergency, my first reaction is to save the desktop. Even the dog was looking at me like, "Seriously?"
The thing that surprised me the most--as a quake newbie--is that I actually never knew that they were LOUD. There was a rumbling, thundery sound that came from everywhere at once. Fascinating stuff, and my hat is off to those of you who have been through bigger quakes because I know this one was just child's play to y'all. I'd show you a picture of my damage, but I don't think my pen rolling two inches would be very impressive.
Comments
Quake
I am in Lynchburg, VA and we definately felt it! I work in a historic building and at first we thought that the infastructure was finally just collapsing. I never felt any of the aftershocks, though.
Quake
I've been in California for thirty years and experienced a lot of quakes. But the worst quake I was ever in was centered in Newport Beach, CA, around twenty years ago. I think we were within a mile of the epicenter. The soil around Newport is sandy, so when we have a quake here the water tables rise and the ground shakes like jelly. It's felt more intensely than a quake of the same magnititude in bedrock.
I heard the windows starting to rattle and then a huge boom like a bomb going off and then if felt as if someone had picked up the building where I worked and was shaking it violently in their hand. It seemed to just gone on and on for a long time. Now, I'm originally from the mid-west so I'm trained to deal with tornados, not quakes. People were running and shouting. Debris was flying from the ceiling and everywhere. It was a bit freaky although I stayed fairly calm. Calmer than a lot of the natives, that's for sure. One of the engineers, who had a corner office with a lot of windows, opened his door afterwards and walked out like he was listing on a boat in the ocean. We all laughed at him because he walked so funny. He said the ground was just rolling and rolling.
Yes. it's not so bad if you're eighty miles away and you get a little bit of shaking and rolling but it's no fun if you're at the epicenter. I can attest to that. :-)
earthquake
I was doing my weekly stint as a desk volunteer at our local library in southern PA-a little over 120 miles from Mineral as the crow flies-and we felt it as well-but we concluded it was just the hvac guys messing about on the roof again-they often do. Not one book fell-thank goodness. We just moved all 40,000 of them into our new digs.
Poor Mineral, though.
That cracked me up, yesterday
That cracked me up, yesterday and today. When in doubt, save the computer! *grin* Glad that you're alright.