Earthquake

[fire&ice]

OMG, we just had an Earthquake. I know I''m not going to get any sympathy from you West Coasters. But, WOW! Weird! Should I be concerned that something bigger may be following? We had one a few years back. We are near some smaller fault line.

What are some tips? We have a small downstairs bathroom. Would that be the safest place?

 

[fire&ice]

O.k. F&I obsessing. It's kinda like when we have snow on the ground. Southerners are notorious obessors.

First reports are reporting 4.5 scale quake.

 

[Arlington]

F&I -- where are you (generally)? I don't think I felt anything up here (in McLean, at work).

 

[Mikesgirl]

Where are you, F&I? I didn't hear anything about an earthquake in Virginia. I'll have to watch the news tonight. That must have been terrifying. Hope all is well.

 

[Giangi]

F&I... We too had a very stong earthquake here in Italy a couple of months ago. It's been really terrible.
I hope it's just a little quake and I am sure it won't be followed by others.

 

[AGBF]

I didn't feel anything here in Conecticut. One year a small earthquake broke our birdbath, but we don't get many earthquakes here. There was an earthquake in Colombia when I was there once, but I didn't feel *it* since I was in a car.

 

[fire&ice]

Arlington, just West of Richmond. 90 miles South of DC. You hear all kinds of things; but, a couple of people from up your way reported to have felt a tremor.

Mikesgirl - according to the news, a 4.5 doesn't do much damage - so unless you are local it probably wouldn't make any National News. But, it sure is weird when you have no idea what is happening. Not a regular occurance here.

Giangi - Yes, I remember the tragic horrible earthquake you all had over there. No one is reporting any damage; so, it's really not a big deal like yours.

Sure is weird though.

 

[AGBF]

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On 12/9/2003 5:07:29 PM fire&ice wrote:


"...according to the news, a 4.5 doesn't do much damage
...
No one is reporting any damage; so, it's really not a big deal like yours."




Glad all is well .

 

[Arlington]

The one and only time I was in San Francisco, there was a quake. It was very brief (about 5 seconds) but disturbing to me. It was over before I realized there was a quake going on, and the people who I was in the meeting with (native SFers) didn't even feel it!

 

[Hest88]

Hee! Your first earthquake! The aftershocks will be smaller, not larger, than the one you just had, so no big deal.

 

[fire&ice]

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On 12/9/2003 5:05:07 PM AGBF wrote:

we don't get many earthquakes here. -------------

AGBF, same here that's why it was so weird. We do have some weird faults.

 

[fire&ice]

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On 12/9/2003 5:11:50 PM Hest88 wrote:

Hee! Your first earthquake! The aftershocks will be smaller, not larger, than the one you just had, so no big deal.----------------

Hest, your post made me chuckle. Almost like it's a right of passage.

Thanks for the reassurance. I really didn't feel the aftershocks. We did have an earthquake about ten years ago. Like a 3.0- 3.5, it wasn't anywhere near as bad the tremors of this one; but, it lasted significantly longer. That is why it crossed my mind what it was.

Hubby said I should have gone outside. Except for our house - no buildings around. He said he didn't think the tree would fall. But, what does he know? Any truth to this.

Geez, what a weird year. We (our area) were seriously hit by Hurricane Isabell - very unusual for a hurricane to come this far inland. Now this. Not that this did much damage - but weird non the less.

 

[diamondlil]

Hi everyone. I'm southeast of DC in Southern Maryland. We felt it here. Kind of like a bulldozer coming down the street on the asphalt. It rumbled the whole house.

Diamondlil

 

[mount pleasant boy]

Maybe earthquakes are good for diamonds? Shifting around the earth to expose the mother lode?

Just a thought...

 

[fire&ice]

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On 12/9/2003 5:52:07 PM mount pleasant boy wrote:

Maybe earthquakes are good for diamonds? Shifting around the earth to expose the mother lode?

Just a thought...----------------

Always an upswing! But, I doubt the ground will reveal any diamonds.

We are on several beds of aquifirs - so maybe a new stream.

We are a stone's throw from Columbia; so, we felt it pretty bad. Did you know what is was Diamondlil?

Hubby (not in town & he was worried) called a friend in SF who is more accustomed to this sort of thing. He just chuckled & said "So F&I was shaking ratttling & rolling." "She'll be fine." - I guess you guys out there sort of scoff at a 4.5.

 

[m82]

Don't have many earthquakes out there huh? Well in reguards to what you do should you have another one, your downstairs bathroom would be a bad idea...that is reserved for tornadoes; anywhere you are in the house either get under something heavy like a table or stand in a doorway. I have also been told it is a bad idea to run outside, but that is really for areas where quakes are bad enough to open up cracks in the ground and I dont think you have that problem. Just a little tip.

 

[Kamuelamom]

The doorway or under a table if things really get rocking. Living on an island with active volcanoes I have experience *many* of them. And they still scare me.

A friend in VA said people in her neighborhood were running outside, looked like a block party.

 

[canadiangrrl]

F&I, I asked Mr. CG about the quake, and he said that he did not feel it, and he was in Crystal City today (Pentagon.) Then again, Mr. CG could sleep through an F-16 deplaning from his roof, so maybe he's not an accurate gauge.

So glad you're okay. Have a few frosties if you're still feeling, in the parlance of my nephew, "eskeerd." (translation: "I'm scared." I think.)

Was in a little quake in LA the first time I ever visited as a kid, back in '81. So much water came out of the pool at the house we were staying at. Freaky.

 

[Mara]

Heehee a 4.5. Those are the ones that I don't budge from the couch for. Anything over 6.5 and sure, I'll make for the doorjamb. Best place. Strongest wood. Yadda yadda. Just don't go running outside and DON'T hide under a desk no matter what they told you in school!

As for hiding under something heavy...think about it, do you want that something heavy to be trapping you under it should your roof fall in? If it's something heavy, it better be so darn heavy that something like your roof or the first two stories of your house won't crumple it. But don't worry. You're fine!

 

[Chris from Ideal-Scope]

Had a friend fly in to LA to land as all the lights went out about 8 -10 years ago.

When they landed they wished maybe they had gone somewhere else!

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 12/10/2003 1:21:40 AM Mara wrote:


Heehee a 4.5. If it's something heavy, it better be so darn heavy that something like your roof or the first two stories of your house won't crumple it. But don't worry. You're fine!

----------------

Hah - you obviously are not familiar with Arts & Crafts (Mission) furniture from the turn of the century. Hubby & I joke that under the Gus Hex table will withstand a nuclear bomb. I'll have to take a picture of it. Talk about redundancy in furniture making - this one takes the cake. The top is 2" thick supported by 6 - 4 1/2" posts w/ equal proportional stretchers. Yep, that's where I'll be. The house may fall - but it will still be standing.

CG, at first I thought it was one of the big fighter jets. Occassionaly they fly too close to our house. But, that only lasts a couple of seconds. We must be on some sort of training flight plan for them. Maybe Mr. CG has flown by our house.

On record, we do have an 5.8 reported earthquake in the 1800's - much more western part of the state though. I don't know how accurate the measurement is. Back then, they were using the change in direction of streams.

Oh well, yesterdays news. But, never a dull moment.

Kam, are the volcanos active?

 

[fire&ice]

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On 12/10/2003 1:21:40 AM Mara wrote:


Heehee a 4.5. Just don't go running outside DIV>----------------

Would this be true if you don't live near anything but trees?

 

[diamondlil]

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On 12/9/2003 6:23:56 PM fire&ice wrote:





We are a stone's throw from Columbia; so, we felt it pretty bad. Did you know what is was Diamondlil?

----------------

We are probably a good 50+ miles south of you in So. Md. close to the Chesapeake Bay, F&I, and we really did not think much of it. We are used to having construction equipment thundering down the street now and again (we live in a neighborhood with new houses under construction). There were actually 2 vibrations which quickly vanished, and then the school bus came down the street. It wasn't until my hubby turned on the TV that we realized what it was.

Diamondlil

 

[fire&ice]

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On 12/10/2003 9:58:07 AM diamondlil wrote:

----------------
On 12/9/2003 6:23:56 PM fire&ice wrote:



We are a stone's throw from Columbia; so, we felt it pretty bad. Did you know what is was Diamondlil?

----------------

We are probably a good 50+ miles south of you in So. Md. close to the Chesapeake Bay, F&I, and we really did not think much of it. We are used to having construction equipment thundering down the street now and again (we live in a neighborhood with new houses under construction). There were actually 2 vibrations which quickly vanished, and then the school bus came down the street. It wasn't until my hubby turned on the TV that we realized what it was.

Diamondlil
----------------

You are probably 50 miles North of me.

That was Columbia, VA - a tiny forgotton railroad town West a a tad South of Richmond, VA

 

[diamondlil]

Oops, sorry about that F&I.

Diamondlil

 

[Mara]

Greg's dad and stepmom live in Maryland on a Bay inlet --wonder if they felt anything!




About running outside, I would think the only way you'd be safe would be if there were no power lines, no trees, no houses, nothing at all that could fall on you and/or cause damage. Otherwise, doorjamb or that old Mission furniture (sounds scary!)!

 

[daboyzmomi]

F&I-

Had to help you get through this with all the Southern Calif earthquake experience that I have. What Mara has told you is absolutely correct. DO NOT RUN OUTSIDE! The danger of things falling off your home, most significantly, the chimney and other building materials, makes this option unsafe. You are definately much safer inside, in a door jam as Mara said. Now, as far as under that mission furniture, if you are confident that it will not go anywhere then by all means pitch a tent and hang out til the rumbling stops.

Been through tons of Earthquakes here in my day the most noticeable are , The Whittier Narrows Earthquake 1987 5.9, Landers Earthquake 1992 7.3 -same day- Big Bear Earthquake 6.5, Northridge Earthquake 1994 6.7. All equally scarey all very diffrent in how the ground moved as well. But the door jam was my friend in all!

Hang in there, sounds like the worst is over for you. Just think happy thoughts,,,diamonds, yes diamonds are a happy thought now aren't they?

 

[fire&ice]

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On 12/10/2003 12:56:12 PM daboyzmomi wrote:

F&I-

You are definately much safer inside, in a door jam as Mara said. Now, as far as under that mission furniture, if you are confident that it will not go anywhere then by all means pitch a tent and hang out til the rumbling stops.

----------------

Thanks!

Well the table is out. Can't completely get underneath it w/ the cross stretchers. It's too darn big!

What about this bathroom? - It's an old-time detail that puts the bathroom directly under the stairs where the landing is. I understand about the door jam; but, my concern is the dogs. I can shut the door to the bathroom & keep them safe also.

A 4.5 was enough that we felt it. I understand the scale goes up exponentially. What in the world does a 6+ feel like? Also, do you have too have an earthquake rider for insurance?

 

[Mara]

Hmm don't know about the dogs in the bathroom. Could be an option--but how strong are the beams in the bathroom?




Dogs will always be fine IMO. In 89 when we had the BIG earthquake that tumbled all the bridges and freeways in CA--we were at home under the doorjamb screaming for our dog to come to us. She was FLIPPING out and racing around the house in circles, completely oblivious to us or our cries. Nothing could fall fast enough to fall ON her, she was too fast! We finally lunged out and grabbed her as she made a pass by us for the 10th time and subdued her. Poor thing! She was freaked.




Lots of broken china and some tumbled furniture ensued, but nothing like the damage outside.




Yep we have earthquake insurance.

I believe it's a requirement for CA.

 

[fire&ice]

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On 12/10/2003 2:16:50 PM Mara wrote:


Hmm don't know about the dogs in the bathroom. Could be an option--but how strong are the beams in the bathroom?


Dogs will always be fine IMO. In 89 when we had the BIG earthquake that tumbled all the bridges and freeways in CA--we were at home under the doorjamb screaming for our dog to come to us. She was FLIPPING out and racing around the house in circles, completely oblivious to us or our cries. Nothing could fall fast enough to fall ON her, she was too fast! We finally lunged out and grabbed her as she made a pass by us for the 10th time and subdued her. Poor thing! She was freaked.


Lots of broken china and some tumbled furniture ensued, but nothing like the damage outside.


Yep we have earthquake insurance.

I believe it's a requirement for CA.
----------------

Well, I guess I could actually consult my Architect regarding the structural soundness of a bathroom under the stairs

What was richter on the one in 89?

Yeah, my dog that needs Therapy was freaking & barking. My Therapy dog just stayed calmly by my side. Before I felt the Earthquake my barn kitty cats were scrambling. They dived underneath the cars.