1 year ago
Thursday, September 12, 2019
QUAKE
Well that was different. Last night around 1:40 AM I had a first in all my 80 years. My dog woke me with a weird bark, then it felt like something big slammed my house and then we shook side to side for a few seconds.
Those of you in California know what happened but it was a first for me. We had a 3.7 earthquake here in Arkansas.
At first I had no idea what happened. I thought of a meteor landing in my back yard or a truck ramming my house. Earthquake was not even on my radar.
There was no damage though I did check my water pipes in the light of day. My meter showed no leaks so I relaxed.
Well that was interesting. Kind of nice to have a new experience that caused no harm but I'm done now thank you. Earthquake has been scratched off my bucket list.
Ever been curious about something and then when you do experience it, you really don't want a repeat. One and done is good.
Anyone else have a bit of shaking last night?
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I think it was yesterday that my husband mentioned he had heard that there was a small earthquake in Bonne Terre Missouri, but I am in St. Louis county not too far from Lambert International Airport. I didn't feel any earth shakes or hear of any around here. We have had some pretty long rumblers in the past that made our windows rattle. One time we had one that I could feel my chair moving. I know it was only a few seconds but around here the scary part is wondering if it's going to be The Big One from the New Madrid fault. Is your area in the New Madrid fault area? I'd rather not deal with earthquakes around here. We have enough with tornadoes, and floods.
ReplyDeleteSusie,
ReplyDeleteYes, when I realized it was an earthquake the New Madrid fault line was a thought. We are close enough.
Yes when living in Seattle we had a 5.7 and I had no idea they got earthquakes. We had lived there about 6 months and everything in the house was rattling and I had no idea what was happening. We were watching TV at the time. (Seinfeld, I even remember!) My hubby said to run outside and I said, you mean in the bathtub or doorway. He yelled - no that is a tornado - get outside. Then I saw everyone was outside. Who knew? First earthquake and hopefully my last. I didn't like that at all!! And here you thought you were getting lucky with all that bed shakin' goin' on. :-)
ReplyDeletePeggy,
DeleteHa ha, wish I had been getting lucky. But in a way I was since it was a relatively mild one I now have time to decide my course of action should a bigger one hit. I appreciate the warning for like you I might have jumped into the tub:))
I live in California and have experienced a couple earthquakes. I am glad you made it through OK.
ReplyDeleteTerra,
DeleteLiving in California must make quakes seem almost routine. You have your plan and know what to do. I plan to learn.
Went through a pretty good shaker during one of my final years of teaching. We practice earthquake drills here in the Seattle area, because we have lots of faults. (Haha, not THOSE faults). When that quake hit, I calmly said "Earthquake" and the kids all scrambled under their desks, not saying a sound, just experiencing with every one of their senses. I said "Hang on!" and they grabbed their desk legs tighter. "Turn your face away from the windows", and there was some scampering to do so. One child asked, timidly, "Is this real or practice?" It was funny after the fact.
ReplyDeleteThere was only minor damage in most places. We were lucky. And I was so proud of those kids for handling it all with such calmness. Practice pays off.
And then the hysterical parents started arriving. Sheesh. The kids and I all though they should just get a grip on it.
Linda,
DeleteI love that story for it shows just how important practice and a calm head can handle a scary situation. The kids were great but your calm kept the panic at bay and reassured them.. Way to go girl. Now I need to have a plan.
No, I have never experienced a earthquake though if I move to the BC coast I probably will. Thunderstorms with lots of wind is about the worst I've gone through and even though haven't been too bad. We occasionally get tornadoes here in Saskatchewan but like everywhere else they tend to target trailer parks. Weird!
ReplyDeleteEileen,
DeleteWe use to say in Florida that God doesn't like trailer parks. Their construction makes them easy targets for high winds and dramatic pictures for the news casts.
I have experienced a couple of small earthquakes in in VT/northern NY state. But two nights ago I was rudely awaken by booming and shaking of the condo in the middle of the night. Turned out it was night time road work of some sort.
ReplyDeleteOlga,
DeleteThat surprised me about quakes in VT. We tend to think they stay around the ring of fire. Now I know better.
That was rude of the road crew to work at night. Must have been an emergency.
Wow. That was exciting. I didn't know Arkansas had a fault line. I've always thought Californians were crazy for living with that threat of danger. Now I guess I'll take Arkansas of my possible home locations.
ReplyDeleteBarbara,
DeleteI didn't know about the fault line either. Take north east Arkansas off your list. Hardly any place is disaster free darn it.
When we built our house we asked our insurance agent if he sells much earthquake insurance in the area. He said he didn't sell a lot, mostly to the geology professors at Clemson University. That was a good enough reason for us to buy it. We later found that we are very near a little-known Brevard Fault. No tremors so far but our summer thundertorms have almost felt like it at times.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn,
DeleteYou listened to the right people. Who knows better? Hope you have no activity but glad you are covered. I was covered when they were fracking south of me and quakes were common in that area. When they quit fracking I dropped it. Think I may need to get it again.
Not last night, but I experienced my first earthquake several years ago, just as I was falling asleep the whole house trembled as the ground underneath rumbled. I'd never felt that before but knew right away what it was. Then a few years later there was a stronger one which did feel very much like a truck had slammed into something very close.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
DeleteI know what you mean. I felt that a truck could have actually hit my house or had a wreck with another in my driveway. It is a heck of a sound and feeling.
Oh both exciting and scary, glad nothing was damaged. Never had one here in the UK or in AZ bit I assume it's more likely in AZ.
ReplyDeleteJoey,
DeleteYes, it was both of those. Oddly I wasn't too frightened for I really didn't know what had happened. Found out I wasn't the only one that looked for a meteor in my back yard. Might want to check Arizona for fault lines just so you will have a plan.
I experienced one in Colorado. Even our piano keys tinkled. Ghostly like. And we lived in the foothills...by a reservoir! I thought...'if that dam breaks, we're goners'.
ReplyDeleteAnni,
DeleteNow that would have been spooky and the near by dam would have really scared me. Glad you were OK.
So glad you had no damage.
ReplyDeleteJean,
DeleteThank you--me too.
Glad to hear you are safe. We lived in Seattle most of my life. My first earthquake was in 1946 when I was four. I asked Mom what it was and she said "an earthquake passing by." I thought it was one of those big earth moving machines driving by until I was informed otherwise in the first grade.
ReplyDeleteCelia,
DeleteThank you for stopping by and commenting. That was too funny about the "earthquake passing by". Kids are so literal and I probably would have thought the same thing.
Nothing here, but I'm a good 5 hours away from you to the south. I keep hearing about these earthquakes though, and it does make me worried. We never used to get them...or did we? and never heard about it? I'm glad nothing broke!
ReplyDeleteTerri,
DeleteDon't know if you felt them when they were fracking in Guy Arkansas but my friend about 4 miles from me got a crack in her foundation. I never felt one but I did get Earthquake insurance that year. Lets hope.
No shaking here, and glad your new experience was without damage.
ReplyDeleteLC
DeleteThank you. That is how I like all my new experiences--no damage.
Oh, my goodness! What a scare that must have been!
ReplyDeleteSusan Zarzycki,
DeleteThank you for stopping by and commenting. Yes, it was quite a scare and I can do with out another one.
I live in North Carolina and we did have a quake scare many years ago. We live so near to Ft. Bragg that we thought it was maneuvers … and then years ago while visiting my sister in Ventura, California we had a real zinger … I remember dishes falling out of cabinets and pictures coming off the walls but no house damage.
ReplyDeleteGinnie,
DeleteI can see why you thought they were maneuvers. At first I thought a sonic boom, meteor landing in my yard or a truck wreck till the house shook. Mine wasn't as bad as yours in Cal and I hope I never have one that bad. Stay safe.
We had just finished the renovation of our house in Hawaii and were preparing to leave for Illinois. As we sat in the kitchen, there was suddenly a horrible shaking. We couldn't believe it! Well, there was a little crack in the patio, but otherwise, OK. Phew!
ReplyDeleteIn Japan last year, we were on the 11th floor of a hotel or something like that when I felt the bed shaking around 3 AM. Art was in the toilet and saw the the ripple in the toilet. Knowing Japan has a lot of earthquakes, I was really nervous!
And I agree. I don't want to experience anything like it again.
It didn't take me till my 80's, to experience a tiny earthquake. Some years ago, early one morning, I was sitting at my computer desk, and the floor under my feet, shook.
ReplyDeleteIt had been a rare earthquake in the upper NE.
The thing is, we only think certain areas, as earth quake prone. The famous ones. But if we look, there are a lot of possible earth quake areas.
No need to experience one, again! I agree!
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