We just had a 3.1 earthquake! Helluva way to wake up... Scary.

[Shine]

http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/nc40182398.html

It actually felt much stronger. The kids, however, are still sleeping....weird.

Yup, just another day in California.... :eyes:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Nothing like wakin and shakin

nothing down here in So Cal

[Shine]

2. There's a part of me that always wonders if it's a precursor to

something bigger....
:scared:

on the other hand, I'd much rather have these little ones that let off geological steam, so to speak, than a big ole disastrous one.

I guess I'm just a bit unnerved by having been woken from such a sound sleep....

Good morning to you, nsma!!
:hi:

[In_The_Wind]

18. Hey NSMA!

I'm glad you're okay!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

19. thanks

the quake wasn't anywhere near here...Shine is about 200 miles north of me (I think)

[In_The_Wind]

20. The West Coast looks beautiful.

However I don't think I'd like to feel the earth move for me in quite that manner.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

21. For as often as it happens, which isn't often

it is well worth it. You do feel a bit helpless during the longer, stronger ones or if you are in a high rise...but they are also a trip...for the Whittier Narrows quake I was on the freeway and could see the road ahead of me ripple the entire time (which was about 40 seconds but ALWAYS seems longer) I like earthquakes actually.

[auntAgonist]

3. That would be scary!

I've never felt an earthquake. Glad all is ok though :)


goodmorning!

:hi:

[Shine]

5. I've been through at least three major earthquakes in my life.

'71 in San Fernando, 6.6
'89 Loma Prieta 7.1
'94 Northridge 6.7

shake, rattle and roll.....

good morning, back atya!
:hi:

[SW FL Dem]

32. I was there for Loma Prieta and Northridge

Luckily both times I was home and the house was on bedrock so we suffered little damage. The Northridge quake actually bounced me a foot off my bed when it hit.

[Shine]

49. I was visiting LA during the Northridge quake, with a 2 mos. old baby.

He was in his bassinet, under a big bookshelf. Fortunately, nothing fell on him, but it could've. I made a beeline for home (Santa Cruz) that same day. I just wanted to get the hell outa there...

[SW FL Dem]

52. I was less than 10 miles from the epicenter in 94

During Lome Prieta, I was in a highrise in LA but my brother was working in downtown San Franscisco. As much as I love CA, I have to admit, I don't miss the earthquakes. At least here in FL, you get several days warning before a hurricane hits. You have time to get out.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. I've been through all of the above as well

The only one that really scared me was the Lome Prieta because three hours later it was followed by the Big Bear quake which felt just as strong because it was so much closer to Orange County

[Shine]

9. Yeah, I was living in Santa Cruz during the Loma Prieta quake

pretty close to the epicenter. It was definitely scary.
I will NEVER forget the moment of realization that this wasn't just "another minor quake", but the Real Thing. I feel as if that moment has been indelibly printed onto my cellular memory. Time seemed to really sloooow down and crystalize as I realized I was in danger and got my ass outa the house....

Ah, memories....

I don't remember hearing about the Big Bear quake at the time. hmmm...

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

10. Oops I goofed...I meant LANDERS then Big Bear

7.3 followed by a 6.5 three hours later in Big Bear (sorry)

[Shine]

11. I don't know where either of those are.

well, I've heard of Big Bear. Mountain country in so. cal, right? Never heard of Landers, however.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

13. Landers is 50 miles north of Palm Springs

So Landers hit at around 4:50AM and then Big Bear hit at almost 8 AM...two huge quakes within three hours of one another that were separate faults

[Shine]

15. Wow, that's unusual.

makes ya wonder....

[emmajane67]

4. Scary.

I was in the 8.6 one in Chile a few months back. It lasted 50 seconds. It was prety scary.

[Shine]

6. Jesus, 8.6!!

I can't even imagine 50 whole seconds, either. Wow.
I was in the Loma Prieta quake and it was "only" a 7.1. It went on and on for about 15-20 seconds. Felt like forever.

Good morning to you!
I'm drinking my coffee now, and the kids are STILL asleep, so all is well....
:hi:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

8. That's a long quake

[emmajane67]

12. The funny bit was,

the person who flipped out the most was a san fran quake survivor. He was hoarding food and making out it was doomsday.
It was all very surreal.

[Shine]

14. That IS funny.

Hey, welcome to DU, btw!
:hi:

[In_The_Wind]

16. Maybe that's why I haven't gotten to California ...

I'm glad you and the kids are okay.

[Shine]

24. thanks, Joan!

we're fine, no biggie.

It was just a startling way to wakeup.

Ciao for now...
:hug:

[Sugar Smack]

17. No, I couldn't go back to sleep after that.

Nor could I even imagine what it's like to wake up with everything under me moving. Wow. My dear bro lives in Cali. I wonder if he felt it. :o

[Shine]

25. It was a very minor quake, as these things go.

where's your bro?

[Sugar Smack]

31. He's in San Francisco.

Glad to hear yours wasn't that big!

[NV Whino]

22. Probably going to have some more

what with all the slippin' and slidin' goin' on. Watch the mudslides. the good news is, it looks to be dry weather for a while.

Hang in there, Shine.

[Shine]

27. Yup, it's great to see the sun again!

enjoy!
:hi:

[XemaSab]

23. that's a tiny quake

n/t

[Shine]

28. Yup, you're right.

but it felt much stronger and was a helluva way to be woken up...
:hi:

[XemaSab]

30. read the thread

n/t

[XemaSab]

33. I was there in 89

and lemme tell ya.... I'll never be so dismissive of the little quakes again... that foreshock was a real surprise....

[kwassa]

26. I wouldn't even wake up for a 3.1. That's nothing!

Unlike the Northridge quake, which threw me out of bed.

[Shine]

29. Yup, me too.

I was there for that one, as well.

...plus the Loma Prieta quake, up here.

:hi:

[Xithras]

34. 3.1? Scary? Pfft, you must be a newb ;)

Last time I felt a quake that small, I spent 5 minutes debating whether it was actually a quake or just a big truck driving past the building. I finally looked it up online and verified that it had actually been a quake.

With our building codes, you don't even need to pay attention to anything smaller than a 4.5, and they don't really start doing any damage until they get into the upper 5's.

Besides, quakes are fun. They're a great way to shake us out of the narrow life-bubbles that we wrap ourselves in and remind us that there are far more powerful forces than us on this world.

[SoCalDem]

35. Yep..trucks rumbling by make a bigger shake-shake

we don't even feel them unless they're a 5-something:)

[Shine]

45. Yeah, after the Loma Prieta quake, which was only about 6 miles

from where I was living, in Santa Cruz, I'm sure I went through a form of PTSD, being slightly freaked out by any and all truck/bus rumblings....and unfortunately, I lived on a bus route, so it was challenging, to say the least. Seriously, for MONTHS afterwards, I would have my escape routes all mapped out, wherever I went. You don't go through a 7.1 quake and NOT be effected, afterwards.

I can still remember it, as if it were yesterday.

[Xithras]

48. Hey buddy, I went through Loma Prieta IN A TREE

Don't tell me about PTSD! I was 30 feet off the ground in a walnut tree when the thing started whipping back and forth trying to throw me out. It took me two years to gather the nerve to climb a tree again.

No, I'm not kidding. I was just outside Gustine California, which is on the other side of Patterson Pass from Gilroy. Waaaayyyy too close to the epicenter to be up a freaking tree. I still have panic attacks every now and then when I get way up a ladder. I'm not afraid of heights, but I'm afraid of being high up on anything that isn't 100% solid.

[Shine]

50. Well then you know what I'm talking about, don't you? Not fun.

I know right where Gustine is. That's pretty freaky you were in a tree when it hit. I can understand why it took 2 yrs to climb a tree again. Whew! Wild story.

I'm sure there were a lot of us who were suitably freaked. I know my cat was never the same, that's for sure.

[Shine]

39. I agree that we need to be "shaken up" sometimes

from our narrow perspectives.

Hi, Xithras! Happy New Year!
:hi:

[skygazer]

36. We did?

I must have been driving. I generally feel them when I'm in my computer chair - it's like a butt massage.

Home for lunch - gotta go back to work. :hi:

[Shine]

40. It felt much stronger than a 3.1, skygazer

at least at our house it did.

Have a great day!
:hi:

[Gormy Cuss]

37. I wonder if it felt stronger because of the soaked earth

Anyone around here know if the soaked ground could amplify the effect?

I've felt mid 3 range quakes but they were shallow and of the jolt variety rather than the rolling type. Earthquakes are weird!




On edit: Shine, did you feel out the "Did you feel it?" survey? It's fun to participate in those.

[Shine]

42. You raise an excellent question, Gormy Cussy. Hmmm...

I was surprised it was only a 3.1 cuz it felt MUCH stronger...and believe me, I've been through a LOT of tremors in my 30 yrs of living in CA.

Good call on the survey, too. I'll do that! :thumbsup:

[ronnykmarshall]

38. 3.1?

Feh! Who needs it?

[Shine]

43. Yeah, I know. It sounds harmless and it was, but it felt MUCH stronger.

weird.

:hi: to a fellow Californian!

[Taverner]

41. Wait until you feel one right on the fault line

I was in San Juan Bautista for one...right on the San Andreas.

It was only a 3-something as well but MAN

I bounced like a ball...

[Shine]

44. Yeah, this one was epicentered like, 3 miles from my house!!

which is probably why it felt so much stronger than it actually was.

...plus, like I mentioned, it was a helluva way to be awakened this morning.

:hi:

[Oeditpus Rex]

46. 3.1? Truck drive by?

Didn't feel it over here. 'Course, I'd been asleep about an hour at the time. But I doubt I'd have felt a 3.1 30 miles away anyway.

There was another 3.1 near Morro Bay yesterday afternoon.

http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/nc40182394.htm

[Shine]

47. We were just a couple miles from the epicenter, so maybe that's why

it felt so strong.
:shrug:
plus, as Gormy Cuss pointed out, upthread, maybe the recent deluge of rains effected how we felt it....

hmmm...

Weird, huh?

[Oeditpus Rex]

51. The rain could've saturated the earth enough

to change the sensation, I guess. :shrug:

But, hey... I'd prolly feel a 2.0 if I were sitting on top of it.

I'm about three miles from the Calaveras Fault, which is in the San Andreas Zone and very active. When it burps, we feel it.