Earthquake!

[feliciakw]

Oh, my word.

*heart pounding*

We just had the longest earthquake I've ever experienced. To y'all in California, it's probably just a tremor. But considering that the only quakes I've ever experienced have felt like a semi driving down the road, this one was . . . an adventure.

I work on the basement level of my building. At first, I thought it was somebody pulling something really heavy down the hall upstairs. "What on earth are they having delivered?" I thought.

Then it got worse. The walls started shaking, mugs fell off the shelf, and the people down the hall were yelling, "Get out of the building!"

Went out side, and people from buildings all over town were coming outside, totally puzzled as to what the heck that was.

One of the women was able to get a signal, called around, and found out that the Warrenton (about 30 minutes away) felt the quake first. Stafford also felt it.

Now I'm going to have to find out where Culpeper is located on our tectonic plate.

I hear sirens. I'm gonna check it out.

ETA: The quake centered in Mineral (just "up the road a piece"). Felt as far north as Boston, as far south as Charlotte, NC, and as far west as Ohio and Michigan. Measured 5.9 (which one of the California transplants found impressive).

Yikes!

When I heard that the aftershocks could be expected within the hour, I came home. Nothing to badly damaged, though the spoon to my Addams Family coffee mug didn't survive. (Which is a bummer, but I always figured it was only a matter of time.)

Gotta clean up a little bit of lamp oil, but not bad.

George was home having lunch or changing shirts or something when it hit.

Oy.

Comments

[saberivojo.livejournal.com]

I left a comment but it doesn't look like it took. So - I'm glad to see you are all right. I was worried about you!

Thank God you are okay.

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Strangely, I wasn't as freaked out as a lot of people around. Though I do admit to leaving work early, and going to see if things were okay where Geo works.

I just got off the phone with him, and everything is okay. So . . . whew.

I know what to do in case of tornado. Apparently, now I have to look into earthquake protocol. Heh.

[kimmer1227.livejournal.com]

Glad you're okay. We felt it here, too. Yikes!

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Yikes, indeed! And thanks.

Geo got a call from his sister back in Ohio. She felt it, too.

I'm more shaken up than anything. Not quite as freaked as some in the area, but my heart is still kind of pounding.

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

Sheesh! That is a strong quake for your region. It's nothing to sneeze at even here, especially as close to it as you were.

*hugs*

Earthquake protocol: drop down next to the nearest solid piece of furniture (bed, solid table, chest or dresser) and curl up small. If anything falls, you'll be in a safe space. Don't go outside unless you have to--power lines can fall, etc, especially close to buildings. (Not sure about that last bit since you guys don't build to the same code as we do out here, I assume. But....)

Glad everyone's okay!

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the protocol tips.

The town has declared a state of emergency, and the street where my office currently is has been closed, so I can't get to work tomorrow.

It's been quite an adventure. Earthquakes this severe apparently only hit this part of the continent ever 1,000 years or so. Something like that.

[ficwriter1966.livejournal.com]

More helpful hints: if you have anything heavy in your bedroom that's up high enough to fly around in a strong aftershock (something sitting on a dresser-top, for example), best to move it out of the room. If you've got a painting hanging over the head of your bed, take it down. I had a lot of friends in L.A. who said stuff flew all over the place in the Northridge quake, and there were reports of folks being hit by something that flew off a dresser. Make sure you secure anything breakable that you treasure.

Hang in there! Yes, it's unnerving as all get out. Just take deep breaths and stay calm.

*hugs*

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Very good advice. Thanks! *hugs*

Downtown apparently sustained some damage (I got out of there as soon as I could), and it sounds like I might not be able to get to work tomorrow, as the roads are closed.

But we're okay here at home, as far as I can tell. George and I didn't see anything out of the ordinary with the structure of our house, so that's a relief.

[kerravonsen]

Glad you're okay.

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Thanks, hon.

[leelust.livejournal.com]

Are you ok?

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Yep, we're fine. Though it doesn't sound like I'll be going to work tomorrow. Reports are that downtown has sustained some damage, and the roads I take to get to work are closed. The town has declared a state of emergency.