# Earthquake!



## MaddiesMom

Anyone else in the Bay Area in Northern California just feel that earthquake? Wow! My house felt like it was on a swing set!


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## Melissa Miller

Get out!!!!! You just felt an earthquake?????? 

Thats amazing.That seems scarier than a tornado. Hope it was not a bad one.


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## Leslie

Jeanne~ Looks like it was about a magnitude 5 and was centered south of Fremont and north of San Jose.

Check it out here:

http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Maps/122-38.htm

This is more specific:

Magnitude	5.6 - regional moment magnitude (Mw)
Time	Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 8:04:54 PM (PDT)
Distance from	Alum Rock, CA - 8 km (5 miles) NNE (31 degrees)
Milpitas, CA - 11 km (7 miles) E (91 degrees)


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## MaddiesMom

Melissa- It wasn't bad enough to get out (besides, its best just to get under something heavy, as there's no time). But it was a "swinger" though. I don't know the epicenter, but our lamps were certainly swinging. Some quakes are jolts, others are more rolling, swinging earthquakes. This one was like that. I'm now hearing it was a 5.6 near the San Jose area.


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## Havtahava

Oh yes. I'm on the Fremont border and it went on for at least 20 seconds. I had to yell at my daughter to get to a doorway. My grandparents lost their television reception.

I doubt there was any damage though. It wasn't that big. I'm surprised my grandparents lost their television coverage.


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## Havtahava

It was 5.6, Jeanne. Make sure you go to Did You Feel It and report what you felt. All you have to give is your zip code and some basic responses. You can give more if you'd like, but they only need your zip. I think I was the first to report it on the USGS site, which is freaky, but I was online at the time.


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## DAJsMom

I grew up in California, near San Diego, so we only ever had little earthquakes. I don't miss them, but I prefer them to tornadoes (having lived in the midwest for four years). I remember being able to hear the earthquakes also...


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## MaddiesMom

Yes, it did seem to go on for a long time. But as long as things aren't rattling like crazy or looking to fall over, my husband and I just sat and said to each other, "earthquake". After the Loma Prieta earthquake, this didn't seem bad, although it was certainly felt.


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## Leslie

You know, it's all in how close you are to the epicenter...


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## mintchip

Oliver started barking at the window just before it hit!!! Then he ran to the front door to go out.
That was some earthquake!! I thought it was more than 5.6
Just talked to my sister in Pleasanton she really felt it even more!


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## Havtahava

MaddiesMom said:


> Yes, it did seem to go on for a long time. But as long as things aren't rattling like crazy or looking to fall over, my husband and I just sat and said to each other, "earthquake". After the Loma Prieta earthquake, this didn't seem bad, although it was certainly felt.


No kidding! I completely agree with you.

Growing up in the area, I remember a lot of quakes on a very regular basis. I remember coming home from school for lunch and having to stand in the doorways at least three different times. I had a nice collection of blown glass miniatures and lost all but one due to quakes over the years. (I still keep that one on my kitchen window sill.)

My daughter has felt deprived because up until she was 16 years old, she never felt one. That was a scary realization to me - that pressure had built up for that many years. I was only a few weeks away from my due date with her when Loma Prieta hit. In fact, DH and I were on our way to Lamaze class at the time or he would have been on the Cypress section. That was his normal path home each day (we lived in Richmond at the time). She finally felt one about a year ago. Tonight she got to feel #2.


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## Havtahava

Oh, I forgot to say how the animals reacted. Simba was crouched down and frozen, staring at the front door. Martha thought it was an invitation to play with him and was bugging him. Piaget jumped up on top of our entry way table, which he never does. He was a wee bit spooked.


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## MaddiesMom

Havtahava said:


> Growing up in the area, I remember a lot of quakes on a very regular basis. QUOTE]
> 
> Kimberly- When I came to California from Nebraska when I was 6 years old, we had a bad earthquake the *very* first night we arrived. I cried and wanted to go back to Nebraska with the tornados! Then when I was in grade school, we had a full day of a series of earthquakes. My mother and her neighbor stayed up all night playing cards because no one could sleep through all the quakes and aftershocks. But the Loma Prieta was the one that made me nervous for days. :fear:


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## MaddiesMom

Havtahava said:


> Oh, I forgot to say how the animals reacted. Simba was crouched down and frozen, staring at the front door. Martha thought it was an invitation to play with him and was bugging him. Piaget jumped up on top of our entry way table, which he never does. He was a wee bit spooked.


And your little girl, Maddie May, could have cared less. Not much bothers her!


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## Havtahava

MaddiesMom said:


> Havtahava said:
> 
> 
> 
> Growing up in the area, I remember a lot of quakes on a very regular basis. QUOTE]
> 
> Kimberly- When I came to California from Nebraska when I was 6 years old, we had a bad earthquake the *very* first night we arrived. I cried and wanted to go back to Nebraska with the tornados! Then when I was in grade school, we had a full day of a series of earthquakes. My mother and her neighbor stayed up all night playing cards because no one could sleep through all the quakes and aftershocks. But the Loma Prieta was the one that made me nervous for days. :fear:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh gracious! That would be freaky on your first night here.
> 
> I like the thrill of the surprise, but they don't scare me. Loma Prieta got me a little concerned, especially since it moved our car across the whole lane of the freeway. We got home and found that our fish tank had almost splashed out half of the water.
> 
> I think Maddie, Tinky & Martha were of the same mindset. :laugh:
Click to expand...


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## mintchip

let's hope no after shocks!!!


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## Havtahava

Fat chance, Sally!
Thankfully, aftershocks are generally smaller than the initial quake.

I just heard that Gilroy is reporting items jumping off shelves in stores.


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## mintchip

Havtahava said:


> MaddiesMom said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh gracious! That would be freaky on your first night here.
> 
> *I like the thrill of the surprise, but they don't scare me. Loma Prieta got me a little concerned, especially since it moved our car across the whole lane of the freeway. We got home and found that our fish tank had almost splashed out half of the water.
> *
> I think Maddie, Tinky & Martha were of the same mindset. :laugh:
> 
> 
> 
> During Loma Prieta I was in the Santa Cruz Mountains! Our brick wall separated from the rest of the house
Click to expand...


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## Havtahava

The SC mountains had soooo much damage. How did you deal with a wall separating???

By the way, did you guys know there was a 2.9 today in Pacheco? That is near Susan (McKennaSedona), but probably too small for most of us to feel in the Bay Area.


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## mintchip

I didn't notice that at first......the first thing I noticed that got me nervous was the refridgerator falling over. 
The walls stayed up but split. 
Thankfully no one was hurt


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## Amy R.

:jaw:I just got home from the airport a little while ago and was sitting at the computer upstairs catching up on email and the Forum. Then suddenly our entire house shook like crazy and rattled and jangled, stopped, and then it all started again. It was a very dramatic, vigorous and noisy quake. We have a huge heavy light fixture/chandelier in our 2 story foyer, and that mother was really swaying.

In Loma Preita in 89, it was much different. Started slowly, picked up power, and built to a terrifying crescendo. We were living in a different house in Mill Valley, and the walls actually undulated before my eyes, like a fun house mirror.

Both times, our cats reacted dramatically, (one vomited immediately at Loma Prieta in 89) and tonite Jesse just bolted downstairs. Biscuit jumped off the chair near me and ran to me, but wasn't upset. Our younger daughter called from SF and said her entire apt. building shook like mad for a minute.

Well, it IS October , guys, fire and earthquake season. I'd just been thinking I need to update our emergency supplies . . .


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## Havtahava

Interesting that you mention October, Amy. I hadn't noticed the correlation before.

Maybe that is why Emergency Prep month is in September?


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## mintchip

Amy and Kimberly you are right! Welcome back Amy!!! Hope all went well with your Mother-in-law


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## ama0722

okay, this part of cali really scares me... I don't have a room without windows!!! Dora and I are gonna have to go in the closet!


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## Amy R.

Thank, Sally, it was a good trip and my MIL was really grateful for our company and help with all the details that pile up after the death of her husband.

That was some welcome back, a little more excitement than I expected!


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## Havtahava

Amanda, don't go in a closet! Go into a doorway at the very least. At best, get outside away from anything that could fall.

Amy, I'm sorry to read about your FIL. I'm sorry for the loss in your family.


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## Amy R.

Yes, October and April are traditionally earthquake months. Warm weather is earthquake weather. Loma Preita was in October, I think, and 06 was in April. Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm totally jet-lagged.


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## Amy R.

Thank you, Kimberly. He was 97 and had had dementia for 9 yrs, after a very active life. It was in the summer. It really felt like a blessing, given his age and poor health. But it's hard for my MIL. They were married 65 yrs!


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## MaddiesMom

ama0722 said:


> okay, this part of cali really scares me... I don't have a room without windows!!! Dora and I are gonna have to go in the closet!


Amanda- After a few minor quakes, you won't be so scared. Its just the "no warning" part that frightens me a little. Now the Loma Prieta was different. My daughter and I hid under the dining room table as it built up energy. Our whole house shook and swung, things fell off tables and our heavy grandfather clock nearly fell on us. Fortunately, it just moved sideways. The worst was that my husband was crossing the San Mateo Bridge when it hit. We heard on the radio that a "bridge" had collapsed, and we didn't know it was a section of the Bay Bridge and we were so worried about him. All in all, a quake I'd like to forget.

Amy- Glad to hear you are back safely.


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## mintchip

Havtahava said:


> Interesting that you mention October, Amy. I hadn't noticed the correlation before.
> 
> Maybe that is why Emergency Prep month is in September?


Kimberly didn't you have a thread about Emergency Preparedness??
Maybe we should bring it up for the new members


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## JASHavanese

:frusty::nono::bolt::fear: I'm putting my fingers in my ears so I can't hear anything about quakes :lalala:


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## mintchip

JASHavanese said:


> :frusty::nono::bolt::fear: I'm putting my fingers in my ears so I can't hear anything about quakes :lalala:


We don't want them anymore you can have them.....


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## Lina

Amy, Loma Prieta was indeed in October. That was a scary one. I grew up in Santa Cruz and we got hit really bad, being only 10 miles away from the epicenter. To this day there are vacant lots in the downtown area which were buildings that fell in 89. My uncle was driving and he said that the road was actually undulating like ocean waves (the tar was actually going up and down with the earth) and at first he thought he was seeing things before he realized what it really was and pulled over. Thankfully, no one I know got hurt. One of my friends' birthday is October 17th (the day of the earthquake) and now she always associates her birthday with it.

By the way, the park where the earthquake epicenter was (Nisene Marks State Park) is a park I often jogged in in High School (it's right next to where we used to live at the time). Earthquakes scare me, but I think tornadoes would scare me more... maybe because I know what to do in an earthquake but I wouldn't know what to do in a tornado.


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## JASHavanese

MaddiesMom said:


> Amanda- After a few minor quakes, you won't be so scared. Its just the "no warning" part that frightens me a little. Now the Loma Prieta was different. My daughter and I hid under the dining room table as it built up energy. Our whole house shook and swung, things fell off tables and our heavy grandfather clock nearly fell on us. Fortunately, it just moved sideways. The worst was that my husband was crossing the San Mateo Bridge when it hit. We heard on the radio that a "bridge" had collapsed, and we didn't know it was a section of the Bay Bridge and we were so worried about him. All in all, a quake I'd like to forget.
> 
> Amy- Glad to hear you are back safely.


I was in Cypress, Ca which is what..an 8-10 hour drive from that quake? Our pool went nuts and the chandelier was swinging. Then our jaws dropped as we started seeing the damage on the news. 
I don't blame you for wanting to forget that quake. My heart broke for all involved.


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## Amy R.

Amanda, Honey, you should always stand in a sturdy doorframe, or get under a table (like a dining room table). Yes, and get away from all those windows. Our house has a zillion windows. Californians love windows. We like to live on the edge.

I would take an earthquake any day, to a hurricane or esp. a tornado. However, Loma Preita, in 89, was absolutely terrifying. I didn't sleep well for a long time. My husband was driving across the Golden Gate Bridge and really didn't feel it, thought he'd hit some bumps!!


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## mintchip

Lina said:


> Amy, Loma Prieta was indeed in October. That was a scary one. I grew up in Santa Cruz and we got hit really bad, being only 10 miles away from the epicenter. To this day there are vacant lots in the downtown area which were buildings that fell in 89. My uncle was driving and he said that the road was actually undulating like ocean waves (the tar was actually going up and down with the earth) and at first he thought he was seeing things before he realized what it really was and pulled over. Thankfully, no one I know got hurt. One of my friends' birthday is October 17th (the day of the earthquake) and now she always associates her birthday with it.
> 
> By the way, the park where the earthquake epicenter was (Nisene Marks State Park) is a park I often jogged in in High School (it's right next to where we used to live at the time). *Earthquakes scare me, but I think tornadoes would scare me more... maybe because I know what to do in an earthquake but I wouldn't know what to do in a tornado.*


I agree but I think it is because you keep hearing (tv etc) it is coming but with an earthquake it just happens.
PS--I miss some of the "old downtown" Santa Cruz


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## JASHavanese

ama0722 said:


> okay, this part of cali really scares me... I don't have a room without windows!!! Dora and I are gonna have to go in the closet!


Amanda, you get under a doorway or under a heavy table or desk. Or you could do what I used to do.....grab your dog and run outside (bad idea but that's what I always did)


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## Amy R.

Wow, Lina, that must have been a terrible experience living in Santa Cruz. There was so much destruction there. You're up again late, Sweetie. Are you studying? Did you get to look at wedding venues last wkend?


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## Havtahava

Lina said:


> One of my friends' birthday is October 17th (the day of the earthquake) and now she always associates her birthday with it.


Yes, October 17th. It's the birthday of a dear family member, and was also during the World Series, which is probably the only one I had been following closely since both teams were from the Bay Area (SF Giants and Oakland A's).


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## JASHavanese

mintchip said:


> I agree but I think it is because you keep hearing (tv etc) it is coming but with an earthquake it just happens.
> PS--I miss some of the "old downtown" Santa Cruz


And then the news says over and over that it could be a foreshock. That used to tick me off to no end. Up until they started that, I thought of quakes as an E ticket ride and liked them.


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## Lina

Sally, I miss old downtown Santa Cruz too. They have made it very nice now, but whenever I walk by that one vacant lot still left (there used to be a heck of a lot more - pretty much all of downtown went under), it makes me a little sad.


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## Havtahava

The Loma Prieta quake was one of the freakiest times in my life, but I can't imagine how much more magnified it was for you two - Carolina & Sally. You were in the hardest part of it all.

Then again, the uncertainty of your husband had to be quite terrifying, Jeanne.


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## Lina

Amy, I am always up late, LOL. I am not studying, just doing things here and there. I didn't get to look at wedding sites last weekend because we didn't want to leave Kubrick alone. Neither my fiance or I had the heart to leave the little one after his neuter. This weekend, though, we'll be going out to look at some. Thanks for asking! 

Kimberly, I remember that World Series. I think it was the first live televised earthquake ever. Although if you lived in the West Coast there was no way that would have mattered since you could feel it as it happened whereas everywhere else it was supposed to have been a really big deal.


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## Havtahava

I didn't even realize the quake ended up televised. We were in the car and I had just picked up DH from work and he was changing clothes as I drove to the hospital for our appointment. He asked me to quit driving so irradically (like I ever do!) and I told him there was something wrong with the road. All of a sudden, all of the radio stations went dead and we knew something was really, really wrong. I still remember a guy who pulled off to the side of the road and was kicking his tires, while someone else yelled at him, "It's an earthquake you idiot!" It was so strong that many of us thought we were having car trouble.

Even though all the radio stations were dead, I think everyone had an instinct to avoid sitting under overpasses too. We would pause as we got to one and when the traffic ahead had cleared, each of us would take turns darting beneath the structure. Little did we know that a section of a major bridge had collapsed and a whole elevated freeway had fallen. 

I assumed that all the television stations lost their connections too and never thought twice about it, but I suppose there were at least a few seconds before any stations went off air locally. That would have been strange to see from afar.


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## Amy R.

I hope I don't sound like a nagging mom, Lina. You know I have two daughters around your age. Well, 34 and 30. You are probably younger.


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## judith

thanks for the "heads up" you guys, my daughter lives in san jose, we called her right away and she was surprised we knew so soon. i told her i was the so. bay gals that reported it on the forum. thanks! judith


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## Havtahava

That was probably a huge surprise to her, Judith.


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## MaddiesMom

Havtahava said:


> I assumed that all the television stations lost their connections too and never thought twice about it, but I suppose there were at least a few seconds before any stations went off air locally. That would have been strange to see from afar.


My daughter and I were watching the preliminaries of the A's-Giants World Series game when it hit. We knew it was a bad one, as it kept gaining in strength, so we hid under the dining room table. After it was over, all our t.v. stations were dead. I had read that the people on board the Goodyear Blimp filming the game actually felt the quake, and the blimp bounced around. It seems weird, but supposedly the movement of the earth caused the air upwards to move quite a bit.


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## JASHavanese

Lina said:


> Kimberly, I remember that World Series. I think it was the first live televised earthquake ever. Although if you lived in the West Coast there was no way that would have mattered since you could feel it as it happened whereas everywhere else it was supposed to have been a really big deal.


Our TV went out in So Ca as the pool and light moved. Did yours stay on and show the quake?


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## JASHavanese

JASHavanese said:


> Our TV went out in So Ca as the pool and light moved. Did yours stay on and show the quake?


That needs clarification. The TV didn't go out, the game went to fuzz. 
I remember hiking in the mountains up by Mammoth Lakes and came across a huge divide that was about 10 feet deep. There's a marker there saying it's the San Andreas Fault and I thought it would be neat to go down in it. I started to climb down and 2 of the guys with me pulled me back out. I thought that was a little rude of them. I wanted to go look around! They said if there was a quake I'd be swallowed up. Sheesh


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## havaluv

> thanks for the "heads up" you guys, my daughter lives in san jose, we called her right away and she was surprised we knew so soon. i told her i was the so. bay gals that reported it on the forum. thanks! judith


Yes, me too. I called my hubby in San Jose and he said, "How did you hear already, it just happened!???" I'm sort of glad this didn't happen my first week in San Jose....it would have scared the pants off me! I'll be there next Tuesday. At least now I'll have had time to think about what to do if it happens again!


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## Amy R.

OMG. I was just watching TV in the den w/my DH, when in walks our cat Jesse. He has been hiding ever since the quake struck, which was almost 2 hours ago. What is amazing is that his tail is all fanned out like a peacock's, he is STILL freaked-out by the quake. We were laughing, but then wondering, is he trying to tell us something. You know what they say about animal behaviour BEFORE an earthquake. . .


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## Havtahava

Well, the good thing Shelly, is that big quakes are pretty rare. Before the 1989 quake, the last really huge quake was 1906, so your chances are slim of actually being in one that does more than rattle your nerves or knock a few things off the wall. In fact, my husband has caused more damage to my wall collections than earthquakes have. LOL!


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## Havtahava

Oh, Amy, poor Jesse. I'm sure he's still just spooked from that earlier quake. Animals can only sense it milliseconds (or seconds at the most) before we do as the quake rises to the earth's surface.


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## JASHavanese

MaddiesMom said:


> My daughter and I were watching the preliminaries of the A's-Giants World Series game when it hit. We knew it was a bad one, as it kept gaining in strength, so we hid under the dining room table. After it was over, all our t.v. stations were dead. I had read that the people on board the Goodyear Blimp filming the game actually felt the quake, and the blimp bounced around. It seems weird, but supposedly the movement of the earth caused the air upwards to move quite a bit.


The air can move. With one quake the first sign of it was the air started vibrating. I was standing in the dining room talking to people and asked them what the heck was going on. Neither of them noticed anything but I kept feeling or hearing it..it's hard to describe. Then I heard something in the back of the house and looked in that direction. I saw the back of the house shaking then it moved to the front and got to us.


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## Callalilly

Yikes - that was fun ~ :jaw: 

I was shopping tonight when I felt the quake. I looked to the others standing around me for some validation that I wasn't just going mad! It's interesting, of the dozen or so people who were in the same department as me, only a few of them actually felt it. I wonder what that's about :suspicious: Are some more "sensitive" than others? Just strange. I tend to feel a bit nauseous afterward, don't know what that's about either! I wish I were home to see how Callie reacted, if at all. My poor little 6 y/o was freaked out and my DH had to go stay with him until he finally went to sleep.

Oh the joys of living in the beautiful state of California!


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## JASHavanese

Amy R. said:


> OMG. I was just watching TV in the den w/my DH, when in walks our cat Jesse. He has been hiding ever since the quake struck, which was almost 2 hours ago. What is amazing is that his tail is all fanned out like a peacock's, he is STILL freaked-out by the quake. We were laughing, but then wondering, is he trying to tell us something. You know what they say about animal behaviour BEFORE an earthquake. . .


There was a man in Ca that kept predicting quakes and was very accurate. For a while he refused to tell how he did it. Finally he gave in and said that he watched the lost pet section of the newspaper and when it reached a certain level he knew a quake was coming.
My pom never once acted strange before a quake. On the other hand, her Momma acted very strange during one.....but it was HER fault! The house started shaking hard (I think that one was a 6.9 or a 7) and I did my usual of picking her up and running outside. Well, first I tried to be good and stood in a doorway but remembered that there was something heavy hanging right over our heads so then we ran out the door. 
It was right before time to get ready for work so I still had my nightgown on. Ok, so I like dinky nightgowns....anyhow, I was holding her and thinking that I would finally stay nice and calm and help my neighbors calm down.
Well, it worked really well. I got their minds off of the quake really quickly and was pretty proud of myself until my daughter came flying down the sidewalk on her bike to check on me. She asked if I was ok, I said I was doing just fine, thank you! She asked if I was doing so well then why was I standing outside with my chest hanging out. The way I was holding my pom pulled my nightgown to the side and sure enough, she was right. 
So much for my calm act.


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## Havtahava

Lisa, this one was a lot more rolling - at least on this side of the bay, which is probably why you felt the nausea.

Amy, there have been a bunch of 2.+ aftershocks, so that may be what is spooking Jesse.


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## Amy R.

Jan, you are so funny. What a story!


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## Amy R.

Oh, that's interesting Kimberly. Jesse is usually a very mellow guy, and he is extremely wound up at the moment. He must be feeling the aftershocks that are imperceptible to us.


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## Lina

LOL, Amy... that's alright. My mom never nagged at me to go to sleep as she is also a late sleeper. Even as a child (like elementary school) I can't remember going to bed before midnight ever. All the women in our family are night owls. We also don't need much sleep, so I guess that's good too. 

Kimberly, it was supposed to be the first televised earthquake but it doesn't mean that anything actually showed up! I think the camera shook a little bit and a second later the TV picture went all wonky. I didn't watch it but I saw a clip of it on youtube.

Mickey, my mom's cat, flipped out once during a 5 earthquake some years ago. He actually came FLYING down the stairs and my mom and I looked at each other like, what in the world got into that cat and then we felt it. He must have felt it at least 3 seconds before us. It did take him quite a while to calm down too. Poor Jesse, I hope he gets less freaked out soon!


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## Havtahava

Yes, I bet that is it. They just reported "multiple aftershocks" on the news, but I haven't felt a single one yet. Simba is wigging out once in a while too, but the dogs are oblivous to it.


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## Lina

Jan, that is such a funny story! At least you remained calm even with your chest hanging out. LOL.


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## Amy R.

I like staying up late, too, Lina. In fact, when my DH goes out of town, I will stay up until 2 or 3 am, like a naughty child. We have totally different internal clocks. I also like getting up early and have never needed that much sleep. He needs tons. But now I AM going to bed. Because you know what tomorrow is . . . HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE !!  :evil:


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## JASHavanese

Amy R. said:


> HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE !!  :evil:


Yikes, that's today here. I guess I better go buy some candy in the am. Shoot I've been so busy I forgot all about it. Thanks!!!


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## Jane

Yeah, that was an exciting quake tonight! Lincoln barked and Scout was totally clueless!

My kids were amazed. They have never really felt a real quake. I thought it was pretty long, but I was too lazy to get up and move to a doorway...

My hubby and I were engaged during the '89 Loma Prieta earthquake. We were just pulling into a parking lot to get fitted for his tux for our wedding. The asphalt parking lot was moving as if it were liquid - it looked like a black lake! Glass windows in the storefronts were bowing in and out and women were screaming here and there. After the power went out, the KFC was one of the few places open - there was a line of people down the block waiting to get food!


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## Havtahava

Jane, I sat here for a few seconds too, but I realized my DD wouldn't know to get away from the things in her room that would probably drop on her head while she was studying. Doh!

Were in on the peninsula in '89?


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## Jane

Yep - I was here from '85-'90, then moved to NJ for 2 years, and returned here in '92. I really like it here. My hubby jokes that I am totally inflexible about where I will live - it has to be w/i a 2-mile radius from here...:biggrin1:


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## judith

i am in the LA area and still have not heard a word from TV re the earthquake, maybe at the 11:00 news. seems weird!


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## dschles

I loved that I heard about the earthquake within minutes of it happening from this and the Golden Retriever forum!

I lived in Los Angeles all my life before moving to the midwest four years ago (and I really miss it!). I remember the February '71 quake (I was young, but I remember the swinging light fixture in my room, followed by no school for a week) and the January '94 quake (our house was one of the only homes in west-LA to be yellow tagged because our very tall chimney cracked but didn't fall, leaving it a hazard to our house and the neighbor's house).

Amanda -- the good news is that most earthquakes are over before you even have time to move to the doorway or under the table (kids learn drop and cover at school for earthquakes). But, you should do some emergency preparedness for quakes -- keep shoes under your bed (there is likely to be broken glass on the floor in case of a big quake); keep a flashlight in your nightstand and plug in throughout your house some of those lights that go on in case of a power failure (you are likely to lose electricity); keep a stash of cash in the house (with loss of electricity, ATMs won't work and no one will be taking credit cards); keep a supply of bottled water in the house -- enough for family members and pets (city water may be undrinkable); never let the gas tank in your car drop below half (you don't want to be on empty when a big quake hits); have a battery operated radio in the house; buy the tool to turn off your gas (minus is off) and know how to do it; install childproof latches on your cabinets to contain the contents during a quake (we lost a lot of glasses and dishes in the '94 quakes because our cabinets swung open); attach large furniture (bookcases, armoires, refrigerator) to walls with earthquake straps to prevent them from tipping in big quake). Anyone have any tips to add?


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## Havtahava

Keep a crow bar under your bed. If it was a really bad quake and the walls shifted enough that you can't open doors, a crow bar is suddenly your best friend. I've never had to use that tip, but if I have it under my bed, I probably won't need it.

We keep our half our earthquake stock under our bed (support of the bed to shield it), and half in a closet at the other end of the house.


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## mintchip

Has anyone felt any aftershocks? I haven't but I heard there were a lot
Jane how is Lincoln doing?
Lina do you remember the Cooperhouse in Santa Cruz?
Tips---Check out http://www.72hours.org/


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## Havtahava

I haven't felt any, Sally.


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## Leslie

Callalilly said:


> Yikes - that was fun ~ :jaw:
> 
> I was shopping tonight when I felt the quake. I looked to the others standing around me for some validation that I wasn't just going mad! *It's interesting, of the dozen or so people who were in the same department as me, only a few of them actually felt it. I wonder what that's about :suspicious: Are some more "sensitive" than others? Just strange.* I tend to feel a bit nauseous afterward, don't know what that's about either! I wish I were home to see how Callie reacted, if at all. My poor little 6 y/o was freaked out and my DH had to go stay with him until he finally went to sleep.
> 
> Oh the joys of living in the beautiful state of California!


I don't think it's that they didn't feel it, I think it's the typical response to being a long time CA residents. They just don't like to be interrupted.

In '91 we were watching a performance of Phantom of the Opera at the Ahmanson Theater when a 5.8 quake hit. No one budged, they just turned and looked at each other. In fact, the singer didn't even miss a note! Guess that's what they mean when they say, "The show must go on..."

I think most of us who have lived in CA for a long time don't get too rattled by earthquakes. Like Kimberly said, the big ones are so rare. And the smaller ones don't do much, if any, damage. So, there's really no point in reacting. Unfortunately, I think many live in denial of the "big one" coming, so they aren't going to be prepared when it does.


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## mckennasedona

I'm a little late chiming in on this. We felt it out in Tracy too...... I was on the computer when the rolling motion started. I had covered my birds for the night and one of them fell off his perch! Then they all started squawking. The dogs looked at me, ran to check out the birds and then ran outside to see what was going on. They didn't seem especially spooked though. The poor cat had been laying on the bed in the den. She jumped off as the motion started and just stared at the bed and then looked suspiciously out into the hall. I think she thought it was the girls messing with her!  It was the first one we've felt in Tracy. I've felt them in San Ramon and Pleasanton and my husband has felt a bunch at his work in SF but never before in Tracy, at least in the 8 years we've been there. My husband remembers Loma Prieta very well. The downtown SF Marriott, where he works, celebrated their grand opening that very day.....

Susan


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## mckennasedona

> I think most of us who have lived in CA for a long time don't get too rattled by earthquakes.


I agree Leslie. I was listening to news radio on the way into work this morning and they interviewed a woman who said people around her were screaming and crying. I thought 'huh? Screaming and crying over a 5.6 that didn't cause any damage???

Susan


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## Havtahava

Leslie, that's my thinking - no point in reacting. It does get a little exciting, but it's over before I can truly get wound up about it. Besides, when I was a kid, we had so many on a regular basis that I remember watching the doors swing in the hallway. I even remember Mom warning us not to get our fingers pinched as the doors moved while we were standing there. A couple of times it was big enough that we went outside instead. 

If a person is new to the area or only has experience with Loma Prieta, I imagine that a quake of the magnitude of last night would be a little unnerving.


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## JASHavanese

judith said:


> i am in the LA area and still have not heard a word from TV re the earthquake, maybe at the 11:00 news. seems weird!


I had MSNBC on and they didn't say a word about it.


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## JASHavanese

mckennasedona said:


> I agree Leslie. I was listening to news radio on the way into work this morning and they interviewed a woman who said people around her were screaming and crying. I thought 'huh? Screaming and crying over a 5.6 that didn't cause any damage???
> 
> Susan


I don't scream and cry over it but I'm wondering why the heck I made reservations to go to So Ca now.  Could someone strap down the area for next month please? :thumb:


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## mckennasedona

> I don't scream and cry over it


I'm glad to hear that Jan. After all, if you're busy screaming and crying how will you save yourself and your pets? 
I didn't mean to sound heartless with my screaming and crying comment but I guess I've just never been a person who panics easily. I try to just deal with the situation at hand and when it's over then I'll have my meltdown if I need one......If I'm busy screaming, I'm not busy trying to save myself and my pets.

Susan


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## JASHavanese

mckennasedona said:


> I'm glad to hear that Jan. After all, if you're busy screaming and crying how will you save yourself and your pets?
> I didn't mean to sound heartless with my screaming and crying comment but I guess I've just never been a person who panics easily. I try to just deal with the situation at hand and when it's over then I'll have my meltdown if I need one......If I'm busy screaming, I'm not busy trying to save myself and my pets.
> 
> Susan


Here's how I dealt with quakes. I'm not a screamer, just a flasher :biggrin1:
http://havaneseforum.com/showpost.php?p=61031&postcount=57


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## irnfit

OMG, Jan. I don't know if I would have laughed or cried. I have only experienced 2 earthquakes here on LI. The first one was when my son was about 2 yrs old and it felt like something was rolling under the house, like waves. The second quite a few years later, was a tremor. The house just shook real hard and that was it. 

My brother has lived in Cali for over 30 years and he still isn't used to it. And my SIL, born and raised there, is a nervous wreck.


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## Leslie

Does anyone know where the biggest earthquake ever recorded in the lower 48 was??? New Madrid, Missouri! They had a series of them that would put most CA earthquakes to shame...

You can read about it here:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/states/missouri/history.php


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## JASHavanese

irnfit said:


> OMG, Jan. I don't know if I would have laughed or cried. I have only experienced 2 earthquakes here on LI. The first one was when my son was about 2 yrs old and it felt like something was rolling under the house, like waves. The second quite a few years later, was a tremor. The house just shook real hard and that was it.
> 
> My brother has lived in Cali for over 30 years and he still isn't used to it. And my SIL, born and raised there, is a nervous wreck.


Those sound like fun quakes to ride out, well, to me anyhow. It's the large ones where you don't know if people are hurt that spook me. I don't think you can help but cry when you watch the news and see them try to rescue people and know so many are trapped or when you watch a car drive off of a section of road that used to be there.
The quakes liven up the talk with your friends and you get some really funny stories out of it. That quake where I flashed my neighbors was a strong one and while my house held up well, my business was a mess. Products were thrown over 20 feet and it made me really glad that it hit before we opened. I could have had a lot of injured clients.
My first client of the day came in and was telling me her daughter was driving in Whittier and was busy watching a Jack In The Box split in 2 and rear ended a police car. How can you not giggle at that. They were both fine and the cop told her not to worry about it, he'd write it off as quake damage which I guess is true  She kept telling me that she wasn't phased by it and I finally asked her why she was an hour early for her appt. and there before we were even supposed to be open. She had the same appt time for years and had never blown it before so she did see it threw her off.


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## JASHavanese

havashadow said:


> Does anyone know where the biggest earthquake ever recorded in the lower 48 was??? New Madrid, Missouri! They had a series of them that would put most CA earthquakes to shame...
> 
> You can read about it here:
> 
> http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/states/missouri/history.php


That's the one they're expecting to flatten a huge section I believe. There's nothing to stop it (like mountains) and it would just keep traveling. I remember when we talked about that on Greg's puppy list.


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## Leeann

JASHavanese said:


> Here's how I dealt with quakes. I'm not a screamer, just a flasher :biggrin1:
> http://havaneseforum.com/showpost.php?p=61031&postcount=57


ound:ound: Oh I somehow missed that post Jan. Jan the flasher ound:ound:


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## mckennasedona

Jan,
Talk about going above and beyond to help others. I'm sure your neighbors' minds were NOT on the earthquake at that moment......... 

Susan


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## susaneckert

Its a good think you had a earth quake in a way it lets out the pressure in the earth crust. That was just what I call a trimmer. I have lived basically most of my life dealing with them in SF for there big one its like a roller coaster ride LOL and all of LA big ones where freeways fell on top of each other not good but the little ones you want to have since it release the pressure we are way over due for a big one to hit. So hang on and get ready for the bummy ride LOL (Kidding) but it is true I say bring on the little shockers realease that pressure oh yes do you remember when they first called out the SF earth Quak 8.0 they even made up T shirts then it drop down pretty low. I lost some much stuff in that quak and OMG the fish tanks and all my fish I had a few of them back then now I stick with a 20 gal; less mess LOL Shake rattled and rolled it did , I hope you guys dont have any big ones figuring it is mostly land fields out there I use to work in fremont LOL


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## Poornima

I am rather late in joining this conversation. This was my first big earthquake experience. It did unnerve me a little. My DH and I were having dinner while watching a movie. Benji got really spooked and started to bark. As we huddled under the doorframe, I put him on the leash and held him. It comforted him and he was happily chewing on his leash .


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## susaneckert

It can spook people that has never beein in a quake. Glad you where not to spooked OH yea and *Happy Halloween every one!!!!!! BOOO!*


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## good buddy

Oh man, living in CA all my life I've felt quite a few of them. The scariest one for me was the Whittier Narrows quake 20 years ago now! It was a magnitude 5.9 and man did my apartment rock and roll! Some of the aftershocks were just as bad as the initial quake and the kids were having trouble sleeping because they were so scared! One night during one of the aftershocks, we grabbed up the kids and ran outside and after we got outdoors I realized I had grabbed my daughter upside down! Poor girl was snatched up by her legs out of a sound sleep and dragged outside by a paniced mom! We even started parking the car in the street so it wouldn't get trapped in our carport and by the third night we were sleeping in the back of our old station wagon, because with all the aftershocks we were afraid to go back inside. :fear:


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## Havtahava

Was I the only one who felt one a minute ago? 3:52pm
It was short but made me fly out of bed. I was trying to rest for a couple of minutes. Maybe it was a dream... DD didn't feel it, but she's standing up carving pumpkins.


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## Leslie

Kimberly~ You may be hypersensitive due to the one last night. However, you can feel them much better when you're lying down!


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## Havtahava

It was also a little more jolting than last night's quake. Last night's was soft and rolling. At least I wasn't imagining it. I reported it and see we've had a whole lot in the last couple of hours, but this was the largest at 3.7.

Look at the list of the latest quakes here. Take note of how many are near Alum Rock, which is close to us.

Ah, they are reporting this as the strongest aftershock from last night's quake. It isn't considered to be a quake of its own.


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## MaddiesMom

Havtahava said:


> Look at the list of the latest quakes here. Take note of how many are near Alum Rock, which is close to us.
> 
> Ah, they are reporting this as the strongest aftershock from last night's quake. It isn't considered to be a quake of its own.


I didn't feel that aftershock, Kimberly, but I was busy running the vacuum (I just logged on). I guess since you were lying down, you felt it more easily. I am surprised by the number of aftershocks listed from last night's quake. I've never seen that website before last night, but it has really interesting information.


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## Havtahava

It sounds like that particular aftershock was much stronger on my side of the hills. They just showed video footage from a liquor store that lost a bunch of stock off their shelves.

DD's university library opened an hour late this morning and they only opened a few floors of it. We just saw on the news why floors 4-8 were still closed. The 2003 building is on rollers and those upper floors rocked so much that many books fell off the shelves, but it helped the building not have much damage.


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## Missy

Oh, That must have been so scary!!! glad everyone is all right!


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## Poornima

Kimberly, I felt the 3:52pm aftershock. Benji was sleeping next to me. He got scared and cuddled to me and fell asleep again


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## Jane

Havtahava said:


> Was I the only one who felt one a minute ago? 3:52pm
> It was short but made me fly out of bed. I was trying to rest for a couple of minutes. Maybe it was a dream... DD didn't feel it, but she's standing up carving pumpkins.


Hmmm, I didn't feel it and I was lying down on the couch!


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## Amy R.

Haven't felt any aftershocks here in Marin.


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## mikeyness

I was a little scared when the quake kept getting stronger and stronger, reminded me of the Big One in the 80's for a bit. I was holding my pup to keep him from being traumatized, but he just gave me a "do you want to play?" look, which calmed me down right away .


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## Leslie

Nothing like a Havanese puppy tranquilizer! :biggrin1:


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## mintchip

havashadow said:


> Nothing like a Havanese puppy tranquilizer! :biggrin1:


havanese puppy pep pill.....
Havanese are the best medicine!:whoo:


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