Friday, August 10, 2007

"Oh, it was just a little earthquake."


Hearing these words brings me no comfort whatsoever. Last night at a quarter to one, a 4.5 quake hit Los Angeles. My entire apartment shook and some books fell off a bookshelf in my living room. It felt like a massive jolt. I was scared to death. I have been here a few years now and I still cannot get used to these tremors.

17 comments:

Giulia said...

OH MY, I am so glad that you are ok! Italy is earthquake prone, so there are times when I think about it too much, I get freaked. I'll never forget the first time I walked my oldest daughter into her school and I saw "earthquake drill" posters hanging up... a far stretch from the fire drill ones that I am used to! They actually drew little kids covering their heads with their hands with falling rock coming down. I think I will try and get a picture of it when I bring her back next month. It will make for a funny blog entry. lol
But anyway, once again, I'm glad that you're ok!

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

Glad it was "just a little earthquake." I've felt two here, and neither were fun despite the fact that there was no damage. The earth moving under you is *not* a comfortable feeling :(

They don't have this problem in Toronto do they? ;)

Anonymous said...

t.k. in Ohio here: Oh yeah - just a "little earthquake." When living in Burbank, I experienced my very first & hopefully my very last earthquake. I'll never forget the feeling of total helplessness - there's no place to go for safety! The 'aftershocks' lasted for a week. Every time I heard a loud rumble or a truck passing, I would jump out of my skin! (LOL!) Even after I first moved back to the Midwest, loud noises made me jumpy! Glad you're okay!

Dan said...

Wow! That's some scary stuff! I'm glad you didn't get hurt with the falling books and such!

Anonymous said...

My first earthquake was according to the native Californians 'a little earthquake' but I was so scared and never got used to them in the 12 years I lived there.

gibber said...

another reason to leave. i didn't know about this earthquake! i remember we had one in new jersey when i was in junior high (did you know there is a fault line down bloomfield ave?) it was like 2.0. some people felt it. I didn't. i think i would be freaked out by moving earth. so not cool.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

giulia - you have to post that picture!

sognatrice - I don't know if they have this problem in Toronto but it can't be as bad as So. California. I think the San Andreas fault is one of the largest in the world. Great!

t.k. - thankfully there were only a few aftershocks.

dan - A couple years ago there was another small one but it was closer to where I live. I was on the phone and the whole building was shaking. I thought the ceiling was going to cave in.

j. doe- I hear you. I will never get used to them.

gibber - of course I am moving to a place that does have earthquakes. I had no idea there was a fault on Bloomfield! Yes, moving earth is not cool at all.

Jen said...

I grew up in NYC and moved to SF when I was 20 or so... man, that first earthquake (it was a 5.9) drove me right back to the East Coast. I am SUCH a wimp with those things. Glad you're okay.

Kathy said...

So glad you're okay!

We have earthquakes here frequently, but strangely enough, I've only ever felt one of them, back when I was in college. I blame it on the fact that my ears/equilibrium have been out of whack for a few years (that's a good excuse, right?)

robkroese said...

I wouldn't want to live there. I've experienced a few minor tremors in the Bay Area and on in L.A., but they were over before I even knew what had happened. One of them felt like someone had slammed a door really hard. Another time I thought someone had bumped into my chair. Not terribly frightening.

Wanderlust Scarlett said...

Wow... very glad you are okay!

I remember having earthquake and fire drills at school when I was a kid in California.

It's so scary to wonder if the ground will stay beneath you.


Scarlett & V.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

jen - a 5.9 would have sent me back as well.

kathy - yes, that is a great excuse. :)

diesel - I don't want to live here either. LOL

wanderlust - yes, it's very scary indeed.

Anonymous said...

I grew up in CA and have experienced my share. They terrify me. Tornadoes, no way. I prefer an earthquake even in the wee hours of the morning.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

rose - I find both very scary.

Anonymous said...

oh I HATE earthquakes :-( :-( :-( :-( I'm such a total wimp.

Liane Spicer said...

We get a couple little ones every year partly because we're close to an active seismic area under the sea called Kick 'Em Jenny.

It's the most disconcerting feeling, and something one can never get used to, imo. Last year we had a very strong one, 6 point something. My mother had just come out of surgery and we were in her room deep in the bowels of the hospital while she lay there hooked up to tubes and machines. Not pleasant!

I've read that in Cali, one should feel reassured by the occasional tremor, as this means pressure is being released along the San Andreas fault. When there aren't any tremors for a long while, and the pressure builds up... that's when you should worry.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

Tina - that is not wimpy at all. :)

wordtryst - Kick 'em Jenny? Great name.

Regarding the little quakes, I have heard that as well. They are predicating a massive one is going to hit soon. It has been a while since a strong one. Yikes.