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Thread: "Earthquake" in USA-DC area

  1. #1
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    "Earthquake" in USA-DC area

    So earlier this morning, at around 0500 (5:00am) I felt something that was similar to the garage door opening - the house felt like it was mildly vibrating, and being right over the garage, this would have been the second time in my memory that someone tried to get in there (My room is right above the garage). I didn't really think much of it, being more confused than anything....and about an hour later found out a very mild (3.6) earthquake had hit the Washington D.C. metro area!

    I am not really worried, but more amazed as I have never heard of an earthquake in this area before. My oldest sister recently came home from where she lives now (San Diego), and was talking about how she had experienced her first earthquake recently and am now rather amazed as I had thought "This sort of information won't apply to me for a while". As said, I don't even know when the last "quake" here was.

    Given that a lot of people here live in far more earthquake-prone areas than the tectonically quiet mid-Atlantic USA, anyone have any stories to share?
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  2. #2
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    I used to live in Wellington in NZ. pretty standard except the entire city is pretty much built on a fault line - much the same as everything in NZ.

    One morning there was a minor tremor - so minor it didn't even wake me, but someone my bed (which was on castor wheels on hardwood floors) ended up on the other side of the room.

    Cool story, no?
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  3. #3
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    I remember once, when I was little, my bookshelf shifted a few inches because of a quake. I described the sound to my parents as similar to a "shopping cart with a broken wheel" being pushed.
    They are relatively common here (CA) so I don't really have too many stand-out memories.
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  4. #4
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    There was an Earthquake in Quebec a few weeks ago that was felt in Quebec, Ontario, and parts of the Northeast US. I was driving when it happened, and felt nothing. My boss said the last time he could remember something like that happening was decades ago.

    I wish I had felt it.

  5. #5
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    I didn't feel the one this morning at all; I was asleep.

    They do happen around here from time to time, although 3.6 is unusually strong for the area. There was a magnitude 1.8 earthquake centered in Northern Virginia in May 2008. It was at 1:30 in the afternoon. I didn't feel that one either; I seem to recall I was taking a nap at the time. :/

    I'd like to be awake for an earthquake sometime. It'd be pretty cool to experience.
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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kitdy View Post
    There was an Earthquake in Quebec a few weeks ago that was felt in Quebec, Ontario, and parts of the Northeast US. I was driving when it happened, and felt nothing. My boss said the last time he could remember something like that happening was decades ago.

    I wish I had felt it.
    I hear people in Pennsylvania felt that. I didn't feel it at all. A building shifted in NJ.

    That's pretty scary stuff. I've never felt an earthquake before either. Not that I want to. NYC is on a fault line too, which is way too scary.

  7. #7
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    I've only been awake for one earthquake in my life, it was a couple months ago. I woke up in the middle of the night, my eyes just shot open and 30 seconds later an earthquake rumbled through. I knew it was an earthquake right away, but when I was talking with my friends the next day, they all thought it was a snowplow crashing into their house or something.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kitdy View Post
    There was an Earthquake in Quebec a few weeks ago that was felt in Quebec, Ontario, and parts of the Northeast US. I was driving when it happened, and felt nothing. My boss said the last time he could remember something like that happening was decades ago.

    I wish I had felt it.
    You're the only other person I've heard say that. Missed one in Washington (state, the good Washington) once driving my Jeep. Of course my Jeep is so bouncy that I probably could have missed a 7+. This earthquake was big enough to bring down parts of the ceiling in my school, though, which was kind of cool since I hated that class and there wasn't another room big enough to hold the whole class so we got split up and I got a new (better) teacher.

    While I was stuck living in California I went through a few, but it was never all that eventful. Knew (worked for) a contractor who had been around for the big LA quake that took down some roadways. His crew had been offered some huge bonuses if they finished ahead of time and he offered to split the bonuses generously with the guys if they managed to pull it off. They worked around the clock and did get it all done in time for the bonuses (only crew that did). With his share the guy I knew bought a Diablo and a Hummer, both black.
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  9. #9
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    I recall a tremor when I was living in canberra, (really odd place for activity?)
    Sounded/felt like a freight train was going down the street.
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    Me and my family were heading to Toronto, or Brampton while this happened. We were half way there too! Took West Jet and they had monitors on the backs of head rests.
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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by cargirl1990 View Post
    Me and my family were heading to Toronto, or Brampton while this happened. We were half way there too! Took West Jet and they had monitors on the backs of head rests.
    What'd you think of TO/Brampton?

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kitdy View Post
    What'd you think of TO/Brampton?
    Honestly, I didn't like it too much. Toronto is way too big. But one thing that was cool was that I saw the G20 summit. LOL.
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    Quote Originally Posted by wwgkd View Post
    While I was stuck living in California I went through a few, but it was never all that eventful. Knew (worked for) a contractor who had been around for the big LA quake that took down some roadways. His crew had been offered some huge bonuses if they finished ahead of time and he offered to split the bonuses generously with the guys if they managed to pull it off. They worked around the clock and did get it all done in time for the bonuses (only crew that did). With his share the guy I knew bought a Diablo and a Hummer, both black.
    that was the last real earthquake i went through, if its the same one. happened on MLK day i think in 92 or so. i remember waking up bouncing around in my bed and looking at the clock at 4:30 and it switching to 4:31. that morning we watched the news and saw all of the overpasses down.

    growing up in close proximity to the San Andreas fault, earthquakes were a part of life, and while big ones were rare, the still never scared me. since living here as an adult we have been in one or two noticeable ones, but nothing more than causing the house to rumble. and those weren't even in monterey which is a good distance from any fault. we haven't felt anything here.
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  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by cmcpokey View Post
    that was the last real earthquake i went through, if its the same one. happened on MLK day i think in 92 or so. i remember waking up bouncing around in my bed and looking at the clock at 4:30 and it switching to 4:31. that morning we watched the news and saw all of the overpasses down.

    growing up in close proximity to the San Andreas fault, earthquakes were a part of life, and while big ones were rare, the still never scared me. since living here as an adult we have been in one or two noticeable ones, but nothing more than causing the house to rumble. and those weren't even in monterey which is a good distance from any fault. we haven't felt anything here.
    That's the one. The thing with living in that area is that quakes are almost constant, they're just small enough that you don't feel them, they can only be picked up on scientific equipment.

    The research they're doing down there on pouring water into mine shafts near the fault to cause little quakes and thus (hopefully) prevent big ones is kind of cool.
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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by wwgkd View Post
    You're the only other person I've heard say that. Missed one in Washington (state, the good Washington) once driving my Jeep. Of course my Jeep is so bouncy that I probably could have missed a 7+. This earthquake was big enough to bring down parts of the ceiling in my school, though, which was kind of cool since I hated that class and there wasn't another room big enough to hold the whole class so we got split up and I got a new (better) teacher.

    While I was stuck living in California I went through a few, but it was never all that eventful. Knew (worked for) a contractor who had been around for the big LA quake that took down some roadways. His crew had been offered some huge bonuses if they finished ahead of time and he offered to split the bonuses generously with the guys if they managed to pull it off. They worked around the clock and did get it all done in time for the bonuses (only crew that did). With his share the guy I knew bought a Diablo and a Hummer, both black.
    I wouldn't mind experiencing a small earthquake either, I like science a lot, and I'd like to experience one just to see what it's like. Obviously, I wouldn't want a massive one.

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