Ever been in an Earthquake?

[Hill]

I grew up and went to school on the East Coast. I majored in geology in college, and learned the hows and whys of earthquake. I moved to California in 1969. Nothing much going on EQ-wise. (my wife grew up here and had never felt more than an occasional "Was that a tremor"-kind-of-earthquake.)

 

February 9, 1971 SCEDC | San Fernando Earthquake (1971). I was lying awake and began to feel trembling. My first reaction was. "Cool - finally". The shaking became more violent and I began to wonder if my first reaction was one I would stay with. The epicenter was about 15 miles away. No damage where I lived.

 

October 1, 1987 SCEDC | Whittier Narrows Earthquake (1987) I was at work preparing for my teaching job. Although smaller than the San Fernando (Sylmar) quake, this one was only 10 miles from me. There was violent shaking and, as I was inside, I could see lights swing, see the room flex and hear lots of scary noises. People outside saw surface waves moving along the ground. Where I was there was minor damage, amounting to cracked plaster in a few stucco buildings. But my first reaction was not Cool :weather_storm:

 

January 17, 1994 SCEDC | Northridge Earthquake (1994) Again in the morning, but earlier than the others. Awakened out of a sound sleep. This epicenter was about 15 miles from home. Scary out of a sound sleep. Again no damage to our house.

 

So far we've been "lucky". No damage from any. We've felt a few that were stronger than those three, but further away and of no consequence locally. Hmmm... 13 years since anything significant here. The clock is ticking.

[minna]

I used to live in an earthquake prone area of China. Minor ones are probably once or twice a year, and a big one once a couple of years. I remember the weird thing was it always rained right after the initial quake. Then while it rained there would be afterquakes. Our house was a fairly old apartment building of questionable quality, so whenever there was an earthquake, everyone would run out of their homes and gather at the bicycle sheds. Then we would all go back when we feel it is safe. But there would also be people who couldn't be stuffed coming down, I think people just became too used to it. Even with big ones, people there have just accepted it as a part of life.

[xNegativexPainz]

i was in the chino hills one. it was small and they said the "big"one is coming soon