5.1 quake hits southern California

[mrsd]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7527224/

5.1 quake hits southern California
No immediate reports of damge or injuriesThe Associated Press
Updated: 3:43 p.m. ET
April 16, 2005
MARICOPA, Calif. - A magnitude-5.1 earthquake struck in Southern California on Saturday and could be felt dozens of miles away in downtown Los Angeles, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Did anyone in LA/Southern California feel this? Noni? HopeHacker?

 

[globalspot28]

I hope it is not serious. I hate earthquakes.

 

[dicknleah]

My dad lives just outside of Aneheim. I will call later as I'm sure the phones are pretty busy.

 

[hopehacker]

I live in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles. I didn't feel it at all

 

[wellingtoncats]

We have so many earthquakes here in NZ that it isn't funny. I'm still scared of them though!

 

[mrsd]

Originally Posted by HopeHacker

I live in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles. I didn't feel it at all

I'm glad.

What does an earthquake feel like, Sam? Do the lights just move or what? Can you feel the ground tremble? Thanks.

 

[ttmom]

We had a 4.x down here in SD last week. It was weird. It was a huge bang and the house jumped. We live on the corner so we thought someone had run into the house. Apparently if you were higher up, though, (like 2nd story) you could feel it ripple through the house. It wasn't just a jump.

 

[dicknleah]

We had a 6.8 in Feb of 2001. I have felt many smaller ones but never like that one. I was at work on the second story. Once it started instinct threw me under my desk. there were a series of bangs, then the floor would violently jolt up and down. I was a long one lasting about 30 seconds and scared the holy crap out of me. I thought it would never end. Once it was over, I didn't realize it was over because I felt the ground still moving even though it wasn't. Projectiles flew off of my computer station onto where I was sitting so It was a good thing I dove. I was clearly shaken and ran from the building in tears. Hubby of course laughed at me but we went home anyway. I really dont want to go through that again but I know we will. It's just a matter of time.

 

[greycat2]

I didn't feel it, though the cats were a little more active then usual. Hope everyone is ok.

We had a 6.6 over a year ago here in central California near San Simeon and and other last year on the Parkfield section of the San Andreas. We felt both of them since we live in a 2 story apt. The building shook from west to east (It seemed) and everyone ran out of the building thinking it was going to collapse but we didn't have any damage other than a cracked water pipe in the bathroom. Some plants fell over and a mirror fell off the wall but didn't crack. The people in Paso Robles and Gualdalope suffers the worst.

 

[eatrawfish]

Huh, I didn't feel it either (I'm in SoCal). I felt a really tiny one a few weeks ago, but that originated right off the coast from where I live. I looked up Maricopa, it's up by the Grapevine, east of Santa Barbara, thats not too near LA.

 

[katie=^..^=]

I live in east Los Angeles and didn't feel a thing.

Not all earthquakes feel the same. The closer you are to the epicenter the more you feel a jolt, the further away the more it feels like rolls or waves. Either way they can be very frightening. However, once most people have lived through a few and survived, the next one coming up doesn't seem as scary. False sense of security, I guess.

 

[ricalynn]

I experienced my first earthquake in Fort Campbell, KENTUCKY of all places!! I believe it was summer 2001 when there was a 4.6 or 4.7 quake centered in southern Indiana. Hubby and I just happened to be home, and just happened to be quiet and sitting still, when we both felt something like a car hit and shook the building, but no sound. We looked at each other to be sure we weren't crazy, and then turned on the TV.

Most Americans don't know about the New Madrid fault in Western KY and TN. I found out about it when I called our insurance co to inquire as to why our earthquake deductible was soooo high. Did some research after that and found out that the New Madrid is long overdue for a major quake

I know my parents experienced a couple minor quakes in MT - epicenters in SoCentral Idaho - but I slept through them.

 

[wellingtoncats]

Originally Posted by mrsd

What does an earthquake feel like, Sam? Do the lights just move or what? Can you feel the ground tremble? Thanks.

Hi mrsd,

Of course it depends on the size of the earthquake - sometimes it is only enough to think heck what was that. Other times you are running frantically to get under a door frame and you can hear everything in the house moving. Luckily I haven't been in a fatal one.

You are very lucky to have never felt one. I really can't quite explain all the thoughts that rush through your head when there is one.