Well....we had some earthquakes last year but nothing like this one - East Coast Earthquake. Having many years of CA experience I knew exactly what it was and what to do. It was a long slow and smooth earthquake. Not a fast jolt like the CA quakes. Those really get you up and running. I had Haven at the doctor for a check up for school. I sat for a few seconds and watched the windows and blinds sway back and forth then the doctor and all of us headed for the doorway. First thought was something blew up on base but I knew it was a roller and once it finished we finished up our doctor visit.
At home we never usually worry about earthquakes or things falling off our shelves. We haven't had to put earthquake straps on our shelves. But last night we removed heavy glass lamps from the headboards of the beds and pictures from the walls over our heads. Just in case we have that amazing aftershock everyone is waiting for.
Anyway, it was fun and just checking the latest info I've never seen so many "quake" notices for CO as there are now. VA has already had 3 aftershocks at a 3.0 or higher. Guess the New Madrid Fault is warming up too! I watched a show on an island off of Africa that if it falls in to the ocean, as predicted, the eastern shore of the US is gone.....Day After Tomorrow stuff.....below are tidbits. Now us Marylanders are preparing for the hurricane to hit the bay on Sunday.....hope to have some blizzards this winter!
Crazy to have such a big blue spot on MD. I often watch the quake stuff in CA and Alaska. You will see some around St. Louis quite often. But not normally MD or CO.
Largest quake in VA before this one happened in 1897 and was a 5.9 as well:
FEMA: What To Do In An Earthquake --- not sure why everyone was ordered out of a building!!! Check out what FEMA says!!!
Side notes from Maryland Geological Survey:
To most people in the United States, damaging earthquakes are a California phenomon, but this is misleading. Even though the greatest seismicity in the United States occurs along the Pacific Coast (especially Alaska and Southern California), major earthquakes have also occurred in the central and eastern U.S.
FIGURE 2. Earthquake epicenters
in the eastern United States,
1976-1985 (from Foley et al., 1985;
Sibol et al., 1985; and Stover et al., 1984).
The last earthquake to cause appreciable damage in the eastern United States occurred in 1886 near Charleston, South Carolina. It had an estimated magnitude of 6.5-7, an intensity of X, and was felt over an area of two million square miles. Even in Maryland, the felt intensity from this earthquake was IV to V.in the eastern United States,
1976-1985 (from Foley et al., 1985;
Sibol et al., 1985; and Stover et al., 1984).
Perhaps the greatest seismic event ever to occur in North America in historic times was a series of earthquakes that shook the mid-continent around New Madrid, Missouri in the winter of 1811-1812. Estimates of the magnitude range as high as 8.7; estimated maximum intensity was XII; and the felt area, which included Maryland, was 2 million square miles.
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