# Did we just have an earthquake? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 23, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803 "2011-08-23T17:55:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/61 "2011-08-23T18:33:18Z")
I’m in Bethesda, and felt it too. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/62 "2011-08-23T18:33:56Z")
Can confirm Lancaster, PA, here. I was on the last minutes of my lunch break, sitting outside smoking, when my chair started to just kind of…move. I couldn’t figure out what it was, then came in and saw a post on DKos about it. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/63 "2011-08-23T18:34:30Z")
My earthquake cherry has also been popped. Raleigh, NC checking in. I felt a little gentle rolling and at first thought it was a train going by (I work in downtown Cary). ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/64 "2011-08-23T18:35:06Z")
This is so weird - I’ve spent a lot of time on small sailboats, sometimes in pretty rough conditions, lots of motion in all directions, but it never affected me like this. I still feel a wee bit woozy. Very strange. The cats and dog have settled, tho. My first thought when the shaking started was that my washer was \*waaaaaaaay \*unbalanced, except I wasn’t doing laundry and the washer is in the basement. The only other time I was in an earthquake was Sicily, 1983 (who else is hearing Estelle Getty’s voice?) when Etna was erupting. I was awakened by what I thought was someone kicking my bed. The next morning, I saw several items that had fallen from the top of my closet, and I realized what had happened. It wasn’t nearly as discombobulating as this… ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Stranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Time\_Stranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Stranger)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/65 "2011-08-23T18:35:51Z")
We felt it down here in GA, too! It was gentle, and I was just kind of confused about why my chair was moving a bit. My first earthquake! Glad it was a baby. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/66 "2011-08-23T18:36:45Z")
Felt it in Columbus, OH. I’m on the 12th floor of a building, and it felt like it was swaying. I thought I was having an attack of vertigo, then I saw people posting about it here and on Facebook. Most of my coworkers didn’t even notice it, but those of us who did are freaked right the fuck out. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/67 "2011-08-23T18:37:37Z")
Seems like it was a pretty shallow earthquake–surprised there hasn’t been a report of damage yet. We felt it pretty clearly here in Niagara Falls…that’s some earthquake that can be felt in as wide a swath from the Canadian border to Georgia and yet be under 6.0. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/68 "2011-08-23T18:37:58Z")
On Long Island. Nice shock. Got out of my building real fast. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/69 "2011-08-23T18:40:36Z")
Our company has already asked us to update our emergency contact information. Weird and a little freaky. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/70 "2011-08-23T18:40:51Z")
5.9 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/71 "2011-08-23T18:41:46Z")
> [@Barrett\_Bonden](#): > > We had to evacuate my office building (MD) but they have now let us all back in. Same here on the opposite side of the Potomac. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/72 "2011-08-23T18:43:52Z")
Trembling felt in Fairmont, WV. Kinda cool. My first quake. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/73 "2011-08-23T18:44:02Z")
I think my office is built of paper so you can feel it if you slam a door too hard. It was really shaking. I was wondering whether to get under my desk but I didn’t really have time to do anything other than think “It’s OK-earthquakes rarely last more than a minute at most-I hope the ceiling doesn’t cave in”. I’m probably 60 miles from the epicenter-anybody closer? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/74 "2011-08-23T18:46:10Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > KYW is beating the topic to death. That’ll make up for it. 😃 I hope Limerick is okay. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/75 "2011-08-23T18:46:15Z")
Update on DC: The USGS says it was a VII on the [Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modified_Mercalli_intensity). That is described thusly: > [@](#): > > Difficult to stand; furniture broken; damage negligible in building of good design and construction; slight to moderate in well-built ordinary structures; considerable damage in poorly built or badly designed structures; some chimneys broken. Noticed by people driving motor cars. That would indicate actual building damage might occur in poorly-built buildings – and, in fact, several co-workers report the brick rooftop facing of a Subway sandwich shop crumbled and emergency crews are on the scene. I have not been outside yet to see it, but apparently there was _some_ damage in Washington, DC. It switched on an unused security surveillance camera here, and some envelopes slid off a credenza in my office area, but that’s all I saw in person. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/76 "2011-08-23T18:46:51Z")
I didn’t feel anything here in Portsmouth, NH. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/77 "2011-08-23T18:47:22Z")
Just received word that we can go home if we want. AC could use the company right about now. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/78 "2011-08-23T18:47:37Z")
I was decoupaging on my bed. At first I thought the cat was scratching himself really hard. And then the bed started scooting across the floor and the ceiling light/fan started swinging like it was drunk. I thought I was going crazy. Poltergeists! I’m on Long Island, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/79 "2011-08-23T18:48:03Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Why didn’t I feel it? 😕 I felt it. I live about 40 miles west and slightly north of Philly. Shook the whole house, and it took me a few seconds to twig to what had to be happening. As in I went from thinking “that’s a hard gust of wind, wait, there’s no wind, there’s no noise of heavy trucks, what the … geez, the house is swaying! Wonder if it’s an earthquake?” Went on line. Earthquake. Weird sensation. It felt almost like my whole house (I live in an end-unit townhouse) had been set on top of one of those “slide” type rockers. Oddly, my cats did not seem particularly disturbed. There were out of sight, but there were no cries from them, and they didn’t come looking for me or anything. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/80 "2011-08-23T18:49:08Z")
I’m on the 6th floor of a building in Philadelphia. I think it probably wasn’t as strong as it was nearer the epicenter… definite rocking, at first feeling like a big truck was going by or something, but it kept on going and there’s no truck big enough to make us rock that much… I’d been in one earthquake before (in Michigan, oddly enough) so I figured that’s what it was, and it went on long enough for me to get nervous about whether it was going to get worse. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803.md?page=5)