# 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:** 6
**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, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/101 "2011-08-23T19:06:40Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I was decoupaging on my bed. I’ve never heard it called THAT before… ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/102 "2011-08-23T19:07:10Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Guilty. > > I made it through Northridge in 94. That was the one that made me find another state to live in. I was in that area from 88-95. I was in Monterey for the 1989 quake and the night of aftershocks. Felt a few more tremors during my time out there. Probably helps towards ignoring this. ---
**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, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/103 "2011-08-23T19:07:40Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I’ve never heard it called THAT before… Just me and my cat. Very sticky. ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/104 "2011-08-23T19:07:55Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > 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 was sitting on the sofa, and thought one or both of the cats was underneath it and bumping around. Then the cats ran by at warp speed, heading for parts unknown, and the whole house started rumbling and I saw the kitchen light swaying. Pretty scary for an earthquake virgin. Forgot to add: I’m in East Baltimore. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/105 "2011-08-23T19:08:50Z")
What’s with all these Bostonians feeling it? I’m feeling left out 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, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/106 "2011-08-23T19:11:28Z")
People are over-reacting? Really? [This is what’s going around on my FB page.](http://jmckinley.posterous.com/dc-earthquake-devastation) That’s because I have the coolest friends. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/107 "2011-08-23T19:14:32Z")
As usual, [xkcd](http://xkcd.com/723/) has an appropriate strip. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheField](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@LilyoftheField](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheField)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/108 "2011-08-23T19:16:31Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Mrs. Gadaí informs me she felt it in Cleveland. Well, damn. I live very close to Cleveland and I didn’t feel a thing. Of course, many people have told me that I’m an insensitive bitch… 😛 ---
**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, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/109 "2011-08-23T19:19:39Z")
They’re saying that because the East Coast is much older geologically and has much harder ground than the West Coast, earthquakes in the Eastern United States have 10x the energy than those in the West. Not sure how this relates to the magnitude, though. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/110 "2011-08-23T19:19:42Z")
Back. It was a good long shake here. Our house is old and sturdy, and only one story; but it’s built over a 6’ crawl space, so the noise was awe-inspiring. Grabbed keys and Celtling and headed out the door to greet my equally rubber legged neughbors. We are not trained for this. The walls shook and moved visibly for a good 30 seconds. I was fully expecting to find cracks in the drywall but so far so good. And it doesn’t seem to have been the fore-shock of anything bigger. At least that’s what I’m telling myself. Anybody know how far apart foreshocks and aftershocks usually are? Washington Post reports that a spire has broken off the National Cathedral, no injuries. A neighbor had a report by telephone that a police station in Alexandria collapsed. No further info on that one. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/111 "2011-08-23T19:19:44Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > People are over-reacting? Really? [This is what’s going around on my FB page.](http://jmckinley.posterous.com/dc-earthquake-devastation) That’s because I have the coolest friends. That’s the right reaction. I know the news vultures’ jobs are to find the biggest chicken littles and get sound bites from them, and NY1 was doing such a good job at finding them, like the woman who walked down 30+ flights of stairs because the building swayed less then it does during a nasty Nor’Easter. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/112 "2011-08-23T19:29:38Z")
Is it normal for a quake to have such a wide reach? Boston to Cleveland to North Carolina is a pretty huge area. I never feel any of the California quakes in Vegas, and I’m closer than those cities are by quite a margin. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/113 "2011-08-23T19:31:32Z")
Shows my mother’s influence is still strong on me. My greatest dread was being found buried in my house in pyjamas and a dirty t shirt, so I showered and got dressed. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/114 "2011-08-23T19:32:17Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Is it normal for a quake to have such a wide reach? Boston to Cleveland to North Carolina is a pretty huge area. I never feel any of the California quakes in Vegas, and I’m closer than those cities are by quite a margin. It’s been years since I’ve done any reading on this, but my fuzzy memory thinks it is because the ground is much harder, so the vibrations don’t get absorbed as readily. ---
**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, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/115 "2011-08-23T19:33:19Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Is it normal for a quake to have such a wide reach? Boston to Cleveland to North Carolina is a pretty huge area. I never feel any of the California quakes in Vegas, and I’m closer than those cities are by quite a margin. I was wondering about this too. Also, it did seem to spread south any where near as far as it spread north. ---
**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, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/116 "2011-08-23T19:34:36Z")
> [@villa](#): > > Shows my mother’s influence is still strong on me. My greatest dread was being found buried in my house in pyjamas and a dirty t shirt, so I showered and got dressed. That reminds me so much of a Bill Cosby skit: [Quote=The Cos] If you have a car accident, you’re going to have soiled underwear! Because first you say it, then you do it!..And then my mother came to the hospital, “Did he have on clean underwear?” “Yes. We found it in the glove compartment.” [/quote] ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/117 "2011-08-23T19:38:33Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > Seems like it was a pretty shallow earthquake–surprised there hasn’t been a report of damage yet. [The National Cathedral took damage](http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/stones-fall-off-washington-national-cathedral-spokesman-says-1-tower-appears-to-be-leaning/2011/08/23/gIQA2gPMZJ_story.html). > [@](#): > > A spokesman for Washington National Cathedral says at least three of the four pinnacles on the central tower have fallen off and the central tower appears to be leaning. I work in the Wilson Building (DC’s City Hall) at 14th and Penn. Pretty much every building was/still is evacuated along Penn from the White House to the Capitol. In my rush to eject myself from the building, I left both my phone and housekeys on my desk :smack: Just as I was exiting, I was pushed out of the way by one of the Mayor’s staffers :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/118 "2011-08-23T19:42:46Z")
I felt it here in Philadelphia, and my family in VA got quite a scare. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/119 "2011-08-23T19:45:13Z")
I’m in central PA, it was very noticeable from the 4th floor of an older office building–it certainly felt more potent than the technically bigger one I was on the ground floor for in CA a decade or so back. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803/120 "2011-08-23T19:46:31Z")
Channeling my inner Pat Robertson, is it any surprise that this happens after DC allows gay marriage? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-we-just-have-an-earthquake/593803.md?page=7)