Just for anyone who might be worried since Scotticher lives right outside of Seattle, I just spoke to her and everything’s okay with her. She got a little shaken but no real damage.
According to emergency response officials, the Seattle region has recently gone through intensive preparations and practice drills for exactly this sort of calamity. The Space Needle was specifically designed to withstand such an event and is not in any danger of collaspe. New estimates report the depth of the event at 30 Kilometers (~18 miles).
I would like to point out something to those of you who feel inclined to gloat about not living in the earthquake prone Western states.
Every single year, hurricanes, floods and tropical storms kill more people in the United States than in all of the earthquakes we have ever had in this area combined. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the state of California enacted some of the most advanced and stringent structural and civil engineering codes in this entire nation. The rest of the western states quickly followed suit and the result has been a superb degree of public safety enjoyed by the citizens of this region.
Please refrain from gabbling about California “falling” off into the the ocean. I’ll take the risks of living in this wonderful state anytime compared to the routine loss of life that happens every single winter in so many others.
I’m a Pacific Northwest Doper and work in one of the major downtown office buildings, 49 floors off of the ground. It wasn’t very much fun being up here, as the building felt like a boat in moderate swells. It lasted about 30 seconds, with the building taking a while to steady back down.
In any case, the property damage and injuries in the area appear fairly minimal. The phone lines are completely jammed up though. If you have family here and have been unable to get in touch with them, I wouldn’t worry. They are almost certainly fine, just shaken (literally and figuratively) by the experience.
Where is Boeing located in relation to the epicenter? And Stanwood, Washington? My brother works at Boeing and he and his wife live in Stanwood. It’s driving me crazy that I can’t get through. Thanks for any info y’all might have.
I live in downtown Seattle, and that was one sweet ride. It woke me up, and must’ve lasted at least 30 seconds. My dresser fell over, and some other things fell off shelves, but nothing major. My cat wasn’t even phased. I guess I should’ve gotten renter’s insurance. Oh well, gotta go out tomorrow and buy a new dresser.
Glad to hear you’re okay Bumbazine. I’ll assume that your family is all right too. Euty, happy to hear that Scotti is all right too. I wouldn’t want to have to worry about any of the wonderful people at these boards. My friend next door whose sister lives in Seattle and who also owns a house there reports no damage or injuries to any of her loved ones, so I’ll venture to say, “So far, so good!”
[Edited by Eutychus55 on 02-28-2001 at 05:22 PM]
I’ve heard reports that there is one person unaccounted for who was working at the Starbucks building.
So far all of the friends and coworkers and offices and buildings I know about are pretty much okay.
Several of us, including me, lost some breakables.
So far, all pets are reported unharmed but many are freaked out. My own kitties are terrified and won’t let me pick them up.
I need a drink.
Jeyen
If you are referring to my comment re: droughts and hurricanes here in Florida, I surely didn’t intend to be “gloating.” Sheesh!
I merely mentioned that because, never having been in an earthquake, the fact that earthquakes happen with little or no warning scares the absolutely crap out of me, whereas with a hurricane, there’s a little time to prepare.
We are pretty fortunate when you consider the thousands who died not so long ago in the India quake. Thank goodness for that. It could have been so much worse.
For the record, the Space Needle’s designed to withstand a 9.1. The USGS has reportedly declared the quake a 6.8. CNN’s still using the 7.0 figure.
I’ve been getting email from numerous friends in the area (I’m now in Spokane). Several of those friends work in the Queen Anne area, one works in the Totem Lake area. Lots of shaking, nothing busted on the Eastside. Old brick architecture in Belltown is damaged. According to the pictures, Pioneer Square, Belltown and SODO appear to be the most messed up. I’m guessing the pictures from Olympia and Tacoma will be much worse. The Governor’s mansion (brick) is badly split.
I’m 100% with Zenster on the “gee, I’m glad I don’t live in earthquake country.” Friends who lived in New Orleans took in complete stride the first floor of their apartment getting flooded annually. Friends and relatives in the Midwest take killer winters in stride. I’ve had friends in Tornado Alley who take that in stride. Almost to a person, their reaction to living on the Pacific Rim is utter horror, thanks to quakes.
I spoke with my brother-in-law, who was able to get in touch with my mom before the lines got jammed. Everything with my family is OK! It’s hard being so far away and hearing about something like this. Thanks especially to Chrome Toaster for offering to contact my family.
I just talked to a good friend of mine who works south of downtown, not far from Boeing Field. They are without power, worthless for work, but in relatively good spirits. They had not heard of the damage to the docks, but knew of various points throughtout the region where bridges were closed.
He said the shock lasted 25-30 seconds and the last “wave”, if it had continued on, would have had him screaming in terror.
The absolute best news is the few injuries that have occurred.
I’m in Seattle and was in my apartment when the quake hit. I was lying on my bed reading, wearing only boxer shorts. The quake hit and at first I didn’t think it was too bad (reminded me of a quake I felt in Osaka)-- but then the shaking really started. I was out of my apartment and into the back yard in an instant. Luckily nobody saw me in my underwear. Very nearly locked myself out, though!
Delores, (Seattilites, please correct me on this,) IIRC, Boeing is on the west side of I-5 just a little south of Seattle, so would be 40-50 miles NE of the epicenter.
Stanwood is about 50 miles north of Seattle.
Right now they’re saying there was a 4.7 at 10:54 and a 6.8 at 10:59. They are reporting about “two dozen” injuries, some serious, but no fatalities.
GolfWidow, Yeah, but hurricanes last a lot longer. 
Just kidding, I lived in Florida for 15 years.
Best place to go for up-to-date scientific data on any earthquake is http://earthquake.usgs.gov Currently, they are saying it was a 6.8.
According to http://www.cnn.com, there were several people at the top of the Space Needle when it hit. CNN also has video of Bill Gates’ speech and how the quake disrupted a session of the state legislature in Olympia.
My thanks, also, to the dopers who volunteered to pass messages, but the phone lines have freed up a bit and I’ve been able to get through. I talked to my mother at work (a hospital in Tacoma) and she’s fine. No answer at home, so I’m still waiting to hear from my brother. According to the one map I’ve seen, their place looks about 5-10 miles from the epicenter (plus 18 miles down, but it’s still closer than I’d like), so they should have quite a story to tell when I really have some time to talk to them.
Another Seattleite checking in.
Bumbazine, you might want to be sure you know WHICH Boeing plant you are referring to. There’s one in Renton (which is south of Seattle) and another one in Everett, north of Seattle. You’re right on the distance from Stanwood, though.
Anyone wanting to check on family, just a thought – I’ve had no luck with phones, but email is going through just fine. If you know their work email addresses, try them there. Phones are going to be very hard to get through for awhile yet.
King County Executive Ron Sims has declared the county in “a state of emergency”.
Basically, it seems as if most people were more scared than hurt, damage is bad but not terrible (older buildings mostly affected) so everything seems to be reasonably ok.
Just a note: I’m still hearing it was a 7.0 from most sources. Incidentally, the LA quake in 1994 was a 6.7.
I get home from class and call my mom to inform her that my birthday gift has arrived. The first words out of her were, “Did you hear about the earthquake in Seattle?”
We have family up there – her mother, sister, and a couple of cousins in my generation. They’re all fine. Having been in the Northridge quake, I am highly relieved. Now I have a hint of how Grandma felt when a total stranger (friend of my mom’s) called her at 5 AM to let her know there’d been a quake but we were okay.
The Fox news station down here and L.A. said that they had recieved news of 8 fatalities. I do not know if this is true, but I’m just relaying the news. Don’t shoot the messenger.