Sunday, April 4, 2010

A whole lot of shakin' goin on

I am near my Mom's in So Cal for the holiday. A few hours ago, the house starts to shake, and its a rolling type of quake that we can feel for quite a few seconds. When this happens, you always wonder if it is a small quake near by, or it's a big quake far away. This time, I was pretty sure that it was a big quake far away.

Turns out, it was a 6.9 quake about 45 miles south of the border. It was around 200 miles from where we are and we could feel it very well, thank you very much. 6.9 has potential for serious damage, especially where building codes are lax.

I did a bit of preliminary intel and it appears that there are several small towns within 20 miles of the epicenter. I talked to a firefighter in Calexico CA, which is on the border and he said there is some structural damage there, apparently minor, but a full assessment was just getting started.

I am afraid there will be some injuries if not deaths in Mexico, I hope it's not too bad. I know it's not a matter of "if" around here, it's a matter of "when".

It may be a long night for some folks.

Thanks for reading,
A Jittery Schmoe

6 comments:

  1. Dear Captain,
    I hope you and yours stay safe throughout! I will also keep the people of Mexico in my thoughts.

    Shaky ground, not a good sign.
    Thanks for the update.
    Ann T.

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  2. My cousin updated her FB status right as it was happening. Could "hear" the fear in her status, "Is this the big one??".

    Dont know that I could live waiting for "when". I'd rather live with hurricanes...at least I can see them coming.

    Stay saft Capt.

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  3. Dear peedee,
    I don't know earthquakes, but nobody wants hurricane! Every one I've ever lived through was sca-a-a-a-a-ry stuff. I have no calm perspective towards those high winds whatsoever. It is time to book the butt when Hurricane JohnorMary starts creeping close.

    And floods stink. Literally. For weeks after.

    But it is true, we all wait for the hand of Natural Fate wherever we live. The "not if, but when" the Captain is talking about.

    Ann T.

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  4. Sorry, Ann T. I gotta go with PeeDee on this one. At least with hurricanes and to a lesser extent tornadoes, you get a little warning and can run or get to where it's safe.

    The big EQ - bam it's on. I've lived in quake country all of my life and have felt some big ones, but those have usually been pretty far away.

    Again, it's always the waiting game - is this THE one? I just hope we are on vacation in another state when it hits.

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  5. Capt hit the nail on the head Ann...I can run from a hurricane. And if the aftermath is hurrendous and I cant stay here for awhile...I know someone who lives in DC. ;)

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  6. Capt Schmoe and all:
    Reporting in from the Great Plains, just north and east of "Tornado Alley"...
    I'll take my tornadoes, lightening, thunder, straight line winds and floods over earthquakes, too.
    Although prolonged winds (days and days of wind) can make a person daffy.
    Show them our motto(applicable anywhere): Be Prepared.
    The Observer

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