Speaking of Earthquakes

Who here has ever experienced an earthquake?

A few weeks ago I experienced a pretty significant tremor in Lima, Peru. I'd never been in an earthquake before so I didn't even really realize what was happening at first. I was on the 10th floor of a hotel when all of a sudden I kind of felt like I was drunk, like stumbling as I was walking. So I stopped, and I realized it wasn't me, but the floor was moving back and forth. Holy CRAP!! The whole building was swaying back and forth.

So, like a ninny, I ran down stairs to the front desk and asked what was going on. They were all casual about it, like..."Oh yeah, it was just another earthquake."

Just another earth quake????

So the next day I was talking with a work colleague and he tells me they have mini-quakes like 3-4 times a week there! Now, I'm a big boy, but that freaked me out.

I started looking into it more, and it turns out they have a major quake there about every 5 years.

That night I was standing out on my balcony overlooking the city, with all the high rise buildings all over, and I started thinking...

What the heck can you do to be safe during an earthquake??? How do you prepare for something like that?

I mean, crap, if you were on the 10th floor of a building how do you get out (stairs, I know, duh, right)? It's not like you can dash down 20 flights of stairs in 2 seconds, but even if you could...then what? You're surrounded by tall buildings. You could run out into the middle of the street, but what good would that do? Some giant fissure could open up in the ground where you're standing.

I never thought about anything like that until then.

What do you do?

The best way to prepare for an earthquake is to avoid places that have lots of earthquakes.

It would be a lot more scary in a city with high buildings, to feel an earthquake. I have felt a small quake, a 3.3. I felt the floor shaking and even heard it thumping and thought it was the clothes washing out of balance haha. Then realized it was an actual EQ. First and last one I have experienced. That was back in 1997 and in country, no big buildings.

a reply to: rickymouse

I know, right?

But what about when you can't avoid said place?

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: rickymouse

I know, right?

But what about when you can't avoid said place?

I bet nobody would notice you shaking in your boots because of the earthquake. Practice dancing so you can look elegant as you are spinning and shaking.

a reply to: NoCorruptionAllowed

It wasn't what I expected at all.

I expected an earthquake to be like this up and down shaking, but that's not how it was. It was like this bizarre side to side motion. And I expected it to be a lot faster interval too, but it was kind of slow. It was like this rhythmic sine wave motion. There was some up and down motion to it, but the side to side motion was much more pronounced.

I did not like that one bit.

I'm always 'Mr. Prepared' for anything and everything (I hope), and it really bothered me that I didn't have a preparedness solution for that kind of an event, and still don't.

It is an unnerving thing to feel the ground move
Something that is normally solid and stable, something reliable suddenly acting outside of its parameters

I am not use to quakes either and I find them very unnerving
Guess you get use to them

Stood through a few bushfires and not really been concerned, use to them

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
I've been in 2.

First was in Leon, Nicaragua, about 10 years ago. I had the same dizzy feeling from the side-to-side motion you describe. The building where I worked was colonial, about 500 yrs old, and small debris was falling from the reed ceiling, and the hanging plants in the courtyard swung a little. My boss' advice? Don't worry. If it seems bad, get under a table or doorframe.

The other was a few years ago here in the US. Had an infant, and slept right through it. All my family and co-workers were awake and felt it.

a reply to: Raggedyman

Yes, unnerving is a good word.

It felt like the building was almost liquid. And the real heck of it was this was an old building made from reinforced concrete. I would have felt much safer in a steel structure because at least steel will flex, but concrete doesn't flex all that much before it starts to break up. I was thinking to myself, okay if this happens all the time then how many times has this building swayed back and forth like this, and how many stress fractures are already in the columns and floors???

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Yes, same thing I experienced, totally side to side motion for me, and could hear some noise mostly the house creaking a bit. I can't remember if there was any other noise. Seems like there was something outside. I was inside and no open windows.
It actually lasted a good 20 seconds or so.
In my case I actually liked it, and didn't feel any danger at first. In a big city with tall buildings that would be a whole different story though.

a reply to: Look2theSacredHeart

Heh, standing in a door frame isn't going to do me much good when the 10 floors above me pancake down on top of the floor I'm on.

But yeah, I understand what you're saying.

a reply to: NoCorruptionAllowed

I also expected an earthquake to be a lot more violent than that, like this violent up and down pounding sensation. But it wasn't like that at all.

And now I can COMPLETELY understand why earthquakes are as destructive as they are. It's like the ground turns to this soft plastic state and nothing is anchored to anything.

Vertical structures can take a fair amount of vertical compression without too much damage, but add in some significant lateral motion and things go to hell in a hand-basket quick!

Lets see i have been through so many major quakes.
Kern County; July 21, 1952
Magnitude 7.3

Landers and Big Bear earthquakes June 28, 1992
Magnitude 7.3 and 6.3-magnitude

SAN FERNANDO EARTHQUAKE
TIME: February 9, 1971 / 6:01 am PST

NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE
TIME: January 17, 1994 / 4:30:55 am PST

During the 6.3-magnitude Big Bear earthquake i was in Landers Calif 3 hours after the earthquake there.
during the 1971 San Fernando i was on a navy ship at long beach navel station and felt it on the ship.

For me its not a big earthquake unless its over 6-magnitude

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

We have lots of quakes in NZ. You sort of develop a mindset of looking for escape routes, strong points and avoiding stuff falling on you.

The main one is to look for a strong point. Like a heavily framed doorway. If a roof came down, you may be protected by standing in such a doorway.

Avoid stuff that could fall on you like from shelves and stuff and breaking glass/masonry.

Look for an escape route or a stronger strong point. At the time of a quake, this might not be advisable but if you have checked out the room as soon as you enter and before the quake, you know what to do.

Also the ground liquefies during a quake, flowing like mud or water, even if it is dry (but worse if it is wet). Avoid heavy stuff with narrow foundations, it 'aint gunna hold.

And be cool. Life is an adventure no matter where you are and as sure as chips, there'll be someone who hasn't prepared and will need your help.

a reply to: ANNED

Oh this one I experienced was probably so tiny you might not have even noticed, but I'd never been in one before and I sure as hell noticed it. It was nothing like a 6, probably more like a 3 or something, just a tremor really.

California here.

Generally, if it isn’t at least a 4.0 we hardly notice it. We really don’t think much about anything less than a 5.0.

Places that are subject to larger quakes usually have enhanced building codes, especially for larger structures like skyscrapers, to protect against quake damage/collapse.

Don’t know how true that holds “south of the border”.

Were I live, even though it is in California, it’s not really subject to large quakes; although, I did feel the Lona Prieta quake back in 89(?).

Felt like a heavy freight train passing by, but there was no train! Kind of exciting.

I was on vacation in St. Maarten about 15 years ago. We were in a private pool built into coral in a Pelican Bay resort. The water started swishing sideways and a rumble , like a train was heard. Only minor damage, the wall of the condo cracked up about 7 ft and a few tiles popped out of the floor inside. We were worried about Tsunami, but it was only about a mag 3 in the central mountain of the island. A scary as well as sobering event.

A couple of times in California. I felt as if my apartment was rolling up and down like a boat on water. That was a Magnitude 5. Another time, we were on the road and the car started swerving from side to side for no reason.

The weirdest one was when I was in Norway, Trondheim. I swear I felt an earthquake one Sunday morning at 11am, 2014. That rolling up and down feeling. But as my apartment was on the water front, I assumed it was some effect from passing boats.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I grew up in So California remember having earthquakes all the time,being the city of Long Beach was destroyed in 33 quake,stay out of places that are hard to escape,and stay away from things that can fall,not unlike living in a flood area,or a tornado prone area,be aware of your surroundings,I'm not afraid of earthquakes,I'm afraid of tornado's,hurricanes and floods,every one has their phobia

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

cary a parachute and helmet - and learn BASE jump technique

PS - do NOT land in the fissures that open up in the earth below you