The earthquake last night was one of those rolling quakes that seemed to go on forever. And by forever I mean at least 30 or 40 seconds, which is an eternity when everything around is shaking. Right after the quake all of the neighbors talked about it in the hall and discussed the intensity. One said 4.2, another said 4.6, another said 4.0. I confidently said that the quake was a 5.6 about 50 miles from here. Ha, ha, I guess I am a human seismograph bitches! I've been through enough to know.
Results tagged “earthquake” from The Daily Nugget
A 4.2 magnitude earthquake rocked Oakland and San Francisco and woke Melissa and I up this morning at around 4:40am. I was surprised to learn after I woke up that it was only a 4.2 magnitude earthquake, because it felt almost as strong as the Northridge quake felt from Redondo Beach, which was a 6.7 magnitude quake at a distance of 50 miles. If I had to guess I would have said it was a 5.5 magnitude quake within 10 miles away.
The epicenter of the quake was reported as 2 miles east of Oakland, about 6 miles from our place in downtown San Francisco. According to NPR this morning, the quake was considered a shallow quake because it occurred at a depth of 3 miles below the earth. On the average, California earthquakes have hypocentral depths of about 6 miles. The Northridge earthquake had a hypocentral depth of 11 miles, deep for a California earthquake, but considered shallow compared to other regions.
For the record, Melissa went back to sleep right away and I couldn't go back to sleep for almost an hour. I kept thinking about whether the earthquake was a pre-shock to a larger quake or if there would be aftershocks to the quake. Eventually though, I managed to go back to sleep. The interrupted sleep has made me tired this morning.
The epicenter of the quake was reported as 2 miles east of Oakland, about 6 miles from our place in downtown San Francisco. According to NPR this morning, the quake was considered a shallow quake because it occurred at a depth of 3 miles below the earth. On the average, California earthquakes have hypocentral depths of about 6 miles. The Northridge earthquake had a hypocentral depth of 11 miles, deep for a California earthquake, but considered shallow compared to other regions.
For the record, Melissa went back to sleep right away and I couldn't go back to sleep for almost an hour. I kept thinking about whether the earthquake was a pre-shock to a larger quake or if there would be aftershocks to the quake. Eventually though, I managed to go back to sleep. The interrupted sleep has made me tired this morning.
I just talked to Larry on the phone after trying to dial in for a couple of hours. He says that the earthquake broke a bunch of stuff inside his house, knocked out the power and water, and closed the "highway" near his house due to landslides. Luckily, they are all okay and there doesn't appear to be any structural damage to the house. Still, he says there is a bit of cleanup to do.
We hope our friends Larry and Tina are okay after this morning's 6.6 magnitude earthquake in Hawaii. The earthquake was 10 miles north-northwest of Kailua Kona, which puts the epicenter within five miles offshore from where our friends live. We have tried calling them but keep getting "all circuits are busy." According to reports, some power lines and phone lines are down on the island. Stay tuned.
Another tsunami off the coast of Java in Indonesia has killed 86 people. This tsunami, like the big one last year, was caused by an undersea quake measuring 7.7 magnitude. I think it is fair to say that because of the seismic craziness near Sumatra, and it's not just Krakatoa (aka Krakatau), living in beachfront property on the islands of Sumatra and Java is not highly recommended. Actually, based on last year's quake and tsunami, anywhere near Sumatra where the earth does a little shake rattle and roll is probably not a good idea.
Today marks the 100th anniversary of the San Francisco earthquake and fire, the Great Quake. At 5:12AM one hundred years ago the earth shook violently for only 40 seconds, but in those seconds, energy equivalent to several nuclear bombs was released. The destruction killed many, but the ensuing fires which lasted for four days after the quake killed many more and displaced 250,000 people.
In order to commemorate the event, thousands of spectators are expected to join a handful of centenarians who survived the quake at a solemn wreath-laying to mark the exact moment when the temblor struck the city. The annual pre-dawn ceremony is held annually at Lotta’s Fountain, the downtown landmark where San Franciscans gathered in the aftermath. Additionally, MUNI rides (our city public transit system) are free for the entire day. Today is a historic day in a historic city.
Update: While I slept, thousands gathered at Lotta's Fountain this morning.
In order to commemorate the event, thousands of spectators are expected to join a handful of centenarians who survived the quake at a solemn wreath-laying to mark the exact moment when the temblor struck the city. The annual pre-dawn ceremony is held annually at Lotta’s Fountain, the downtown landmark where San Franciscans gathered in the aftermath. Additionally, MUNI rides (our city public transit system) are free for the entire day. Today is a historic day in a historic city.
Update: While I slept, thousands gathered at Lotta's Fountain this morning.
A USGS study stated today that there is a 62 percent chance that San Francisco could have a major earthquake between now and 2032. The study cites that the major quake would have a magnitude of 6.7 or greater. I'd rather shake and chill here in San Francisco than shake and bake in Los Angeles. It's too damn hot down there.
