I was chatting with the dishwasher installer when I heard a booming noise, rather like thunder. The next thing I knew, the house was shaking. I thought we had been bombed. I'm not kidding. We live in Tidewater, VA, for crying out loud. There are no earthquakes here. Additionally, growing up near the Radford Army Ammunition Plant that had blown up a couple of times when I was a kid, when you hear booming and the world shakes, there's been an explosion. Thus, it had to be a bomb.
But, the siren over in Surrey didn't go off, so it wasn't that (thank goodness as they are a nuclear power station). It felt as if a piece of heavy equipment had been dropped outside my house and set the ground trembling. Or, maybe like a train going by, but a really really rumbly train for a very long time. Or, like a washing machine off balance during the spin cycle that shakes the house down.
Joe (the installer) and I looked at each other to confirm we had experienced what we thought we had experienced. I was watching the porch swing swing back and forth rather violently and watched the furniture sway. It REALLY hosed our equilibrium--I still feel a bit off balance and it was over an hour ago.
I spammed the 'net looking for any kind of info I could find--thank goodness for the internet!--found some Tweets from my area on the weather channel site, and then called Brien. He checked the USGS website and discovered a 5.9 earthquake had hit in Central Virginia. Holy COW!!
We have sustained no damage and no injuries. All my family are present and accounted for--both in the 'burg, NOVA and here. I've texted back and forth with a few friends so I know they're okay. What a crazy crazy thing. And, let me tell you this, it gives me a whole new appreciation for the nightmare that was the earthquakes in Japan, Chile and Haiti. If this amount of shaking was a 5.9, holy wow. Just wow.
For future reference for me, and for anyone else interested, USGS info found here.
Please let me know you are all all right as well.
14 comments:
Wow! So glad you are okay! I have only felt one earthquake. It was a 3.5 and I remember I tried to stand up from my chair, and the shakinmanage me fall back into my chair. Crazy! A 5.9? That must have been a pretty good shake!
So glad you are OK. Thought of you as soon as I heard about it.
What is a shakinmanage? Yowza! I am typing on my iPad must be some wild auto correct! Should read shaking made me fall. Egads I need to proof read better! :)
LOL, Jori! I had wondered...I figured it was a "Thank you, Autocorrect" moment. ;o)
Glad you're all safe and sound. We felt it all the way up here on Long Island. My husband was working in Manhattan and buildings were emptied as people flooded into the streets. Thank goodness it was not any stronger! I can't imagine the devastation that would take place considering buildings are not all earthquake proof here on the east coast.
Glad to hear you guys are all ok :o) First thing I did was hop onto your blog when it came onto the news this morning about the earthquake!
Deb
It was weird here in NJ too. Our building was swaying. It was only a 3 here, but I have NEVER felt an earthquake in my life. They just dont happen here. We were evacuated which was nice because its just beautiful outside. September weather!
Pretty scary up here in DC. My office building on the 6th floor was really skaking and my heart was still racing an hour afterwards. The kids raced outside when I got home to tell me all about the "damage" around the house. Pictures fell over, stuff fell off shelves, but not real damage. The worst effect was the traffic around here since everyone went home after the evacuations. The kids are still a bit freaked out and I expect 1 if not 2 kids in our bed at some point tonight.
I didn't personally feel it here in Central NY state, but other people in my building did. My stepkids were watching the little girls and they said our mirrors were swinging. Yikes! So glad you're okay!! Checked your blog right away after I first heard it from my friend near DC, but you hadn't updated yet. What did the girls think?
K- and MIL felt it, but Hubs and I didn't feel it, even though they evacuated buildings down the road from me as a precaution. (Fed buildings.) I was in a building built in the 1800's and I'm surprised it didn't shimmy or shake.
I laugh that you knew that Ohio on the caller ID had to be me. :) Glad that you are well!
So glad everyone is ok!! Crazy-earthquakes in VA!? Hugs!
Living near the New Madrid fault, I have been in 1 more major and 2 more minor quakes. They are weird. So glad you're okay.
Deborah in Illinois
Wow! Glad you guys are okay.
A couple of years ago, we were awakened in the middle of the night by birds going nuts outside (we sleep with our windows open sometimes in the Fall), and then, like you said, a rumbling and the mirror above our dresser shaking. I remember thinking, we live in Kentucky....we don't have earthquakes here! Although I'm not sure why we wouldn't, I suppose one could happen anywhere.
We didn't feel anything here yesterday, though.
Rach, I thought about you when I heard the news. I was on a conference call with people from all over the USA and we lost telephone connection for a short while. When we dialed back in the guys in your area were talking about it and not long after, the guys further up north felt trembles.
I am so glad that you are all alright and that everyone you know is, too.
hugs
jaydee
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