Sometimes I REALLY hate California

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/01/09/california.earthquake/index.html?section=cnn_latest
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Maps/US2/40.42.-126.-124.php

6.5 Earthquake. The epicenter was apparently 10 miles away from us. I was home alone, the hanging plants above me started swinging violently, and I just ran as fast as I could without falling to the backyard, as even though it's fenced in, the walls of the house were like, moving back and forth. I thought it was one of the small EQ's I tend to ignore, as if they're minor, they aren't a big deal. It started with a small shake, then all of the sudden, the entire house started shaking, things started falling, and next thing I know, my brain kicks in that I need to get the hell away from the hanging plants, XD

Mom and sister were in Michael's (crafts store) and apparently one of the ceiling lights fell, and just missed hitting them. My other sister was on the street, she thought her tires all blew out, as they were all just bought today.

We spent 2 hours checking on people we care about, making sure they're alright, etc. I'm still shaking, and the earthquake was almost 5 hours ago. One family friends house has MASSIVE cracks in the walls, and another family friend had all of their dishes, etc, fall off the shelves.

People are saying that we're overreacting and it's not a big EQ, but you know what, I've lived here all my life, and that's THE most violent quake I've ever seen, even our family friends who've lived here 50+ years say the same.

Out of curiousity: was anyone else near the quake, or feel anything (I've heard people as far as some cities in Oregon apparently felt it ._.)?

 

Brace ourselves under a sturdy table is what we were taught when we were a kid. None in my house, safest bet is to brace self on a doorframe. I skipped that and ran out back, figured if the house was falling, I'd be dead either way, at least I'd have a chance to hop the fence and live if I went out the back. (As there's nothing in our backyard except a crappy fence, and no trees nearby to fall on me ) Noted, it's not safe to run outside in an Earthquake, I really didn't care. I don't trust these apartments.

According to CNN, there's a 78% chance a BIGGER aftershock (as in bigger than the 6.5) will strike within the next 7 days... :tears:

EDIT: DAMN, Half of Oregon, and even as far as San Francisco felt some of it O_O

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/dyfi/events/nc/71338066/us/index.html (Be a map of where it was felt)

(Eureka is about between Arcata and Fortuna on that map)

 

A friend linked me to a video on youtube of the quake at the Arcata Co-Op (A few miles away from Eureka and further away from the epicenter).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx4JPMeC-xE[/youtube]

It didn't seem right, as it felt a helluva lot worse than it looked on that. Then my friend linked me to a video that the Times-Standard had (the county newspaper)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV4EMzyJsqU[/youtube]

Shows more of what Eureka felt, though my house is about 5-10 miles closer to the epicenter than this was taken, if not more. The quake lasted longer than that though... I think that's when the camera shut down due to lack of power or something, lol.

Growing up, I was always taught, if an animal near you is acting strange and getting the hell out of the area you're in, you should probably high tail it out too, as they can sense things like earthquakes and such, a few seconds before they actually hit. I assume that guy was taught the same, as if you watch his chair, he started running too.

 

No, it isn't.

Another view of that room, in a different corner:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34aWabCkrgk[/youtube]

Damn. XD I'd hate to be the one having to clean THAT up.

Our phones are STILL out, how internet works is beyond me. It cuts out every so often though... probably when someone tries to call the house.

 

Can I move? Please?

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aLbxLs.pOC_g

Being woken up by ANOTHER one is just UGH. It wouldn't have been bad if like, the one in Jan. didn't hit, I was freaking out, even though it was pretty much 10 sec of really minor shaking (I woke up, thought it was ME shaking, not the ground), then a couple seconds of jerking, then another 10 seconds of minor shaking. But due to the january quake, I was just scared it would end up bigger -.-

But yea, can I move, please? At this rate, we'll have a 7.0 in March >_<