My Earthquake Experience 7-29-2008
By Rozie37
@Rozie37 (15499)
Turkmenistan
July 29, 2008 4:51pm CST
Alright, so it was like 11:44 a.m. and I was standing in front of my shower totally nude. I had just turned on the water, when the room begin to rock and roll. The first thing that I did is run out of the restroom, to the phone to call my best friend upstairs. She knew it was me and she answered the the phone by asking, "Did you feel that?"
We were both near panic from the excitment, but we were happy that we were alright and could be there for each other. The first thing that I told her is that our other friend who lives near her on the second floor would be knocking on her door real soon. Sure enough, a few minutes later she was in the room. She is from Texas, so earthquakes really shake her up.
The funny thing is that today is my best friend's birthday and last year on my birthday, there was an earthquake. Maybe God is trying to tell us something. Anyway, before I got off the phone with her, I told her that I would come up to visit as soon as I got out of the shower. I was barely dressed before they were both knocking on my door. We sat around for a while and talked about the 5.4 quake and remembered other quakes that we have survived. The worst damage here was that my roommate's framed picture on her nightstand fell over. No big deal. But I will admit, I was shaken for a little while.
We had Pizza Hut Pizza and cakse for her birthday. It was a very nice time. I am so thinkful to God for my Christian friends. It makes all the difference in the world. So have you been affected by todays earthquake in California or Las Vegas? If so, share your story or any story of the survival of a natural disaster.
http://www.knx1070.com/
16 people like this
25 responses
@insaneduck9 (836)
• United States
29 Jul 08
That's really scary. I heard about this earthquake also. I have an uncle who lives in California and while I was watching CNN, I saw the headline "Earthquake In California - No damage". I was relieved when it said no damage because that most have meant there were no lost lives.
I hope you aren't traumitized by this event but Californians should be use to this because they have a lot of drills I hear. 
6 people like this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
30 Jul 08
I have spent the better part of 57 years living in California, and all those years they have always been talking about the big one. Not much sense worrying about something like that since it is out of our control 
This might be a good time to take some swimming lessons though
This might be a good time to take some swimming lessons though 2 people like this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
30 Jul 08
First off I am glad that everything is ok with you as far as the earthquake goes. I have felt them before here in Ohio, you wouldn't think Ohio would have them. But we have had some small ones before. I have an Uncle that lives North of LA, he lives in Oxnard. He felt it at his house, I don't want nothing to do with Cal. Have you lived your whole life out that way. My Uncle and I tease each other about our climates and weather. We each think our state is better. My wish for you is for the ground not to shake anymore. Its so nice to see your name in my email, its still surprising to see your name.
3 people like this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
30 Jul 08
Rozie, I am so happy too, I am really happy that it was my suggestion that fixed the problem. I am also really glad that you hung in there, it would have been a shame to loose you on mylot. I am sure it did feel lonely, the problem happened right after one of the updates, thats when things went screwy. Well we can be happy its all fixed now.
1 person likes this
@Rozie37 (15499)
• Turkmenistan
30 Jul 08
Oh that is so sweet. It is nice to see my friend's responding to my post again. For a long time, I felt so alone on Mylot. But I hung in there and it has been well worth it. I know that all states have their disasters, but I do not know what is most common in Ohio. Thanks again for your help, I am so happy.
2 people like this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
30 Jul 08
Didn't feel a thing and had not realised there was an earthquake today. Glad to hear you and your friends were ok. 5.4 isn't that bad but still, enough to make me jump too. Im glad your ok my friend.
3 people like this
@zeroflashx2 (2491)
• Philippines
30 Jul 08
I'm thousands of miles away though but I just wish everyone's safe. 5.4 isn't strong but still, it can be felt quite hard. The last earthquake we had here was around intensity 4. The strongest we've felt was back in 1991. It was around 6.5. It was really shaking and I feel really dizzy while it's rocking. Good thing it wasn't that long. It only took a few seconds as well.
It won't hurt to be prepared anytime. It is always uncertain what will happen next. Keep a strong faith and take care of yourself and your loved ones. Take care.
3 people like this
@redkathy (3374)
• United States
30 Jul 08
Glad you are safe Rosie! I was visiting my brother back in 78 and there was a smaller earthquake. I don't recall the number but it scared the crap out of me! Now I live in Florida and survived the storms of 2004. Hurricane Charley, Ivan the terrible, and I forget the other one. Three in one season, close together, but Charley was the worst! Charley was on Friday the 13th for all the superstitious people reading this 
We had damage but not nearly as bad as the people about 20 miles up the highway in Punta Gorda. It was total devastation there. I remember the local meteorologist saying over the radio, "If you haven't evacuated stay put!!! It's time to hunker down in a safe place because the storm just took a right and is headed for Charlotte Harbor!!" He repeated his statement and I was really scared. Downtown Punta Gorda is on the harbor. My youngest son and hubby sat on the porch and watched 40 foot trees fall like nothing. Since our house faces north, and the storm was spinning from the southwest but hit north of us, the porch in front was sheltered from the incoming storm, kinda like a cubby. The rain was literally horizontal as I looked out the bedroom window to the south. Our 6' wooden privacy fence fell like dominoes, on section at a time, and water ran into my office from the vault in the ceiling. And still the guys stayed watching in front. It was the scariest weather thing I every experienced. Now, when they say maybe it will ...we are gone!
We had damage but not nearly as bad as the people about 20 miles up the highway in Punta Gorda. It was total devastation there. I remember the local meteorologist saying over the radio, "If you haven't evacuated stay put!!! It's time to hunker down in a safe place because the storm just took a right and is headed for Charlotte Harbor!!" He repeated his statement and I was really scared. Downtown Punta Gorda is on the harbor. My youngest son and hubby sat on the porch and watched 40 foot trees fall like nothing. Since our house faces north, and the storm was spinning from the southwest but hit north of us, the porch in front was sheltered from the incoming storm, kinda like a cubby. The rain was literally horizontal as I looked out the bedroom window to the south. Our 6' wooden privacy fence fell like dominoes, on section at a time, and water ran into my office from the vault in the ceiling. And still the guys stayed watching in front. It was the scariest weather thing I every experienced. Now, when they say maybe it will ...we are gone!3 people like this
@Rozie37 (15499)
• Turkmenistan
30 Jul 08
I really like the way you told that story. I could really feel the excitement of the moment. Especially, the way you talked about how your son and husband watched all those trees fall. The one thing about earthquakes is that there is no prior warning, unless you are paying close attention to the weather patterns. Whenever the weather keeps switching from hot to cold real quickly, you can almost bet that there will be an earthquake soon.
2 people like this
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
30 Jul 08
Nice to hear that you are safe in your place. Earthquakes are really traumatic events in our lives. Sometimes that feeling of helplessness in the middle of an earthquake is just as horrifying as sometimes the experience sticks for the rest of our lives as these kinds of experiences are the things that really sticks on our minds.
2 people like this
@g3n3j0rd (721)
• Philippines
30 Jul 08
I was just wondering because there was an email that circulated that an earthquake would happen July 28, 2008 here in the Philippines. The date would of course depend on which part of the globe you're located. It was supposed to be the big one with at least intensity 8 on the Richter scale. We didn't experience the earthquake and so dismiss the rumor exactly what it is, rumor. But now, knowing that there was an earthquake in California in almost the same time frame as what was predicted, it gives me the chill.
2 people like this
@Rozie37 (15499)
• Turkmenistan
30 Jul 08
That does sound a bit eerie. But I believe that it is safe to say that we can not always explain everything that happens. My brother-in-law threatened to rob me one day and that very same day I was robbed at gunpoint. I do not believe that he had anything to do with it, but it was very frightening for me.
1 person likes this
@Linda4ualways (2282)
• United States
30 Jul 08
Well Rozie let me tell you about my little experience: this happened like over 20 years ago because where I live we don't get earthquakes. Well anyway, it was early in the morning, I would say around 6 something. My family and I were still in the bed for it was Summer. All of a sudden, we heard this rumbling sound and it was so loud and the house was shaking. All of a sudden our beds started sliding towards the other side of the room. We were so scared![em]cry[/em. We all ran into my mother's room and jumped on her bed.
That was so scary yet exciting! Take care and God Bless!
2 people like this
@renee0909 (152)
• China
30 Jul 08
I heard the earthquake in California. Thank God there was no damage.
I'm a Chinese. Probably you know the earthquake taking place in China on May, 12nd. When it happened, I was just taking the nap. The quake woke me up. At first, I thought it would be my dorm-mates shaking my bed. But as I sat straight, I found no one was around me and the light was shaking, the television was shaking too. I realized it was an earthquake. Together with a friend, I ran to the toilet at once, a much safer place for us to go because we are living on a high floor. I felt the quake for about 30 seconds. But after that, I began to feel dizzy.
No body hurt in my city. But in the epicenter, thousands of people lost their lives. May they be happy in the other world.
2 people like this
@Rozie37 (15499)
• Turkmenistan
30 Jul 08
I heard about that. It was a devastating earthquake. I can not imagine experiencing something so horrible. I am glad that you survived. Earthquakes are definitely no joke. We out here in California are aware that they can happen at any time at any magnitude.
1 person likes this
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
30 Jul 08
I've never even visited California (well, I took a flight out os somewhere to get to Hawaii), and that's one reason. I cannot imagine living where earthquakes are "normal." We had some tremmor in the mid-west last year and it scared everyone, even though it wasn't that bad.
But I guess lots of folks wouldn't like living in the hurricane areas where I lived in TX and FL. And others wonder why folks don't move away from the rivers that flood, or from the areas where forest fires burn. Perhaps we all get used to the things that happen where we live.
I'm glad you're okay.
2 people like this
@mimico (3617)
• Philippines
30 Jul 08
I heard about the earthquake in the news as well. Good thing there wasn't much damage unlike the forest fires that always scare a lot of people. Do you really think that natural disasters are God's way of communicating with us? I'm not so sure on this but I'd like to think the very best of Him. After all, He's supposed to be good right?
2 people like this
@Amanda81587 (3042)
• United States
29 Jul 08
I live in ohio so I wasnt effected. I have only felt one little earthquake my whole life. But my uncle lives in California and he gets them all the time! 
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
30 Jul 08
Unfortunately, I did not hear about the Earthquake that you in California experienced until I got home from work. I was surprized no one mentioned it at work though as well. Since I live in Seattle, we did not feel it, or experience one here, but I do remember the one we had FEB 2001. It was not a pleasant experience to remember. But I am glad everyone is safe, and no real damage done.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (160708)
• United States
30 Jul 08
Nice to know you and your friends are okay today Rozie. I do not have any close calls to tell about. I think you had an earlier discussion that I wanted to respond to but did not. I hope you get some interesting responses.
2 people like this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
31 Jul 08
I was not affected by the earth quake I am so worried about friends how live in Mariposa county near the fires. I have not heard from any of my friends and do not have their cell phone number so I just have to wait and see when they get a hold of me to let me know if they have a house or not.
1 person likes this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
31 Jul 08
Yes I mean that I did not feel the earthquake if it would have been any harder I we would have felt it up here.
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
30 Jul 08
I am glad that you and everyone in California are ok. I am from Southern California originally and have had my share of earthquakes. I left California about 10 years ago but I still have so many family members and friends living out there.
The first thing I did was try to reach everyone and all the circuits were busy. It was just a relief once I spoke to my friends and family and knew they were ok and saw on CNN that there was no major damage or casualities.
Have a better day all and happy myLotting!
@vicky30 (4766)
• India
30 Jul 08
I was in the house watching tv at 9:00 AM then suddenly the building started shaking.me and my family members live on the fourth floor without lift.i went to the kitchen and saw some vessels hanging shaking like a pendulum clock.I opened the door and ran down the building.One thing i am sorry about.I was not so brave to wait for my family members come down with me.
2 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
30 Jul 08
Only two and very very small ones. I thank god for placing me in a earthquake free state! I am glad you are safe!
2 people like this
