So we Had an Earthquake This Morning
By cynthiann
@cynthiann (18602)
Jamaica
May 16, 2011 3:08pm CST
I just heard about it on the radio. It was 5.0 on the Richter scale and although reports state that things fell off shelves and lights flickered and some people panicked - no real damage was sustained. I expect that people were thinking of what had happened to poor Japan
Evidently it was felt across the Island but I did not feel a thing. And no, I wasn't asleep either. When the daughter called and asked if I was all right I said yes and asked her if she was alright. But I didn't know that she was talking about an earthquake
Earthquakes are scary when you realise that the Island is only 120 miles long and 44 miles wide at the biggest point.
The biggest earthquake that I experienced was when I was at a funeral some years ago. We were outside of the Church and the coffin was being lowered into the ground when the quake started.
Some people felt that judgement day had come and were looking up in the sky for Jesus and others were weeping and wailing.
My husband told me not to laugh as I have this nervous tendency to laugh at inappropriate moments and so I didn't but looked up in the sky for the Rapture. Apologies to my Fundamentalist friends; I respect your beliefs so please respect mine. 
I really did join the others in looking for the Rapture.
So are there earthquakes where you live?
Evidently it was felt across the Island but I did not feel a thing. And no, I wasn't asleep either. When the daughter called and asked if I was all right I said yes and asked her if she was alright. But I didn't know that she was talking about an earthquake
Earthquakes are scary when you realise that the Island is only 120 miles long and 44 miles wide at the biggest point.
The biggest earthquake that I experienced was when I was at a funeral some years ago. We were outside of the Church and the coffin was being lowered into the ground when the quake started.
Some people felt that judgement day had come and were looking up in the sky for Jesus and others were weeping and wailing.
My husband told me not to laugh as I have this nervous tendency to laugh at inappropriate moments and so I didn't but looked up in the sky for the Rapture. Apologies to my Fundamentalist friends; I respect your beliefs so please respect mine. I really did join the others in looking for the Rapture.
So are there earthquakes where you live?4 people like this
15 responses
@mylesnarvaez (5451)
• Philippines
17 May 11
hi! glad you are okay, and no real damage sustained in your end.
it's good to find humour even at inappropriate of times... hehe your husband keeps you in check.
in my part of the world, it's pretty common to experience earthquakes. around the pacific, every country in the volcanic belt experience the most number of quakes. from where i live now, our volcano has been acting up and pretty active for about 2 weeks now and we do have warning signals for those living in the vicinity. i'm about 30 minutes away from the town that connects to the volcano in the lake. as from stories of my grandfather before, the last big eruption was about 35-36 years ago, before i was even born.
earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, typhoons and tornadoes... natural disasters can be pretty scary especially when the area where we live in can be pretty vulnerable at the worst possible time.
take care
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 May 11
Thank you for your good wishes. It is just that there have been so many disasters around the world in the last few years. Having an active volcano close by is really scary. We do have hurricanes and I have through many of these. We just go into gurricane mode when th3 season begins.Blessings
@mylesnarvaez (5451)
• Philippines
17 May 11
yes the last few years, almost every corner of the world has been through one form of a disaster or another. in times of disasters, we can only do the best we can.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 May 11
I agree. we try to be prepared and we must always help each other
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 May 11
There were a few really big ones when I lived in LA. Not so much here (crosses fingers and toes)...
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
16 May 11
The climate change is happening everywhere. Two years ago we had a hurricane ein December. Unheard if as t was outside of hurricane season so nine of us really believed that it actually was coming until the day before or hours before really. rushing around filling up car with gas and getting cash out f ATM;'s and emergency supplies as when the power go then life as we know stops too. so we have to be prepared
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 May 11
If life as we know it stops, not sure I want to be around....
@GardenGerty (160488)
• United States
18 May 11
Whether we feel them or not there are earthquakes in every state in the US. I never realized how small your island is. A bad tsunami would be a very real problem for you. I am glad there was no real damage.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
18 May 11
Yes, we are tiny but there are so many mountains, hills and gullies thst it takes hours to get anywhere, so we do not get Island fever
Actually, there is only an 8% risk of a tsunami so we are blessed really. It was a 5.4 earthquake and we are glad that it is off the coast as this helped us. Blessings
Actually, there is only an 8% risk of a tsunami so we are blessed really. It was a 5.4 earthquake and we are glad that it is off the coast as this helped us. Blessings
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
17 May 11
I'm glad everything is okay.
We don't normally get a lot of earthquakes near where I live. I guess we've had a couple in my lifetime but I never felt them.
A few years ago I visited Ottawa, Canada and stayed with a friend of mine. Shortly after I had arrived we were sitting in her living room, the TV was on, and we were chatting about how I'd gotten lost and ended up in Quebec! Just then her apartment shook a bit and her TV reception went out. I thought perhaps this was something she was used to. I was thinking of apartments in NY city that shake because they're built above subway lines or something. Of course her apartment was in a tall building so there was no reason for it to shake, but I didn't know that.
So I looked at her wondering "What was that?" and she looked at me because she had no clue! Later we discovered it had been an Earthquake. The center of it had been quite far away, but we still felt the shocks of it. Thankfully we were okay.. it was just a mild shake. It didn't even knock over any of her pictures or knick knacks. But it was the first and last earthquake I've ever felt!
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 May 11
Did not feel a thing either but have been told that where I live and work is really safe. it is just that noiw the weater is so unpredictable. Look at the disaster's that your own country has suffered this past year. The climate is really changing
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
17 May 11
The biggest earthquake I have experienced was a long time ago. It was back when I was still in university. I think it was on the higher 7 on the Richter scale.
Although I don't remember anything really terrible happening in terms of damages, I remember it particularly because of where I was. I was still living in a dorm, and when the quake started everybody started running outside. And I remember seeing a few guys from my floor running out, all wet, and with just a towel on. Some even had soap in their hair!
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 May 11
It is all funny in retrospect but scary at the time. Well, the one at the graveside was nt scary as I was finding it all very funny. Ours turned out to be a 5.4 and the epicentre was 20 k off shore and that helped. No one hurt thank God. I have lost spell check on Mylot and I am lost as I do not proof read well. so forgive any errors as the fingers are a little stiff
@besthope44 (12123)
• India
17 May 11
OMG Cynthiann, thats really panicking
. I know how scary it will be
. The one japan incident made me shiver though i was not in that place. And how it affects mentally every human
. But the place i live in is not in seismic zone, so never had one.
. I know how scary it will be. The one japan incident made me shiver though i was not in that place. And how it affects mentally every human. But the place i live in is not in seismic zone, so never had one.@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 May 11
I think the images from apan will stay with us for many years. Total devastation and the people did not panic and that so impressed me.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
16 May 11
Well I didn't think there were until a few weeks ago when one hit not too far from here! It was a shocker for everyone. We usually have other things like tornado's. Last year one so bad it took out a bunch of peoples homes etc....keep your fingers crossed though that we won't have a repeat of last year.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
16 May 11
When I see the damage from tornadoes in the US my heart hurts for the people who have lost their homes. They tumble like a pack of cards
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
17 May 11
Glad y'all are alright. They have been predicting for years that we will have a major quake here one of these days. I hope they are wrong. I don't think u have to apologize to anyone for your belief, Cynthi. Take care.hugs.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 May 11
I certainly hope that you do not get one. People are so sensitive re religion and politics that I did not want to upset anyone. Blessings
@yoyo1198 (3641)
• United States
17 May 11
I live very close to the New Madrid fault here in the States. All of the states that would be affected are having a drill this week. This area is overdue for a major quake and results would be devasting for hundreds of miles around. The last big hundred-year quake caused the Missisippi River to run backwards and created a new river bed. There would be a lot of people who wouldn't survive this time given the increase in populstions and industries.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 May 11
My God, I believe that I read something about that disaster. There seems to be nowhere safe in the world. Just announced that it was 5.4 on the Richter scale.
Just announced that it was 5.4 on the Richter scale.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
17 May 11
luckily there isnt. after scarey times in california and i lived through one i said never again. in florida, i worried about hurricanes! anyway, its one of the few things nice about arizona. so im so glad that you didnt suffer any damage or scare where you are. take care.
anyway, its one of the few things nice about arizona. so im so glad that you didnt suffer any damage or scare where you are. take care. @cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 May 11
Many thanks. No one was injured and we give thanks. 5.4 on the Richter scale. I know all abut hurricanes and you have had terrible ones in Florida too. It is scary at times.Blessings
@piya84 (2581)
• India
17 May 11
I have experience big earthquake once or two time in my life and i must say it was really scary experience.Fortunately no big damage was done in our city as point was origin was away in the sea.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 May 11
Oh I am so sorry that you experienced this. The centre of our one was 20 kilometers off in the sea too so perhaps this helped. We really had no damage but people panicked of course.
@QeeGood (1213)
• Sweden
17 May 11
There are only small earthquakes, which are registered on an very sensitive equipment. In general we humans aren't aware of it.
However it must be a overwhelming experience to be in a place when you can see the earth is falling apart, houses are falling down like when the Ocean crash over sandcastles.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 May 11
That would be awful to see. So many disasters are taking place all over the world. People are suffering and this is hard to watch on telelvision
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 May 11
Really? where did yo find this information? would be glad for details.
@harries (99)
• Philippines
17 May 11
Well, here in the Philippines, there are lots of earthquakes. Hopefully, there will be no strong ones to come. The strongest earthquake that struck us was about 20 years ago and I really hope that won't happen again.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 May 11
Scary isn't it? I do hope that you did not get an earthquake. Ours was 5.4 Could be a lot worse
Could be a lot worse
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
19 May 11
There have been earthquakes here in Kentucky, but they have historically been few and far between. In fact, the last one that I actually remember feeling was when my father was still alive and he has been gone for 16 years now, so it has been a really long time. However, there have been several predictions that our area is due for another (much larger) earthquake in the near future, so I've definitely had some fodder to think about regarding earthquakes.
