I had a great scare today.

We live in the state of Virginia in the eastern part of the United States and we are not supposed to have earthquakes here.However starting about probably 10 years ago I'd say we had some small scale earthquakes in some towns nearby where we live.But in September 2011 I was at my mom's and we were in the kitchen of her mobile home getting ready to fix lunch when all of the sudden the house shook and I had thought that a tree had fell on the kitchen roof because the previous winter when we had an unusual blizzard half of the tree from their neighbors yard fell on the kitchen roof.The complex nor the insurance companies would have the other half of the tree cut down.So,I grabbed my mom and pulled her to the other side of the house and yelled for my uncle that was taking a nap in the back.I ran outside to see how much damage the tree had done and found that the tree had not fallen.I was puzzled and looked around and saw other neighbors standing outside looking puzzled also.I asked one lady if her house shook and she had two small kids and was obviously frightened.She did not speak much english,so I did not continue the conversation.Then I started talking to another man that was outside and he said he wasn't sure what happened.He was there visiting his sister that he was from California and it kinda' felt like an earthquake but he knew it wasn't because there has never one on the east coast.And I corrected him on that.Then his sister openned the door and said that his wife was on the phone from South Carolina and that it was an earthquake! He ran inside and about that time my mom looked out and said that they just said that it was an earthquake.It started 83 miles from us in Mineral,Virginia.It was 5.8 on the rictor scale and was felt south all the way to Georgia and north into Canada! There were 4 or 5 after shocks during the next few months and I believe another smaller earthquake that was scary! We mostly get thunderstorms here,but there has been some tornadoes that have killed some people and destroyed homes.

How awful to have the peace of your afternoon disturbed in such a way. Thankfully, we do not feel earthquakes where I live, at least as far as we know, since there are fault lines nearby. We do live with the threat of hurricanes though, and recently we have begun to experience tornadoes.

Nope, never been in an earthquake. Hurricanes and tornadoes, but no earthquakes or volcanoes...

i've heard it in our local news today. Thank God there was no great damage. Our country is also located in an earthquake prone area and just last month there was a strong one. I can't remember the exact magnitude but it was at 6+. Luckily, its epicenter was in the ocean area hence there were only minor damages. Take care and God bless.

I hope you are alright and not experiencing any aftershocks. I'm worried because you commented on a few responses and now you're gone. I am praying that you're alright. Earthquakes, to me, are the scariest of Mother Nature's surprises. I have never been in one. I have a relative and a friend who have been in some very bad earthquakes. The worst we have in the Northeast are blizzards. Although about 40 years ago we did have a very brief tremor. Everything in my house rattled for just a second and that was it. And last year a tornado came through. It caused much damage. I don't think there has ever been a tornado in this part of the country before. It was pretty bad. Please, try to stay safe. I don't know where a safe place would be in an earthquake situation. They say a doorway is the safest place but I personally would rather be up in the air in a plane. I do hope you're alright.

Never been in an earthquake before, hope everything is all right with you! I've been/witnessed a tornado and been in some snow blizzards before. I remember when I was younger and a tornado struck through. We had a big cottonwood tree by our house, when the tornado blew through, there was a big "swimming pool" where the tree stood. Luckily the tornado blew the tree in the opposite direction of our house. One year we had an ice storm, power was out for a while because the ice was so heavy on the power lines, it broke the lines.

Hello marguicha. I am lucky not to live on the earthquake belt, but I felt a slight shake months ago. Many people in our city felt about it that day and later we heard over the radio about the news of an earthquake in a faraway city. I have no idea what I should do if it should happen. Take care.

Earthquake are common in my area. Several times last 2 months we are awaken by more than 5.0 Richter scale magnitude. Although our house made of concrete materials, I am not worries about it because it's spacious and no fear for the debris will fall down.

Marg, lucky that nothing very serious happening to your area. As for my area here, we always have flood and land-slide problems. Seems like, everything that happened in our area are hard to be predicted. For example, there ever happened a very terrible land slide in my country which a few buildings are collapsed and had killed a lot of people. What we can do is, enjoy our life as much as we can while we are still alive. Because we never know when disaster will strike. Have a nice weekend.....

Not earthquake but thunder and lightning is so severe here that it scares the day lights out of me. This is a trend over the last couple of years which happens even during day time and suddenly when you are least prepared you experience it. There is little time to put off all the gadgets as a severe lightning can destroy everything electrical that is in one's house. So far we have been careful and have been spared from such losses.

hi, actually my country is in the ring of fire meaning my country is one to the country who have many volcanoes so meaning earthquake is more often because volcanoes will affect the rocks and soil,i am thankful because even there are earthquakes here its not that strong or having a high magnitude.

Thanks for details, i live in Sambalpur city of Odisha state of india, long back my dad says we had mild earth quake in 1954, i was 2 years young then, near my home there is longest earth dam of Asia; known as Hirakud Dam; because this place does not fall under any earthquake zone; they have built I think if there is any such earthquake here; i will be panicked and run out from home

Very scary indeed! I live in Scotland where we do not suffer from any major scares, but we make up for it by having lousy weather all year round. Where are you situated? Earthquakes would scare the hell out of me. One of the scariest things i saw was the tsunami of 2001 in a place i would of considered a safe haven. Hope you have not suffered any after shocks.

Ohhh :O That sounds shaky! I am thankful enough I don't live by the mountain, so safe for volcano eruption. I don't live near the sea, safe for tsunami. I live at the heart of a city. My neighbor towns experience a lot of earthquakes, and yeah some are serious. Again just thankful I feel a little of the shakes, but not destructive. Take care btw! :/

Very scary. It was in my teens that I faced this problem. I live in South India and there was a sudden noise like breeze in the night. We were about to sleep. The window doors were shaking and things started falling. Then my father told it is earthquake and we all ran down as ours was first floor. My mother was a paralytic patient and we carried her down. It was there for only a short time but we stayed there till past mid night and did not get sleep at all. Your experience brings that memory to me.

I am told there is a fault-line somewhere not too far from here and it would not be good if that had a quake, but I don't know if it would really happen. I used to live in California and it was common, but I didn't live there when a big one hit so I don't know how that really is. In our area tornadoes are the most common natural disaster. I'm just glad that I haven't been involved with one of those either.

I live in California, so yea, I live where there are earthquakes. They happen a lot here so most of the time, unless something shakes off the wall or a shelf, you really don't notice them. I remember one about two years ago where I was laying in bed and the bed started to shake. I just laid there waiting for it to pass, it was my first earthquake. The next day I asked somebody at church if they felt the earthquake, they just laughed and said that wasn't an earthquake, just wait, you'll know when a big one happens. I'm not scared of them, now if I was driving and the ground opened up I guess I'd hate that cause I wouldn't have any control.

I have lived all my life in earthquake country and have learned not to run, but rather to get under something for protection. In fact in two the bigger earthquakes I was in no one could run, we couldn't even stand. It is a very sacry feeling to have no control, to find that something you take as a solid really is not. Next time, get under something, things falling from above injure or kill the most people.

My most unforgettable earthquake experience was the 6.8 magnitude last July 16, 1990. I was at home with my friend. We had no classes that day and we planned to stay at my house to study. While we were waiting for our other friend to come, we just decided to just watch TV and had snacks. Then I saw our chandelier move. I shrugged it off coz I thought it was because of the electric fan. Then I saw the water inside my glass move.. Then I realized it was an earthquake! My friend and I rushed outside of our house, me, leaving my slippers behind. It was such a terrifying experience. Coz I think after that, even with just minor after shocks, it kept me running outside of the house.

HOLY crap!!! That would scare the crap out of me!!! I live in the United States in the midwest.. So there is not much action here aside from severe thunderstorms here and there. Other than that, no earthquakes. Although I have been told there were a few during the night one time and I slept right through it. I was told it was not that bad and we just received the after effect from another region close by.. I know every blue moon we get warnings for possible tornadoes and are encouraged to take proper cover..that's about it. I pray for your safety and I hope you stay safe! Take care!