It's 6:25 am, was listening to the helicopters over the mountains, I assume a drug bust they've been there since 5:00, lots of that in the foothills of the Sierras, Calaveras County.

In an earlier thread I suggested that Norm get some food and a weapon to prepare for an emergency of some form. Just got hit by an earthquake, watched the house sway hither and yon, earth moving, nerves jangled, it only lasted a few seconds, probably centered around Bishop, CA east of Yosemite, just a guess.

It does underscore how fragile the world really is.

-- Mark Hillyard (foster@inreach.com), May 15, 1999

Answers

Sorry to laugh, but I cannot help it. You are new to California right? *giggle* I suggest you go back to where you came from, or get used to it. What you descrobe is a daily occurance in Calif. I have a website that will show you the occurance pf earthquakes. You are in the middle of it. Hundreds every day there. You can even see the up to the minute ones if you want, and the faults they lie upon. Have a "Nice " sunshiney day. *grin*

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), May 15, 1999.

The news last night talked about 40 earthquakes centering around Joshua Tree -- one was a 5 point something.

Hang tight! (And fill your back-up water jugs).

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 15, 1999.

Cherri,

I was born and raised in Burlingame, CA and am not frightened by a little earthquake. It is, however, a bit unnerving when you are looking out the window and the trees are going this way and the house is going that way and you don't know when it will stop.

Just pointing out that your personal situation can change in seconds, Y2K or any problem arising and a person is wise to put a little away for a rainy day.

Kinda like the thrill of an earthquake ride, as long as people aren't hurt. Seems like a little bit more shaking going on, very small this time.

-- Mark Hillyard (foster@inreach.com), May 15, 1999.

Mark, just saw the earthquake map. It looked like a 6.0 or so, around Mammoth Lakes. Yikes.

Here in Sacratomato we don't get the big shakers, but we get occasional floods. I agree with you - prepare!

-- Margaret (janssm@aol.com), May 15, 1999.

Margaret

6.0 is fairly big! Any damage you hear of?

-- Mark Hillyard (foster@inreach.com), May 15, 1999.

Cherri,

Youre being just a tad condescending there.

Im a native Californian, quite used to shaky ground. It was always * fun* until the Northridge earthquake ... a supposed 6.7 or thereabouts. (Felt like more).

Diane

See thread for personal story ...

The Energy Of Emotions -- Y2K Lessons From L.A.

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000FUZ

Or ... check out the Seismic Monitor (great map) ...

http://www.iris.washington.edu/seismic/60_2040_1_8.html

The display is updated every 30 minutes using data from the National Earthquake Information Center. Earthquakes that have occurred within the last 24 hours are shown with red circles. The circles fade through orange to yellow within 15 days. After 15 days, the circles are replaced by light purple dots that remain on the map for five years. The distribution of seismicity over the past 5 years demonstrates how earthquakes define the boundaries of tectonic plates, and the relationship between topography and seismicity. The Earths shadow illustrates day/night and seasonal changes.

Click in the center of a circle and a list of all events will appear with the event you selected highlighted in yellow and events within 10 degrees of that event highlighted in white. Events that are 6.0 and greater are linked to special information pages that try to explain the where, how and why that particular event occurred. Click on an individual seismic observatory (shown by the purply colored triangles) to bring up a station information page.

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 15, 1999.

Mark, yes, an odd sensation when the floor rolls, the view tilts, and objects sway cattywampus. For your info, here's an update on the 6.0 earthquake you just experienced:

http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/nc51082173.html

Recen t Earthquakes in California

Expect aftershocks and in about 2 hours, another quake is possible. They've been coming in 2s and 3s recently.

xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), May 15, 1999.

Mark, the epicenter is supposed to be 8 mi WSW of Tom's Place. According to my ancient hiway map, it looks like a wide spot in the road on 395 north of Bishop. They probably got shook a little, and Mammoth Lakes quite a bit. Haven't heard anything on the news, yet.

Interesting thing, all the aftershocks are piled right on top of each other. I wonder if the volcano is getting restive. Earthquake map calls it "moderate", tho.

I use the map at http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/index.html

Sorry, link impaired.

-- Margaret (janssm@aol.com), May 15, 1999.

"It does underscore how fragile the world really is."

And there, in a nusthell, is what prompted your post, Mark. Anyone who lives in a disaster-prone area knows this jittery feeling! I didn't get the impression you were surprised by it or that you had no idea there were earthquakes in California. In fact, I'll bet you were thinking how glad you are that you have some emergency supplies stashed, just in case.

Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

-- Prepared Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 15, 1999.

Diane, thanks for the IRIS map. It makes it easier for me to track the Ring of Fire. Very user friendly for quick info!

Leska, thanks for the link. That is the site I used.

- back to lurking -

-- Margaret (janssm@aol.com), May 15, 1999.

More at:

http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/VOLCANOES/LongValley/Current_Conditions.html

Current Conditions at Long Valley Caldera

"Updated at 7:35 AM (PDT) on May 15, 1999:

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake at 6:22 AM occurred in the Sierra Nevada south of Long Valley caldera with an epicenter 8 miles WSW of Toms Place (12 miles southeast of Mammoth Lakes).
The earthquake has been followed by a number of aftershocks, which at the time of this update have included a M=4.3 event at 6:38 AM a M=3.3 event at 6:59 AM, and a M=3.1 event at 7:02 AM.
This earthquake is located near the south end of the aftershock zone to the M=5.1 earthquake of 14 July last year (1998). At this time, we have seen no increase in activity within Long Valley caldera and the condition remains GREEN.

We can expect aftershocks to the earthquake to continue over the coming days. Some of these could be in the magnitude range of M=4 to 5. It is probably prudent to avoid venturing into the back country for the next week or so because of the possibility of additions aftershocks and possible rock fall activity. "
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xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), May 15, 1999.

Having been 30 miles from the epicenter of the 7.1 Loma Preita quake, I can tell you, Cheri, that it was no everyday experience. It does, however, give you a healthy respect for Mother Nature.

I guarantee you that the experience would wipe the smirk off your face.

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), May 15, 1999.

Mark - grew up where you did. Last earthquake I weathered there was in a 34 story hi-rise. We swayed - spooky. In my current section of the State, we have a nice big volcano that is still active, but sleeping most of the last century. I would not be in the lava path, but the ash and forest fires could be a problem. We get a few rollers, but they are rare. Perhaps I should work on my bug-out bag - lol.

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), May 15, 1999.

Old Git,

I was on Highway One in Pacifica heading to the Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Burlingame, CA when the Loma Preita Quake struck. There were some very terrified people. The whole place was in an uproar, no Computers, nothing was working and the poor nurses were running around in shock, still trying to collect blood donations, probably had visions of devastation and need for more blood than was available.

Stuff just happens!

-- Mark Hillyard (foster@inreach.com), May 15, 1999.

Eskimos have multiple names for snow. Californians have different names for different types of quakes. Folks in Tornado Alley probably have a variety of names for tornados. Part of life...

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), May 15, 1999.

"I guarantee you that the experience would wipe the smirk off your face. "

Not a smirk maybe, but, I can assure you, I was grinning with amazement to be still alive after Loma Prieta. The building didn't fall, I wasn't buried under rubble.... GRIN...!

-- long since moved (to@safer.place), May 15, 1999.

Good shaker site. http//earthquake.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin.html

-- && (&&@&&.&), May 15, 1999.

I was a news director for a little stand alone am station in Watsonville during the quake of '89. Funny thing, in April, I did a slew of reports on what would happen if a 7.0 quake hit the Santa Cruz Mountains. I talked with every major source, (USGS, Red Cross, BayRep, etc, ) It came down pretty much the way emergency folks figured. Buildings came down that were expected to come down and all of that.

To give you an idea of the magnitude of the quake. 3000 buildings were damaged or destroyed in Santa Cruz County alone. Whole downtowns were leveled in Santa Cruz and Watsonville. To this day, these cities are not whole. I saw pain and suffering amongst folks that lost everything. Whole histories came crashing down in 17 seconds of shaking. It was an earthquake that will be repeated again and again throughout the state. As one USGS official said to me--earthquakes are what makes California so beautiful and people have voted with their feet to be here. The majestic Sierra, the Central valley, the coastal range--all formed by earthquakes. Makes one think about the wonder and fragility of it all.

-- mrsbigdaddy (mrsbigdaddy@webtv.net), May 15, 1999.

mrsbigdaddy,

Just over the hill on the other side of the San Andreas now. The 'ole homestead took the Loma Prieta pretty well. Lots of other home shaken off their foundations ... etc. Santa Cruz took an awesome hit, and it whiped out one of my favorite 3-story old-house shops on the main street. (Fergit the name, now).

Have a *very* healthy respect for instantaneous change ... within seconds.

Y2K is just harder to handle 'cause it takes so long.

*Sigh*

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 15, 1999.

Y2K May or may not take so long. You are just looking at the specific date from farther away and slowly approaching it. However it IS sort of a variation on the water torture, drip method.

C

-- chuck, a Night Driver (rienzoo@en.com), May 15, 1999.

I went through the Northridge quake, miles from the epicentre, and was almost thrown out of bed - in my brothers' condo's basement - had visions of the whole building collapsing on me.

It got my attention :)

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), May 16, 1999.

I'm here in Tuolumne County, and it shook pretty good here. I thought for sure that SF had slid into the ocean.

Looks like mammoth is getting ready to blow.

-- Villain (villain@thedoghousemail.com), May 17, 1999.

Andy--hell of a cure for a hangover, huh?

-- Spidey (in@jam.commie), May 17, 1999.