...right here in central Virginia.  For a minute, I felt like I was back in Japan!

Just moved from there, guess I missed that one too.

Your timing is perfect! Hurricane Irene is supposed to blow through on her way north on I95. This will be a week to remember.

And, 2012 isn't even here yet!  The madness in the world has already started!    Stay safe w/ Irene......she's the one I'm worried about for you guys on the coast! 

5.8? Barely a quake.

On the Richter scale, every time the score goes up by 1, the quake is 10x stronger. A 6 is 10x strong than a 5. The Sendai quake about like 8.9, meaning it was 1000x stronger than yesterdays' tremor. It just got all the attention because it's where the news bureaus are based & they're not used to a little shaking.

I don't even get off the couch for a 5.8 and I'm on the 7th floor.

LOL, just watch footage of a press confrence that was going on when the quake it... everyone running for the doors. I thought for sure someone is gonna get stepped on.

It's a big deal there, because it doesn't ever happen. There's ancient fault lines under the East Coast, but they don't usually have any activity, and that's why everyone's like omg, what happened!?!?! Earthquake, oh no! Earthquakes only happen about ever 500 years around there.

Did anyone even know there was a 5.3 in Colorado the day before? Not a whisper of news. "OMG, Washington is burning!!!"

What a total overreaction. So how many people died in this quake? How many buildings fell down? How many freeway overpasses collapsed? And don't tell me it's because of the extraordinary seismic preparedness of the Eastern seaboard.

I'm sorry... I lived my first 23 years in the SF Bay area, and 6 years in Japan; I'm not easily impressed.

Yeah, but it is cheap and easy news! By the way, did anyone notice that Aruba girl still in the news? Contemporary journalism at its best, lol.

You don't get off the couch for a 5.8? When have you actually felt a 5.8? I know Japan gets big quakes, but in the Tokyo/Yokohama area they aren't that strong. If my house was shaking to the point that everything was falling off the walls I think I would leave. Japan is accustomed to earthquakes and have better building standards, not the same as in the states. There was damage caused by this earthquake. Also, I read that the rock and etc is different east of the Rockies so any earthquake in that area is 10x more intense than other earthquakes. That is why this one was felt all the way from Carolina to Toronto.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...coast.html

Yes, we are accustomed to them. I don't think many people in Mineral, VA are though.

Posted By okjapan on 08-24-2011 7:51 PM
You don't get off the couch for a 5.8? When have you actually felt a 5.8? I know Japan gets big quakes, but in the Tokyo/Yokohama area they aren't that strong. If my house was shaking to the point that everything was falling off the walls I think I would leave.

They are joking right? If the site I regularly check on shows me that we consistantly have earthquakes over 5 and last week it was 7 something than are they lying? Japan doesnt get strong quakes in those areas? After a month of living here and seeing my few pictures I could hang sway and some books fall I would say "no most people dont get off the couch for that."

I think what OKJapan is trying to say is that just because there is a 5.8 in Japan, doesn't mean when we're sitting in Yokosuka that we feel it as a 5.8 because we're not at the epicenter. While it's true that the East Coast earthquake wasn't much in comparison to the West Coast or Japan quakes, it is news because it's practically unheard of there. It's not a competition.

I dont think it is either but I found it a little funny about the comment regarding how the Tokyo area rarely gets felt. I would especially be scared there considering how Japan was hit with an unforseen quake and several smaller ones that led to that one. Nobody in the world is safe from natural disasters and its scary regardless.

Our little shaker in no way compares to Japan's history of earthquakes -- or recent activity. I mentioned it only because it was so unusual for this area. The last quake of this magnitude here was reported to be in 1897, so long ago that even I can scarely remember it. :-)) Being only about 34 miles from the epicenter, I found this one to be every bit as impressive as any I experienced while in Yokosuka...

I think everyone would be a little rattled if the epicenter was a 5.8 quake here in Yokosuka. Most of the quakes up north end up feeling quite small out here......usually we end up with s/thing around a 2, maybe a 3 out in this area. I don't even think we had a 5.8 here when the 9.1 hit back in March. I can't remember exactly what it ended up being here in the Yokosuka area.

okjapan, I'm not knocking a 5.8. I'd be scared too. This one was like 100 miles from DC, but DC gets all the news. I'm just saying the news coverage is over the top. It could have been anywhere else in the world (actually, there have been like 5 in the world of that magnitude this week alone) and they didn't get coverage like that. It's just that all the newsmen are in DC, so all of a sudden the sky is falling.

How many people are homeless tonight from this quake? Which communities are experiencing gas or water shortages? Answer: Somewhere close to zero. 5.8 is scary but in the long run, this is all hype.

BTW, google "Wash DC earthquake" and you get these headlines of the Great DC Quake. The freaking thing was 100 miles away!! The big California quake of 1989 (which measured 6.9) was only 60 miles from San Francisco, but they don't call it the San Francisco Earthquake. They call it the Loma Prieta earthquake, which is just a little neighborhood near Los Gatos. Why are they calling this the Washington DC earthquake?

Jessica - I think you misunderstood. Yes, the Fukushima area has had very strong quakes and they have them often. We don't live in Fukushima... the ones we feel here (Yokosuka) are only 2-3. Please look a little closer at your website (Japan Meteorological Agency) and it will tell you the magnitude of different areas. I was just saying that no one should judge what people do during a 5.8 earthquake if they have never felt one. I have been here two years and I haven't felt anything near a 5.8 and that includes the 9.0... I believe it was only a 3 or 4 here. That one got me out of my house, as well as all of my Japanese neighbors.

Thank you MerMar for understanding what I was trying to say.

While I was typing this, I came across an article expressing similar sentiments, but in a more humorous vein. I need to lighten up. http://online.wsj.com/article/AP649...c0814.html

From the story:
- "Really all this excitement over a 5.8 quake??? Come on East Coast, we have those for breakfast out here!!!!"

- People circulated a photo of a table and four plastic lawn chairs in a serene garden setting. One of the chairs flipped on its back. The mock image carried the title "DC Earthquake Devastation."

Ya gotta laugh.

I ALWAYS fail to understand and am alway misunderstood. My apologies folks. Lets put down the swords. Anyways, the website I am referring to shows me a map and the cities listed. I will let them know this isnt correct but an earthquake felt is always scary-no denying that.

No swords and no apologies required! TG - I saw that photo of the garden chair, it was hilarious! I have a friend in DC who posted a pic from his apartment of the 'aftermath' and there was one crooked photo on the wall and one out of probaly eight framed pics on a table was lying facedown. It also made me laugh. You have to appreciate a sense of humor.

I will let them know this isnt correct - seriously? You say put the swords away and you make that comment. The website is not wrong... just your understanding. I will not comment further and I hope you do a little research to educate yourself on the subject.

I saw that Thaiguy and it was funny. I also saw a funny quote about the west coast reaction. Andrew Lackoff, "A perverse consequence of living with the ongoing specter of catastrophe is this sense of pride."

That earthquake wouldn't have been as major a news story if it hadn't affected DC.

Mcclanto I know you have no idea who I am and I am a sarcastic person. What I dont appreciate is you rambling some nonsense about me needing to educate myself about a topic. I am sure that just like you I get my news from similar places. I read a newspaper, I read the news on the internet, I go to this website for every city that has one

http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/qed/

and watch the news as well. I am not a scientist so do I actually know what a earthquake of a 5 or 7 is? NO. Nobody else really does either other than what we are told when it happens. I read this article a few weeks ago about a stronger earthquake I felt in Japan and it told me it was a 7.3 in the area. Was Yokosuka exactly that number? I have no idea because it listed it by the area, not city. I saw four other posts with smartass jokes or comments and two times I have apologized for the insensitivity of my comments yet for whatever reason you want to pinpoint me? To say I am misinformed would be fine but IM not sitting around here making up numbers and just throwing them out here on some post. I read what I read like anybody else. And comment please all you want since Im not understanding things and clarify to me how to read the website I listed and the article. I would be enlightened to have you educate me on earthquakes. At least MerMar saw my post for what it was instead of assuming a joke was misinterpreted AGAIN






7.3-magnitude earthquake strikes Japan
Associated Press, Updated: July 10, 2011 09:32 IST
Comments

This illustration depicts the area where a strong
quake struck on Sunday. (AFP)

Tokyo: A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 hit Japan's northeastern coast on Sunday, prompting a brief tsunami warning for the area still recovering from a devastating quake and killer wave four months ago.

Residents in coastal areas were warned to evacuate for about two hours after the quake, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake hit at 9:57 local time (0057 GMT), and a warning of a tsunami was issued for most of the northeastern coastline. The epicenter of the quake was in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan's main island, Honshu, at a depth of about 20 miles (30 kilometers).

Japanese officials predicted the quake could generate tsunami of up to 20 inches (50 centimeters), but the initial waves were only about 4 inches (10 centimeters). The tsunami warning was lifted after the forecast arrival time of the waves passed in most areas without any tsunami being recorded.


Japan's Meteorological agency at first estimated the strength of the quake at 7.1, but later revised that to 7.3. It also revised the depth estimate from 10 to 30 kilometers.

Japan's northeastern coastline was devastated by an earthquake and tsunami on March 11 that left nearly 23,000 dead or missing and touched off a nuclear crisis at a badly damaged facility in Fukushima.

Officials said there were no reports of abnormalities at the Fukushima plant caused by Sunday's quake, though workers were instructed to move to high ground. Airports in the area were also functioning normally.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. Dozens of strong aftershocks have been felt since the March 11 disaster, which measured a 9.0 magnitude and was the strongest in Japanese history.

Sunday's quake registered 4 on the Japanese scale of 7, meaning it was felt as moderately strong. Because of the damage from the March quake and tsunami, however, many buildings in the area are structurally weak and seawalls have been destroyed, making the region more vulnerable to relatively weaker quakes.






Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/s...-118064&cp

Posted By Jessica Williams on 08-24-2011 10:05 PM

an earthquake felt is always scary-no denying that.

again, misunderstood.  I have never been "scared" in an earthquake. Everyone reacts differently. My wife is like you; the slightest tremor freaks her out for days. But she's from Bangkok where they have no earthquakes. I grew up in Sunnyvale CA where I recall doing earthquake drills (and nuclear blast drills) as far back as kindergarten. "Quick, Johnny -- duck & cover!!" (anyone remember that classic? How to protect from nuclear blast if you're walking home from school.)

Anyway, quakes just don't "shake" me, so to speak.  Of course, I've never had the roof fall on my head either. I suppose that would change my attitude right quick.

dangit, again? eventually i should get it right.

Putting it all in perspective:

87,000 remain displaced, 5 months after the Sendai earthquake. Even now, this remains a tragedy of unspeakable proportions but where are the front-page stories? It just doesn't sell papers, so why bother...

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-...w.facebook

Well I live right here in Maryland (for the moment, we leave Nov for Yokosuka) and I will admit it shook me up.Not really sure if Im ready for this kind of expectation in my upcoming relocation. I was sitting on my couch and the movers were here packing out my stuff. I had to ask him if he felt that to make sure I wasn't having some kind of vertigo fit. I grabbed my son and walked outside. People in my buliding from upstairs came out and thats all we could talk about all day. I am from California and have experienced them when i was younger but living on the East, you feel safe from such events. Now of course it dosent come close to what happened there but never-the-less for the folks down here it was enough to get there attention. The people who ran outside in the DC area were more concerend about another 9/11 than they were thinking "Earthquake"!!! So now with that out of the way, we are prepaing ourself now for this supposed huricane thats coming this way, all I can say is "God help us, because in these days more than ever...we need You."

Here are the top stories on Washington Post online right now...

Steven Jobs resignation... Libya... Carrie Fisher's weight loss... zoo animals sensed the coming earthquake... the approaching hurricane... presidential election race...

Just over 24 hours after the holocaust, it's fallen off the news. I think the editors realize they overdid it and are somewhat chagrined.

The DC Media tends to overdo everything- the area will get 3 snowflakes and it's all the news talks about for days, it's on weather alerts- it's crazy.

It was however, the strongest quake to hit this area, so though no way as comparable to Fukishima or Japans earthquake, you are looking at a pretty sizable quake in an area that gets less than 5 noticeable quakes a century. It was a rare occurance and people don't expect them and don't know what to do. I'm actually in VA now, I was in the car but didn't feel it, but did feel an aftershock in the middle of the night. It felt very different than the Japanese ones- this was more of a wave than a shaking (but maybe it's the change in building structure too?). And it was LOUD. It sounded like a train going past. Very weird.

At least one eye opener was that if there was a true large scale emergency in the DC area- DC obviously is not equipped to handle a massive evacuation. The infrastructure isn't here (transit, roads, cell phones) and people don't have any idea what to do.

Sorry for the cursing at the beginning, but you should watch how much his cabinet shook!  That was a pretty heavy jolt, if only for a few seconds. 

haha, "he probably died or somethin."

I'm not one for cursing, but if you can't swear when your china cabinet is falling on your head, when can you swear?

Coming from Texas and being that we just got to Iwakuni today, I thought for sure we would feel an earthquake long before my parents or in-laws ever did. However, my in-laws just so happened to be boarding a plane going home from Newport when the earthquake struck. Unreal. Anyway, looking forward to seeing what all Japan has to offer.

In 2 years here, my wife & I have felt 3 or 4 quakes. She even felt the Big Sendai Quake from March, and almost no one else did in Iwakuni. We live on the 6th floor in a high-rise offbase which amplifies the motion.

Earthquake followed by Hurricane Irene...  too much excitement for one week!

 

Hurricane? That was an afternoon shower. Talk to the folks in Okinawa if you wanna know hurricane. Muifa sat over them for like 36 hours and dumped upward of 50 inches of rain. Winds exceeding 100 mph. In my book, the East Coast is 0-for-2 on recent so-called "disasters." They need a good volcano or hordes of locusts to stir things up.

OK. Throw in the Great Dismal Swamp -- on fire since 8/4/11. I know that doesn't meet your standards, but it's the best I can do from this wimpy part of the planet...

According to Thaiguy, everything in Japan is better even their natural disasters.

Posted By okjapan on 08-30-2011 8:51 AM
According to Thaiguy, everything in Japan is better even their natural disasters.

Now that's funny

haha, it's true!! And they're so polite about it, too. :-)