Nobody had to tell me about this earthquake. As I swayed along with my desk and my computer, I knew California had become “seismically active” yet again.
As earthquakes go here in Northern California, the one that rocked us on May 21 was not a big deal. I personally felt a quick jolt followed by about 20 seconds of swaying. Unsettling, yes, but certainly not the “big one” experts say we should expect. The Los Angeles Times reports:
" A magnitude 5.6 earthquake was reported Sunday at 11:44 a.m. 92 miles from Fortuna, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.”
This map shows the approximate epicenter of this earthquake according to the U.S. Geological Survey website:
This one wasn’t a big deal. But it was still spooky.
As a long-time California resident, I have become pretty accustomed to the occasional jolts and shakes. I don’t think I would have paid much attention to today’s 5.6 quake if not for my terrifying experience in the larger 6.4 earthquake that struck on December 20, 2022.
What was so scary about last December’s earthquake?
I was wide awake, sitting at my computer, when today’s “rock and roll” event, courtesy of Mother Nature, took place. But last winter, at 2:34 in the morning on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, I had been in a deep sleep when my world started to shake violently.
I bolted awake, frozen by the sight of the ceiling pitching for what seemed an eternity. I clearly remember thinking “This is it — it’s going to collapse onto my head.”
It didn’t help that shortly before going to bed the night before I had gotten word that an old friend had collapsed and was on life support. I had fallen asleep, fitfully reminded of our mortality, only to be jolted awake hours later fearing for my life.
We were more fortunate than some in our area
Our power was out for the better part of a day, but we were fortunate enough to not have any injuries or damage to our home. We did have items on the floor throughout the house but nothing major.
Our anchoring of all tall shelves and bookcases served us well as they all held. And thank Heaven for the straps that held our water heater, and its connection to the gas line, in place during the violent shaking.
Others in our area were not so fortunate. Two people died because of medical emergencies caused by the quake, and several were injured. You can see some of the damage shown in this video by California broadcaster KCRA:
That is my earthquake experience. Leave a comment if you have one to share.
Do you have any earthquake-related experiences you would like to share with your fellow NewsBreak readers? If so, feel free to leave a comment. And feel free to share this article with friends. Those who live in “earthquake country” will understand, while those who don’t will get an idea of how quickly things can change when the earth starts to move.
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