I Feel The Earth Move

In many newspapers there is a section that shows weather and hazards from around the world. Earthquakes are listed if there is a big one in some part of the world along with typhoons, floods, insect infestation and other biblical and non-biblical plagues. In my Portland Oregon paper a small section lists the local earthquakes for the week. Often there is a summation sentence saying “too many small quakes to count in the Mt St Helen area”. This gives me pause.

If you have ever experienced an earthquake it is not something pleasurable. Although Seismologists say there really is not an earthquake season, autumn seems to have many as evident in the nightly news from around the world. If you ever drank too much and stood up quickly and felt the room or the floor spin, this is an idea, except the floor or room is indeed moving. It takes several seconds for most people to realize what is happening and then the most common response is a shrieking “Earthquake!” Big earthquakes are known to happen in California, but other areas have small ones all the time like here in the Portland area. Not much damage and not felt by many, but enough to check your home owners insurance.

I have been in several big enough for me earthquakes while on business in California, and Alaska. I have been in stores, hotels, ballparks, and airplanes while they occurred. I was always happy to go back home where the earthquakes are smaller. Recently there was a 2.6 quake 6 miles from my home. No alarms, power surges, and no damages were attributed to this minor quake but I felt it. By the time my brain could register that it was a quake and get me to a doorway it was fortunately all over. We have all heard about the acuteness animals have before a quake, but not much is said of humans. Never in a million years would I want to develop a keen sense for earthquakes, because that would mean I would be in one!