EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.

Subject: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 02:26 PM

Just felt my first earthquake at 10:56 am! It's indiscribable! I hope everyone is ok in Seattle! L

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 02:27 PM

See...I'm still shaking ... can't spell! LL

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 02:29 PM

Wow... any damage?

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 02:35 PM

Not in the Gulf Islands ... but definately in Seattle. Airport is closed ... buildings damaged ...

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 02:41 PM

Whoowee!

Worried about Mousethief, when it went through here I remarked to my husband that I hadn't felt one like that since 1964. (Earthquake that is) 6.2 magnitude and centered near Olympia. The dogs here felt it first and were creating such a racket at the front door that I went to see who they were barking at and then it started. Smart dogs. If they didn't go to the front door and bark all the time I'd use them as predictors.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: SINSULL
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 02:41 PM

The online news just started reporting it here on the east coast. Stay safe, LL. Lots of broken glass and no injury reports yet.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 02:44 PM

Just found this from AP:

Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2001; 2:15 p.m. EST

Earthquake Hits Pacific Northwest

SEATTLE (AP) – A strong earthquake shook the Pacific Northwest today, shattering windows in downtown Seattle and rattling Portland, Ore., for nearly half a minute. There was no immediate word of injuries. The magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit at approximately 10:55 a.m., according to federal officials at the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska. It was centered 30 miles southwest of Seattle. The quake was felt as far away as Salt Lake City. In downtown Portland, office buildings swayed for 20 to 30 seconds, and local television stations were deluged by calls from viewers reporting rolling motion across the area.

I hope everyone is alright. I'll have to call my friends in Portland. Thanks, LL, for letting us know and thank goodness you are safe.

Ebbie? You out there? Doing okay in your area?

kat

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 02:51 PM

I wouldn't do much phoning yet kat. Telus has asked residents in the Lower mainland not to call, as its starting to jam the phone lines. I can belive it. My daughter phoned here from town just after, it knocked all the nic nacs from her desk, and then I had three more calls from relatives after that, asking if we were OK.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Stewart
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 02:56 PM

Here in North Seattle it was a quite strong rolling quake, seemed to last for almost a full min. Strongest I've ever felt, and I grew up in So. Calif. No damage here, utilities remained intact, but internally I am still a bit shaken up. It certainly got our attention!

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:00 PM

Now they are saying it was a 7.0 building and road damage in Seattle. Some roofs collapsed.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:02 PM

Comeau Lake Hydro sub station down in Vancouver.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:03 PM

I was in Bremerton for the big one in ?1949. A car passed on the road in front of our house during the tremor. I've always suspected that the driver just thought that he'd had too much to drink. I got to Olympia to see the dome of the state capitol on the ground. It wasn't uncommon to be lying in bed an watch top corners of the bedroom going in opposite directions.

After the last big one in California that knocked down the bridge over the bay my sister and her family pitched their tent in the local schoolyard and lived there for about a month. For no logical reason her daughter decided to go home from work the long way around that day, so she was on that route rather than on the bridge when it collapsed.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:06 PM

Reassuring, they are telling us now, that this is not the Big One that we are supposed to be getting any time soon. Reminds me , our hot water tank packed it in this weekend after 25 years service, should make sure that the plumber puts strapping to the foundation wall to keep the new one from walking.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:10 PM

BruceO the biggest one on the Island here was in 1949 too, wonder if it was the same one. It did a lot of structural damage in the Qualicum area.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:18 PM

Mouse Thief?

Spaw

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:18 PM

Yikes! I just got a PM from Alex (mousethief) this morning- must have been about an hour before the quake. I hope he's all right! And that all are safe and well in the Pacific NW.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: kimmers
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:19 PM

Felt a few nice little jolts here in Salem, OR. Very startling but not enough to be scary. The cats woke up and looked around but appeared unconcerned... so much for animal instincts. Or maybe they really did know it wasn't going to be a big deal here.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:19 PM

Stewart I can imagine you are shook up, we're about 110 miles from Olympia, as the crow flies, and I was shaking for about 15 minutes afterward.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:22 PM

also: reggie miles....Benjamin

Spaw

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:27 PM

The Bremerton-Manette bridge was getting pretty old and was thought that it might be getting dangerous, and there had been a lot of talk about tearing it down and replacing it at the time of the 1949 quake. The bridge survived better than many other structues around town, so they later built a new one about a mile north. The old one is still there.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:33 PM

My friends in Portalnd just emailed me. They were ina high-rise mall and watched the merchandise dance around a bit, went out onto the street where there were a lot of people from apparently evacuated buidlings, but they heard nothing official until they got home and turned on the news.

Sure would like to hear from Alex and the rest of the Mudcatters up there.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: SINSULL
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:33 PM

Metchosin - any chance your water tank death can be attributed to the quake? Heh Heh.

Keep us posted.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:40 PM

naw, it gave up the ghost on Saturday, but just prior to the quake today, I was busy cleaning around the old tank and emptying our containers of emergency water supplies and refilling them. Maybe I'm better at predicting them than the dogs.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: GUEST,hoolet
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 03:49 PM

hope all in Campbell River are safe and well

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 04:03 PM

Phonelines are down and jammed .. as well as hydro in Seattle. Probably won't hear from Mousethief for a bit. As time goes on, things are looking grimmer ... mudslides, elevator shaft collapsed in an old hotel, 10 people unaccounted for...

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Amergin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 04:04 PM

Boy, I was sitting here chatting with some one when I felt my house start shaking. At first I thought it was the washing machine, but then realised it was too strong for that....here in Saint Helens (just thirty miles from Portland) we got it worse than Portland did....

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: GUEST,Gary Owens
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 04:06 PM

Metchosin - Securing the water heater is a good idea, but don't get the plumber to do it unless he knows how to do because it may worsen the situation. Esentially, the tank exterior, if cylindrical, should be braced vertically about the circumference and the strapping should be placed at least at the upper and lower quarter points. The tank should be butressed to the foundation wall. Braces and butress should be wooden or similar, to absorb some crushing. The straps should be designed based on the mass of the tank and contents in order to resist .... I am sure that there is some info on a government website somewhere that would have some details, but I think you can see why I have some trepidation about a plumber starpping it down. I know it sounds like I am making a big deal out of it, but in my 25 years in engineering and construction I have come to realize that everybody knows how to to everthing better than an engineer except stamping and signing the drawings.

g

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 04:11 PM

I have friends in Bremerton...might hear something later today...I'd imagine that phone lines and email are humming right now...

The thing about super-fast modern communications is that everyone thinks they can run and use them at the same time....traffic jams can get as bad online as at rush-hour on the freeway.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: JenEllen
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 04:20 PM

Been keeping an eye on the NWCN since the quake. We did get a bit of a roller.

Seems to be business as usual for those on the ground, but the hi-rise folks look a bit shook up.

Best of luck to those close to coast.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 04:21 PM

Good to hear that you are okay, Nathan/Amergin.

I just got another email from my friend, he said the best news updates they have are available at www.nwcn.com. He is hearing lots of helicopters and sirens.

Good thoughts going out to all.

kat

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: radriano
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 04:23 PM

The earthquake was in Seattle (7.0). No deaths, three serious injuries. Lucky, lucky, lucky.

I work for the California Division of Mines and Geology, California's State Geological Survey. Shows you how different earthquakes can be. The Loma Prieta quake was around 7.0 as well and caused a lot more damage.

Richard

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 04:23 PM

Thanks Gary I'll pass that on to my husband, he is usually the doer of such things but has been so busy this week that he was going to relegate. I think most of the plumbers do the strapping now because there is a lot more requests for it and perhaps the Code has changed from what was required 25 years ago. Interesting I've never heard about butressing though, I'll see what Hydro recommmends. Thanks again.

My father-in-law was just suggesting that I construct a supporting floor for the new one, as the place in the crawlspace where the new tank is going has a slope to the concrete. Now I'll have to rethink how I am going to attach the framed section below the pan to the concrete groundseal. hmmm.....major project for me....

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Amergin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 04:31 PM

Ok, all the phone lines and such are tied up right now, so that's probably why we haven't heard from Alex/Mousethief....I have been calling trying to get ahold of my friends in Sumner, WA....so far no such luck....

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 04:32 PM

Ah forgot to mention Gary, designing houses is our business here, but if it is beyond the scope of existing building codes or we have some concerns, we always get get them engineered.

hoolet, don't worry about Cambell River, its quite a bit farther north on the Island so I don't imagine they felt much.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: GUEST,Gary Owens
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 04:35 PM

Metchosin - Actually there is no such thing as butressing. That should be buttressing. I usually proof my hunt n' peck before I send it, but I was between e's from relatives in Seattle and just forgot. Anyway, If there is a standard for this type of thing, I would love to see it. If you come across any standard drawing, I would appreciate knowing the name of the authority who drew it so I can search for it.

As for buttressing, it's really just filling the space between the tank and the foundation so that the tank doesn't smack the wall.

g

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 05:00 PM

So 2X4's on the flat, lagged to the concrete between the tank and the wall would suffice as a buttress? Still haven't checked out B.C. Hydro's site for recomendations, but if I find anything appropriate I will send it along. I noticed your spelling as well, but figured if that was the way you spelled it, who am I to question it, after all you're the Engineer.*BG*

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 05:05 PM

some of the historic buildings in Seattle have been reported as damaged, quake has now been determined as 6.8, 12 injured, 3 seriously. Only reported damage in BC, some downed hydro poles in the Langly area.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: SINSULL
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 05:11 PM

And does the other side of the world have a tidal wave to look forward to?

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: GUEST,Gary Owens
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 05:13 PM

Metchosin - If you have never seen it before, it goes " For yeers ago, I coodn't even spel ingineer, now I are won."

I'll search BC Hydro. By the way, I will probably never use it as I am in NB. We only get little shakes here and they are once in a blue moon. Although.... they say that long periods of time w/o one means it may be building up. If that's the case, strapping be on the water heater be d***ed. We'd better strap LePreau - come to think of it, we may have to strap LePreau just to keep the plutonium inside on a ca'm day !

g

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Amergin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 05:16 PM

Last I heard, Sins, was that no one knew for sure....

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Sorcha
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 05:53 PM

Glad to know everybody seems to be OK, but we're still waiting to hear from Alex..........

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:04 PM

The Governor of Washington has declared a state of emergency, from what I heard a few minutes ago the damage in terms of money is quite considerable. Do hope mousethief and others are safe.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Ebbie
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:05 PM

No problem here, so far as I know. I didn't feel it.

In April 1949 I was a kid in school in Amity Oregon when the 7.1 Olympia Washington-epicenter one hit. The first one I ever felt- frightened me for a very long time.

In the 1960s, there were a number of minor ones in Oregon- again all from the north, I believe.

Juneau obviously has had major ones in its past- these sharp mountains around here came from somewhere- but it doesn't have a history of large earthquakes, very different from 600-mile-away Anchorage, for instance. Officially Southeast gets two quakes a year, not necessarily big enough to feel. These come from north about a hundred miles, as a rule.

I can sympathise with the mudcatters from the BC and Washington and Oregon areas. It's a really scary feeling, like the earth itself has betrayed you, that there is nothing to hang on to.

They're saying that there haven't been any reported deaths but there are at least 25 injuries, some of them serious.

Can you imagine the feeling in the Seattle Space Needle restaurant and observation deck!! They say there were more than a hundred people up there, swaying back and forth above the city...

Ebbie

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Sarah2
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:06 PM

MSNBC is saying right now that lots of electricity is out in the area and it will be "some time" before it's all restored. Wish he'd call someone...

Sarah

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: JenEllen
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:08 PM

Billions of $ in damage. State of Emergency. Our news says the number injured is riding about 30+ with the majority of serious injuries being from a few pressure injuries and a lot of cardiac emergencies. There was also a mudslide that took out the 101. It was only a 6.8, and amazingly enough, almost in the exact same spot at the quake in '49.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:16 PM

Heard some reports that the "Needle" was basically fine, some elevator problem that wasn't structural is what the news reported. I gotta' tell you, being up in that thing during an earthquake??? I believe I would have just bent over and kissed my ass good-bye!

Some of the biggest problems seem to be in the SeaTac area and that's where Alex is I believe, so it may be awhile before we hear anything at all. Hope all is well with him and his family.

Spaw

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: kimmers
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:22 PM

How are all of the lovely old buildings in Seattle's Pioneer Square? Did any of them get badly damaged?

And I hope they weren't taking a group through the Underground Tour at the time of the quake...

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Deckman
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:24 PM

Everythings O.K. here in the Pacific Northwest. A couple of dozen in the hospital, a few serious. A fair amount of damage, mainly old building facing coming down. The older and weaker bridges and viaducts are closed for inspection. A couple of majoy highways are shut down to serious bridge problems, including Hwy 2 over Stevens Pass. But basically, we are O.K. I was building a second story deck in Mukilteo ... we were rockin' and rollin'! CHEERS, Bob (deckman) Nelson, Everett Wa.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Amergin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:25 PM

Spaw, you can reach your own arse with those lips? Now that's what I call talented....I've seen my dogs chew on theirs many times.....but never seen a human do it....

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Sarah2
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:31 PM

Deckman, so glad you've checked in okay! One piece of good, good news. (I'm sitting here hitting this thread every time I see a new post, hoping to hear from each of you in that area.) Thanks for letting us know you're all right.

Sarah

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: JenEllen
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:36 PM

Must be the sea-legs..for I barely noticed. I was telling a friend earlier, that I was looking thru a microscope, and just thought I was heady from skipping breakfast this morning. The dogs set up an awful racket.

Still no news from AlexThief?? Anyone tried calling yet? I assume they are running ragged trying to collect the kids. All the schools are out and travel is T.U as usual...

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Ebbie
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:45 PM

Amergin and Spaw, during an earthquake it can be done. It's all a matter of timing and contortionism (not to mention exhibitionism)- as you're swaying back and forth. Kind of like playing snap the whip. *G*

Ebbie

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Justa Picker
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:52 PM

According to CNN there are 17,000 without electricity in the Seattle area. It's possible Mousethief is one of those 17,000 so it might be difficult for him to logon, assuming he doesn't have more pressing priorities at the moment.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 06:54 PM

Gary I don't know about stapping LePreau but there should be more concern on this coast about nuclear facilities. Fortunately we don't have any in BC, but the largest population is awfully close to those in Washington State. My concern here is the push for use of natural gas on this Island and all the lines laid in the last 10 years here. This was a very small quake compared to what is expected to happen given the geological record.

Far more severe quakes have occurred on the seabed off Vancouver Island. Scientists have determined that megathrust earthquakes, as the severe quakes are called, have happened off the West Coast 13 times over the past 6,000 years, the most recent on Jan. 26, 1700, when the area was hit by a whopper with a magnitude estimated at 9. A tidal wave generated by that event caused considerable damage to coastal communities in Japan. Apparently we are overdo. Seattle's 6.5 was the equivalent of the energy released from 5 million tons of TNT. The 9.0 that is overdue will be the equivalent of 32 billion tons of TNT. Then again, maybe we should strap the whole damned Island.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Benjamin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 07:04 PM

Thanks for remembering me Spaw. All is fine in North Seattle. No damage here. I was in my American Sign Language class when it hit. Had it been worse, those individual desks attached to the seat they have in the class rooms would not of helped a bit.

That's the biggest quake I've felt. But then, I'm still young.

I'm sure Alex and Reggie are fine. The quake was centered deep (like 30 miles below the earths surface) so it could of been MUCH worse. I'm waiting to hear from them as well though.

Benjamin

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Sarah2
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 07:22 PM

Benjamin,

Good, good, good! Big sigh of relief -- I don't know who all is up in that area, but I do hope all will check in here with the same news. You did good.

Sarah

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 07:31 PM

When a quake hit Seattle in 1965 (thought it was 64, I was a year out) I was sitting in a second floor class at school when the desks moved back and forth on the floor a good three feet in either direction. At the same time I looked out the window to see the wall of the school gym swaying back and forth about the same amount.

For some reason or other, that one was a lot scarier than this one. It seemed about the same length of time, but the house didn't sway, it just jiggled for a while and sounded as if a train was coming under the house from the south, northbound.

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: MMario
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 08:06 PM

Just heard from my cousin in Seattle - she's gonna have to have her mobile home re-leveled - but that's about the extent of damge for her place. Her Mom's retirement complex came through with flying colours (a major relief for our family!)

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 08:26 PM

Hey Metchosin ... when the really big one hits you'd better make room ... the 78's, gramaphone and me will probably end up in your backyard! At least we'll be able to have music when the power goes out! LL

Subject: RE: EARHTQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 08:45 PM

It's interesting that I often hear of news events first on Mudcat. If it weren't for Mudcat, I'd probably learn about the earthquake in tomorrow's newspaper.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 08:49 PM

Yes Joe you would ... but it would be lacking the inventive spelling ... wouldn't be nearly as exciting! LL

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 08:55 PM

Sure thing LL! guess some Carol King ....I feel the earth move under my feet....or Troggs...Wild thang, ya move me......might be appropriate to sing. Hope you have all those 78s in bubble wrap.

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 09:14 PM

Yep .. you bet ..they're in my Emergency Kit! Speaking of which ... good idea to get a kit together ... this was a real wake up call for me. LL

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 09:18 PM

Just to let you know Joe, they tore down the Berlin Wall.

Benjamin.....So good to hear from you! Does everyone in your class now know ASL for "Holy Shit!"

Deckman.....You need to charge more for that one since its been "tested."

Justa Picker.....I heard the same thing and I don't think Mudcat is high on the priority list in the SeaTac area at the moment!!!

Spaw

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: mousethief
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 11:33 PM

Checking in from the land of blue skies, green water, and gently rolling hills. Literally.

Thanks everybody for thinking about me! Y'all are the greatest electronic family a guy could have.

I was at my desk when the temblor hit at about 11am. Shook us a good minute, and the vertical blinds were swaying for long after that. Crawled under my desk. About half way through the quake, the power went out.

We all assembled at our emergency assembly site in the back parking lot, and were eventually told to go home.

It took a good 90+ minutes to get home (it usually takes 40 on a bad traffic day). Didn't notice any broken buildings or anything, but all the power was out until I got actually into my hometown of Sumner, about 25 miles southeast of Seattle, and maybe 10-20 miles from the epicenter of the quake (a good deal west of us, apparently, although I haven't seen a map).

Listened to the local news-radio station all the way home. Lots of older, structural-brick buildings in the old part of Seattle apparently collapsed either partially or wholly. So far haven't heard of any deaths, thank Heaven.

The only damage here at Mouse Central was a couple of knick-knacks that fell off the mantlepiece. And, oddly, two screws from a hinge on one of the kitchen cabinet doors fell out. The kids all get tomorrow off while the schools are inspected for structural damage.

Crazy stuff!

Alex

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 11:40 PM

So glad to hear everything is OK for you Alex.

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: mousethief
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 11:43 PM

Forgot to mention that I work on the 8th floor of a 12-story building. Yeeeee-haaaawww! Ride 'em, cowboy!

Alex

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Sarah2
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 11:44 PM

Thank God. Kids okay and all. Good -- no, GREAT to hear from you Mousethief!

Sarah

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: mousethief
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 11:56 PM

I'm very touched!

I lived through the 1965 quake here, too. I was 3 at the time. My grandmother and I ran into the back yard, and it was rippling like a surfer's dream. My grandfather slept through the whole thing, although the bed he was in was on the opposite side of the room from where it started when the quake struck! They're both gone now, and how I miss them!

Thanks again everybody for thinkin' 'bout li'l ol' me.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 12:01 AM

Very good to hear form you, Alex! Thansk for taking the time to let us know you and family are okay!

kat

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Big Mick
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 12:01 AM

My sister and her family live in Seattle. I was on pins and needles for quite awhile. Turns out that they are all fine and I can breathe again.

Mousethief, glad to hear all is well.

All the best,

Big Mick

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 12:01 AM

wow...I have friends in Bremerton, and just heard from them!..glad most everyone from the area has checked in and are ok....You all get the earthquakes...we get the hurricanes and politicans..fair trade?

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 12:02 AM

We really didn't care but it was a slow day and not much else to do.

Spaw

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: mousethief
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 12:14 AM

At least he's an honest jerk. :)

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 12:45 AM

speak for youself Spaw, I've got a hot water tank I have to build a base for and bolt to a concrete wall.........and there is all kinds of rat sh*t and a wolf spider at least 3 inches across wandering around down there to boot. I had a lot to do, but talking about Mousethief beat the alternative.*BG*

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: blt
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 02:37 AM

I was at the hospital, on the 5th floor in the adult psychiatric unit when I realized the building was shaking. I asked the occupational therapist if she felt the building shake, and she said, in a very awed voice, it's an earthquake, and we went and stood in a doorway. It seemed to last a long time, although I'm told in reality it wasn't longer than 45 seconds. I became concerned about the patients and how they were doing; when the shaking stopped, I went out into the hallway and everybody, staff and patients, were all crowded around the tv, listening to someone describe what we'd just experienced, and starting an office pool on the severity of the quake. We all under-estimated, but that's because of the distance we are (in Portland) from the epicenter. The rest of the day was business as usual. I'm very glad to hear that Seattle-area Mudcattoisie are doing OK.

blt

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 06:10 AM

Glad to hear it wasn't serious in terms of human injury & glad all local 'Catters are safe.
May the earth move for you all in a nicer way tonight!
RtS

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Naemanson
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 06:52 AM

Well I want to chime in with my relief for the safety of all the members of my electronic family. I read down through the thread hoping Mousethief and blt would check in before I had to go off to work. It was one of the more suspenseful threads I have skimmed though.

Glad all are well.

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 07:03 AM

This really is a tribute to one of the values of this place. I'm like JoeO- woulda never known about it until this afternoon's tiny local paper printed half a paragraph about it- the public hearing on the local bypass issue being much more vital news- but with the cyber family here I was on pins and needles, too, and very relieved to hear from Alex and others!

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Dharmabum
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 08:27 AM

Glad to hear everythings OK Alex.

Ron.

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: SINSULL
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 08:37 AM

I knew the mousie would scurry into a hole and be safe. Relieved just the same! Glad you're OK Alex.

My office thinks I am psychic. I saw Lyrical Lady's post and announced "There's been a big earthquake in Seattle." Everyone checked their on-line news - nothing. Then five minutes later all the reports starting coming in.

Tuesday night I watched a special on earthquakes - talk about timely. They documented a quake in Japan(?). When the worst was over, about 40,000 people camped out in a local park, the only place safe from falling debris. Unfortunately, a fire storm erupted. When it was over, 30 people survived. My heart was in my throat yesterday waiting to hear about fires in Seattle. Stay well and safe on the west coast.

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Hollowfox
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 08:59 AM

Boy, am I glad all you folks are OK! I came to work early just to see how you all were. This is the best news I've had all month!

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: gnu
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 09:33 AM

Just heard : After shock of 3.2 hit at 1AM this morning. Any more news out there ?

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 11:26 AM

gnu I was sound asleep and never heard or felt anything. Weird that there was an aftershock because according to the authorities I was listening to, one was not expected due to the fact that this was an extremely deep earthquake beyond the megathrust zone as shown here. Apparently aftershocks are only common for shallow ones. Yeah right.

We have constant earthquakes here every day, but most are at a magnitude that can only be detected by seismographs.

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 11:33 AM

RtS, news this morning said only one person dead and two hundred injured. Truly fortunate for some, it could have been much worse.

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: John P
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 11:39 AM

I was at work in the basement of a concrete building when the quake struck. All I could think about was several tons of cement landing on my head. I paused in a doorway for about two seconds and then the shaking got a lot worse and I bolted for the stairs.

I work for a musical instrument company, and we have several hundred acoustic instruments in the place. The only damage was when two small harps fell off a shelf and landed on a large harp, so we were very lucky in that regard. While we were all out in the street I saw someone in a car weaving through all the people and honking his horn to try to get the cars in front of him to get out of the way so he could drive out onto the antique drawbridge that everyone else wisely stopped in front of. What's wrong with some people?

Has anyone heard from Liland?

John Peekstok

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Wesley S
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 11:40 AM

Has anyone heard from member John P that works at Dusty Strings??

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Night Owl
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 11:52 AM

glad to hear you're all ok there. Given the choice, I'd take a hurricane over an earthquake anyday. Wondering here, why after-shocks wouldn't be expected due to the depth of the epicenter. Can anyone explain??

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: gnu
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 11:57 AM

I heard about the aftershock by e from a buddy in Iqaluit, ( spelling ? ) Nunavut. Guess he heard it on the news. E'd my buddy in Seattle and he just e'd me that he never heard or felt a thing, aftershock-wise, of course.

\__ __/ 0 0 oo -

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Metchosin
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 11:58 AM

Night Owl, this might explain it a bit.

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: mousethief
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 12:13 PM

THanks for the website, Metchosin! I learned a lot about earthquakes.

A cow-orker here found a website showing earthquakes around the globe in the last 3 days -- over 20 of mag 3.4 or greater! Amazing planet we live on!

Check out these pages too:

http://spike.geophys.washington.edu/recenteqs/

http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin/ (click on "near real time earthquake list")

Cool stuff.

Thanks again everybody for thinking about us PNW catters! (If a mouser is a cat that chases mice, is a catter a mouse that chases cats?)

toodle-pip,
Alex

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Night Owl
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 12:28 PM

thanks Metchosin/mousethief.

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: GUEST,Gorgeous Gary
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 01:05 PM

At work, away from my cookies...

Glad to hear the NW 'Catters are OK. I'm still waiting for a few good words from my friends in the filk community up there. But I'm headed cross-country for a convention in San Jose tonight, so I gather a bunch of 'em will be there, assuming their flights can get out of Sea-Tac.

Obviously, as a structural engineer I've been keeping a close eye on the news. But y'all can't hire me for retrofits...I'm only licensed in Maryland!

Take care everyone!

-- Gary

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: mousethief
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 01:19 PM

What I've heard is that all outgoing flights are leaving just fine, it's the incoming flights that they're having trouble with, and are having to space them out and not land as many as quickly as usual.

Of course if you keep up such a pattern, pretty soon you run out of airplanes to load and launch.

They're still running takeoff/landing flight ops out of a contractor's trailer. The control tower is a shambles. Pity the new one they've been building isn't close to being finished yet.

I'm on the 8th floor directly across International Boulevard (old highway 99) from the airport. The parking lot seems to be as full as it was yesterday morning, but the number of planes you can actually see moving seems really low compared to a normal weekday morning. Number of planes actually docked at the terminal seems very slight, maybe 10 at the most. There are a number of Alaska jets sitting on the tarmac over by their hangar, which is unusual. Far fewer United and Northwest planes than I'm used to seeing (after Alaska, the most numerous liveries at SeaTac).

Read in the news that there was a lot of damage inside the terminal buildings themselves, largely caused by bursting water lines. Maybe I'll walk over there at lunch and scope it out.

your on-the-spot reporter, high above SeaTac International Airport,
Alex

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Barbara
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 01:44 PM

Things here (SW of Portland OR) did some quiet rocking, like a rocking chair, but what I mostly noticed was the black cat pinging off the walls, making like a rocket ship through the rafters and back down again. BEFORE the quake and each aftershock hit. I didn't feel the aftershocks at all, but the cat leaped off the window sill and ran heavily back and forth across me (I was in bed) and I did feel her! Cutting down on her catfood ration, effective immediately.
Glad you Seattlites are safe. Saw some funny film on local news last night of a "new product" presentation at Micro$oft headquarters, that was literally broken up by the quake: the camera joggles and bounces, the chandeliers dance, lights flicker, display boards fall, pieces of ceiling tile drop and the audience makes a concerted rush past the camera for the door. Wonder if MS will get more cooperative in the antitrust suit now?
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: CamiSu
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 02:59 PM

Glad to hear you are all OK. I've been thinking about you, and am so glad Alex finally (!) checked in! (Yeah, I know there are things more important than checking in here, but...)

CamiSu

Alex, as soon as I can figure out how to do so I will send the tune to the song you wrote.

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: GUEST,skarpi Iceland from home
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 06:22 PM

Halló all , I am sorry to hear about the Earthquake In Seattle, and hope that everyone Is OKEI there. I think you are all lucky that the earthquake was so deep down In the earth, I think I coult not think what have happen If it had been In upper ground. I pray to god that we are not gonna have more problems here In Iceland. But I am afraid that the volcano " KATLA " Is waking up again, we are watching it all the 24 hours a day.

Best whishes from Iceland and may god be with you all, i will be on Mudcat from time to time. All the best skarpi Iceland.

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 06:42 PM

My heart's in the Northwest and I'm hoping all my old friends are safe; assuming they are. I remember after the Loma Prieta quake in '88, every time I'd drive on the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle I would think about the highway that collapsed in Oakland, that had precisely the same design. Glad to hear it didn't flatten this time.

We get lots of quakes here on the Big Island, since we have an active volcano. (Much like Iceland.) They're mostly small, from magma shifts. However, throughout history (and prehistory) there have been numerous major "slumps" in which large chunks of island fell into the ocean, causing tremendous earthquakes and local tsunami. (Kealakekua Bay, where Captain Cook landed and was later killed, used to be a gently sloping mountainside--you can still see the scar.) We're due for a huge slump any decade now.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Haruo
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 06:46 PM

I have a story to tell about the '65 quake (in Seattle) as well as the '49 one even though I wasn't born yet, an anecdote my parents told us. But it'll have to wait for tomorrow; the library was closed for 25 hours and you wouldn't believe the email backlog that produced!

Liland

PS My online Esperanto hymnal has over 200 Esperanto hymns now, with the addition of two versions of Ein' feste Burg, another text to that tune, and The Day of Resurrection!

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Don Firth
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 08:01 PM

Barbara and I live in co-op apartment building in Seattle's Capitol Hill district (about ten minutes drive from downtown). It's a beautiful old building four-story stone and brick building that was built in 1910.

Normal day until about 10:54 a.m. Barbara was at work at the library and I was sitting at the computer, cruising through cyberspace (lurking on Mudcat threads, in fact), when I thought for a moment I was having a touch of vertigo just as a couple of heavy-footed galoots were stomping down the stairs just outside our door. But it kept going -- and got worse! Several severe jolts, then the whole building began creaking and groaning as it swayed back and forth like a tree in the wind. When I woke up to the fact that it was an earthquake, it occurred to me that this could be The Big One they keep talking about. Nine-point-something or other. At one point I began to wonder if the whole building was about to land in my lap and I don't mind admitting that I was scared spitless! Suddenly the lights went out and the computer died. I wheeled (I'm in a wheelchair) into the doorway out of our apartment and contemplated going outside, but I didn't fancy the thought of an avalanche of bricks down my neck, so I stayed in the doorway, which, they say, is what one is supposed to do. The chandelier in the lobby was swinging back and forth pretty violently and I began to wonder if it was ever going to stop. Finally it seemed to ebb away. Later on, various news reports said that it lasted anywhere from fifteen to forty-five seconds, but it sure felt longer to me. I think that the building kept swaying after the quake stopped. In the latest reports, most geologist said it lasted about forty-five seconds

Once it settled down, a couple of guys from upstairs came dashing down the stairs to see if I was all right. Then they went to check the rest of the building for gas leaks and things like that. Lights were out, but everything else seemed to be okay. Not bad for a ninety-one year-old building. But then, this old pile has ridden out several bad ones.

The lights were out in most of the apartments, but our kitchen lights were on (refrigerator and stove didn't work, but the microwave did). Barbara came home shortly thereafter. The library sustained some damage, so they sent everybody home. Barbara had a co-worker with her. We sat around in the kitchen and wiped our brows and the co-worker made a couple of phone calls. She has an elderly neighbor she was worried about. We had some lunch, then Barbara drove her home (she lived out in the Shoreline district, north of Seattle).

The lights were out for most of the day. I could understand it if it were a general power outage, but some lights were on, and I heard that some of the other apartment buildings in the neighborhood had the same situation. It turns out we're on a "three phase" system, whatever that is, and two of the phases were out. Seattle City Light got the power restored later in the evening. Barbara and I spent most of the afternoon and evening listening to people calling the local public radio station and telling their experiences. Then, when the power came on, we caught the news on television.

Seattle apparently did pretty well with its emergency preparedness program , its building codes, and retro-fitting older buildings for earthquakes, because most of them survived without damage (ironically, on the same day, George W. planned to ask Congress to cut funding for the program!). But some didn't fare so well. No major building collapses or anything like that, but some buildings sustained damage, as did some bridges and overpasses. Most of the damage seemed to be in the Pioneer Square area (brick and stone facings falling off and some structural damage), and Starbucks' headquarters building, on an area of landfill, took a major hit. It's going to be awhile before they get all the damage assessed. I think Tacoma and Olympia had more problems than Seattle did. Severe damage to the state capitol building and the governor's mansion has some structural damage. Gary the Gov, Mona, and the kids had to stay with relatives.

The reports said that it was a subduction zone earthquake -- the Juan de Fuca plate sliding under the North American plate. The epicenter was about eleven miles north of Olympia and about thirty miles down. Felt from Oregon to British Columbia, and as far east as Western Montana. 6.8, which makes it one of the three biggies within the last half-century ('49, '65, and this one). I've been here for all three.

As far as we can tell, our building survived unscathed, but I'm pretty sure we're going to have it thoroughly inspected. Other than being a bit shook up, we're okay. But we're still feeling a bit hyper.

And Mousethief, I heard on the news a little while ago that SeaTac, which they said normally handles about forty landings per hour, is currently handling about twenty-five. The control tower was trashed, so flight control is operating out of a double-wide trailer. You'll probably have a more up-to-date report shortly.

Glad everyone's okay!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 08:54 PM

Thanks Don for such a detailed report ... the hair on my neck has risen again! I too, am so glad that everything is ok with our American Mudcousins! LL=Barb

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 11:26 PM

So many 'Catters and all are well. Yeah, I guess we thought of you a bit.......................now and again............sorta'....................aw crap, we love you all!!! Gaws, I hate to get gushy....................(:<))

Spaw

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 12:58 AM

Thanks, Don, sure glad you are okay and that was very interesting; something I hoep to never experience>;-)

blt, really good to hear from you, too! Whew! Glad everyone seems to be okay.

Skarpi, I will be giving thanks for your and your family's safety and hope that KATLA remains quiet!

luvya'll...kat

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: roopoo
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 02:11 AM

Saw it on TV last night. It's a miracle no-one's been killed as the damage looks quite substantial. Am I right that the last one was an aftershock???

Just so glad that you all seem to be ok over there.

Andrea

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Monashee
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 04:57 AM

We could feel the shaking all the way across the prov. in the Kootenays! The Cascades absorbed a lot of the shockwave. Thank goodness it wasnt as bad as it could have been ;) Slán~

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Don Firth
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 03:36 PM

Mouldy, looking at the reports on TV and seeing the number of parked cars that were flogged into junk by falling bricks, it's miraculous that no one walking along the sidewalks was killed. From what I last heard, there was something like twenty-nine injuries reported in Seattle, three of them serious, and one person died of a heart attack (although they are now saying that the earthquake may have had nothing to do with that). Over a hundred injuries state-wide, but I'm not sure of the exact number or how serious they were. None of the reports I heard described the nature of the injuries -- I presume they were mostly bumps and bruises. But other than the aforementioned heart attack, no deaths that I've heard of.

The geologist said early on that with a deep subduction earthquake, there usually aren't any aftershocks, but this on surprised them, I think. The following is from an ABC news report:

"On Thursday, two aftershocks shook Olympia and Tacoma — a 3.4-magnitude quake at 1:10 a.m. PT, and a 2.7-magnitude rumble at 6:23 a.m. PT, both near the location of the original quake."

I was awake at 1:10 a.m., but I didn't feel it. One person telephone KUOW-FM (the U. of W. radio station) and said that he was just drifting off to sleep and it woke him up. During the one at 6:23 a.m., we were sound asleep.

I'd say that considering the severity of the quake, all in all, we were pretty lucky!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Margo
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 05:14 PM

I was in my kitchen. First I heard the house creaking before I felt anything. It was a gentle rolling, and nothing fell over in the house. But I was "shook up" (pun intended). I had a queezy feeling in my stomach and that very alert sense when danger is present. I think the scariest thing is just plain not knowing if it is going to get worse. If I had known it would be as "gentle" as it was, I wouln't have been afraid.

Last year my husband added earthquake insurance to our homeowner's policy. Not a bad idea. But I think they have a moratorium on adding it for a certain period of time following an earthquake....

Margo, in Vancouver USA (right next to Portland, Oregon)

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Deckman
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 05:39 PM

Hey Don ... let's talk about what's REALLY important! Did any of your guitars go out of tune? CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Amergin
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 06:09 PM

Monashee, as usual you Canadians got the spelling wrong...it is Kootenai...

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Don Firth
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 08:21 PM

I'm afraid there are those who might claim they were never in tune. . . .

Don Firth

Subject: RE: EARTHQUAKE IN B.C.
From: Monashee
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 03:49 AM

Amergin...you say tomatoe I say tomartoe (*o*) Ktunaxa