Earthquake Rattles Northern California

[topcliff 1]

Moderate Earthquake Rattles Bay Area

Magazines fell off shelves after an earthquake at a bookstore in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday...

By RON HARRIS, AP

Wed Oct 31, 12:55 AM EDT

A moderate earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay area Tuesday night, rattling homes and nerves, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 and struck shortly after 8 p.m., about 9 miles northeast of San Jose, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Residents reported feeling the quake, which lasted about a minute, as far east as Sacramento and as far north as Sonoma in California wine country.

The California Highway Patrol has received no reports of damage or injuries, spokesman Tom Marshall said.

The quake was centered in the Diablo Range foothills east of San Jose, not far from the home of the city's mayor, Chuck Reed.

Pictures fell off the walls of Reed's house, but the mayor said there was no major damage there.

"It was a pretty strong ride here, a lot of shaking but nothing broken," Reed told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "I've talked to a few people, and we have no reports of injuries or damage. There was a lot of shaking, but it wasn't the big one."

Rod Foo, who lives in southern San Jose about 10 miles from the epicenter, said that everything in his house shook for several seconds, but that the electricity never went out and his telephone was still working.

"I could hear it coming up the street before it hit the house," Foo said. "I thought it was the kids messing around at first; then I felt the house shaking and I knew it was an earthquake. ... It was rattling for a long time and really loud."

The USGS reported at least seven aftershocks, all measuring less than magnitude 2.0.

Allison Guimard, 25, a technology executive who lives in Mountain View, about 18 miles west of the epicenter, said that her china started shaking. It was the first significant earthquake for she and her husband, Pierre, who moved there from New York six months ago.

"It felt like the apartment was rolling; shaking and rolling," said Pierre Guimard, 25, a home entertainment installer. "Almost like a boat on the water."

Being a Sacramentan, I felt (saw, actually) the quake. The dogs all started barking, my cat went crazy, and everything hanging was shaking ever so slightly. Luckily, no deaths so far. For that matter, injuries too. Still, damage was done. First the fires in Southern California, and now an earthquake in Northern California. It appears we're having a bad October this year. Maybe it's not the biggest quake, but everything has it's impact.

[The_Dalai_Llama 15]

A 5.6 in California? A minor tremor to them. Had that earthquake been anywhere else in the country, now that's a story!

[mayormot 4]

Indeed, just a minor shake for us. No serious damage reported, except that the control tower at San Jose Mineta Airport needs new windows.

I was in Albany (near Berkeley) at the time. I felt a surprising amount of "wave" motion for such a moderate quake.

[skyliner22 16]

I felt that thing it was quite long at least 30 seconds....first it was not so shaky then i kinda was kinda freaked me out a bit...first quake to do so in a while too

[Meg 368]

Minor tremor, maybe, but I was in a 5.7 quake once.  It sloshed the water out of the pool in the motel where I was staying.

[Barbarossa 51]

.

  Edited September 7, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

A minor adjustment of the fault system, one concludes.  I take it there were no injuries and not much damage except for glass breakage.

However, when you live in the ring of fire, expect to get scorched occasionally.

[Insane Child of Bodom 1]

man thats nothing...Northridge messed ...things up./..

[Duke87 1,070]

An earthquake? In California? Wow, you don't see that too often.

[Micah 16]

Originally posted by: Duke87 An earthquake? In California? Wow, you don't see that too often.quote>

 

I was amazed as well.

Now if I hear about an earthquake occuring in Houston, then I would be completely shocked. However, there has been one that occured a few months ago in the Gulf of Mexico.

[topcliff 1]

I'm so sorry if this is a total shocker for a few people. It's just, California's having bad luck this month. The fires, and now a small quake spree? You know, I studied geology last year, and I think these minor quakes might continue for a little bit. Maybe it won't, but I think there will be a massive quake easily in the next four years.

[justintime 8]

Originally posted by: Micah

Originally posted by: Duke87 An earthquake? In California? Wow, you don't see that too often.quote>

 

I was amazed as well.

Now if I hear about an earthquake occuring in Houston, then I would be completely shocked. However, there has been one that occured a few months ago in the Gulf of Mexico.quote>

What?! I live in North Houston and I never heard about a earthquake here.

[skyliner22 16]

Well i guess its quite big news up here since a 5.7 is the biggest in among these other small quakes we had. My teacher said if a 5.7 were to hit any where else it woulda been a big deal since their building codes are not as to par as here. It was a looong quake and rattled a few nerves here and there. The last one was in the summer centered near Berkeley but my bed just rocked that one.

[hamsterTK 93]

neat

Now if I hear about an earthquake occuring in Houston, then I would be completely shocked. However, there has been one that occured a few months ago in the Gulf of Mexico.quote>

actually there was once a 3.0 earthquake between Bryan and Austin. Hardly anyone felt it, but man it was something else! Not sure what even caused it

[Micah 16]

Originally posted by: justintime

Originally posted by: Micah

Originally posted by: Duke87 An earthquake? In California? Wow, you don't see that too often.quote>

 

I was amazed as well.

Now if I hear about an earthquake occuring in Houston, then I would be completely shocked. However, there has been one that occured a few months ago in the Gulf of Mexico.quote>

What?! I live in North Houston and I never heard about a earthquake here.quote>

 

Exactly... there never has been one, at least in modern times. There was one in the Gulf of Mexico just a few months ago that rumbled over towards Mississippi and parts of Florida. In fact, I believe there was a thread about it. 

actually there was once a 3.0 earthquake between Bryan and Austin. Hardly anyone felt it, but man it was something else! Not sure what even caused itquote>

Seriously? What year was that?

[Barbarossa 51]

.

  Edited September 7, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[hamsterTK 93]

Seriously? What year was that?quote>

actually it was a few months ago. Even though it was tiny , some person out in the country must've felt it, as he called the sherriff thinking a well had exploded

http://folkworm.ceri.memphis.edu/recenteqs/Quakes/us2007hhcg.html

here's another tiny quake from the panhandle:

http://folkworm.ceri.memphis.edu/recenteqs/Quakes/us2007ieam.html

Obviously these are very tiny and usually not felt unless you are right by the epicenter and your feet are on solid ground, and even then it's like a train going by.

[GingerBlokey 30]

Magazines fell off shelves after an earthquake at a bookstore in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday...quote>

Makes it sound as if the earthquake was exclusivley at that shop.

[masssc4 3]

There was an earthquake about 5 miles from where i live a couple weeks ago in Mass, but it was only a 2.5 and it happened at like 2 in the morning, i was sleep

[spectrumtech 15]

I live in Northern San Jose, and the earthquake broke two windows, jammed the garage door, and made the siding fall off the second story of my house. I've seen worse, but it was pretty scary.

[OffTopic 3]

Of course I didn't feel it, down in San Diego, but they do say we are in for a big one.

P.S. Topcliff, you and 2nerdy4u have the same avatar. Was that planned?

[The_Hutt 11]

Topcliff got the banhammer a week or two ago.