At 3:59PM--my clock read 4:00AM (CST), I was awakened by a loud bang and what felt like a car or a snow plow slamming into my house. I got up, went to the bathroom, then looked for damage. When I realized that nothing had hit the house, I also realized that it had been an earthquake. I turned on my iPod Touch and the IFeltThat application that tracks earthquakes. It didn't show the earthquake for 35 minutes. I couldn't go back to sleep and turned on the local ABC morning news at 4:30AM and heard about the earthquake.
The epicenter of the earthquake was at 42.053°N, 88.412°W, 2 km (1 miles) SSE (168°) from Pingree Grove, IL--roughly 11.9 miles from my house.
It was first thought to be a Magnitude 4.3 earthquake and was later downgraded to a M 3.8 earthquake, striking about 3.11 miles deep. I lived in Los Angeles (LA) for a number of years and, while there was an earthquake preparedness consultant. I had experienced lots of earthquakes while in LA, though this one was louder than the ones I remembered.
The scale for earthquakes moves exponentially, so the higher numbers represent significantly greater earthquakes in terms of shaking and effect. An M 3.8 earthquake was big enough. It does give a reference point for the M 6.0 earthquake that first hit Haiti. That area has since had more than 50 aftershocks, usually about 6.21 miles deep and measuring M 4.3 or higher on the Richter scale. We had a M 3.8 with little or no damage.
The USGS was actively soliciting first-hand reports from people experiencing the earthquake. You can report your experience by following this link.
While I know what to do to prepare for earthquakes, I can assure you that my home in Illinois is not so prepared. We're lucky to have had so few of them lately.
Showing posts with label earthquake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label earthquake. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Disaster Relief--Earthquake in Haiti--Help that Counts Now
Tuesday's 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck a little more than six miles deep just outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and the 40+ aftershocks measuring 4.5 to 5.3 on the Richter scale have devastated much of the concrete and stone structures throughout the area.
Tonight initial estimates of 50,000 dead are just guesses. Because the roads have been broken up, it's even harder to move supplies and materials to where they are needed. People on the ground are out of supplies and much is needed.
The American Red Cross (and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies) are active in response to disasters around the world. I had Red Cross disaster training and volunteered with the Red Cross for more than 33 years. I know first hand the good they do in disasters.
I also know that, in these initial days, the most important way to make a difference is to make a monetary donation--even as little as ten dollars by credit card. If you are tempted to buy food or water or medical supplies, just donate the money you would have spent. The American Red Cross has already earmarked $10 million dollars for Haiti and some funds are needed to create that amount. Logistics of getting disaster supplies collected and in place quickly requires money and small amounts can be pooled quickly and can make an enormous difference.
You want to make sure that your donations go to what you want them to go to and that your credit card information will not be compromised. The best way to do that is to go through existing organizations that you know are authentic. I'm providing links for donations to the American Red Cross and Doctors without Borders--two which I know deliver and who we can believe in.
I donated to the American Red Cross International Response Fund yesterday and the Red Cross has now established a Haiti Relief and Development Fund. You can donate to either or both of these funds or more by following this link or the link to the title of this post.
Doctors Without Borders is another organization which does good work throughout the world. They are already actively operating in Haiti and have a way of directing donations to that effort. Take a look at a video released in December that documents some of the work they are doing in Haiti.
This is a second post for the day (Thursday, January 14th, 2010). I didn't want another day to go by without posting about the need to respond to this international disaster.
By the way, I felt that is a great app available from the iTunes store for the iPod Touch and the iPhone. It gives world-wide earthquake data and is always up-to-date. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in tracking earthquake activity.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti is on the same time as New York City. The temperature during the night is about 70 degrees F. The temperature tomorrow during the day will be up to 92 degrees F.
Amazingly, Skype, Twitter, and cell phones with solar batteries are the ways people are communicating.
Tonight initial estimates of 50,000 dead are just guesses. Because the roads have been broken up, it's even harder to move supplies and materials to where they are needed. People on the ground are out of supplies and much is needed.
The American Red Cross (and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies) are active in response to disasters around the world. I had Red Cross disaster training and volunteered with the Red Cross for more than 33 years. I know first hand the good they do in disasters.
I also know that, in these initial days, the most important way to make a difference is to make a monetary donation--even as little as ten dollars by credit card. If you are tempted to buy food or water or medical supplies, just donate the money you would have spent. The American Red Cross has already earmarked $10 million dollars for Haiti and some funds are needed to create that amount. Logistics of getting disaster supplies collected and in place quickly requires money and small amounts can be pooled quickly and can make an enormous difference.
You want to make sure that your donations go to what you want them to go to and that your credit card information will not be compromised. The best way to do that is to go through existing organizations that you know are authentic. I'm providing links for donations to the American Red Cross and Doctors without Borders--two which I know deliver and who we can believe in.
I donated to the American Red Cross International Response Fund yesterday and the Red Cross has now established a Haiti Relief and Development Fund. You can donate to either or both of these funds or more by following this link or the link to the title of this post.
Doctors Without Borders is another organization which does good work throughout the world. They are already actively operating in Haiti and have a way of directing donations to that effort. Take a look at a video released in December that documents some of the work they are doing in Haiti.
This is a second post for the day (Thursday, January 14th, 2010). I didn't want another day to go by without posting about the need to respond to this international disaster.
By the way, I felt that is a great app available from the iTunes store for the iPod Touch and the iPhone. It gives world-wide earthquake data and is always up-to-date. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in tracking earthquake activity.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti is on the same time as New York City. The temperature during the night is about 70 degrees F. The temperature tomorrow during the day will be up to 92 degrees F.
Amazingly, Skype, Twitter, and cell phones with solar batteries are the ways people are communicating.
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