Earthquake in NY area!

It happened!!

It can happen. I did not feel it here in Connecticut, but some people did.

When I lived in NYC, we once had a minor earthquake. A painting dropped off my wall, but that was it.

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Are there any other NYC-area folks in the forums? Is everyone OK?

Of course everybody's OK. NY ain't Taiwan.

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As a Californian, I'm a bit confused as to why this is even news? 4.8 on the Richter Scale falls into the category of "light." Around here that warrants an "Oh shit, did you feel that?" and then we chuckle about it and go on with our day.

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LOL, if it happens in New York it’s news.

Yes, it's exceedingly rare to have earthquakes in the East coast - can't remember the last time they had any!

Maybe instead of being annoyingly flippant, you could stop to consider that right now some folks with family in the area are still trying to get in touch with their loved ones - it happened to some friends of mine.

Because it's so rare in the east, it's a huge event. We aren't used to such things. And it would be worse here if the quake was stronger because things here aren't designed or built with earthquakes in mind.

Here, (about 20 miles from epicenter) it seemed to last about 5 seconds with one aftershock a second after the initial shake had stopped, but reports closer to the center say it lasted up to 30 seconds.

I was laying in bed when it happened - felt and sounded like I was aboard an unstable freight train. I've felt a few here in NJ, but this was the longest and most powerful I ever felt. It is truly frightening because you don't know what it is at first (a big truck speeding in front of your house, a vehicle collision, a bomb, etc.) then you don't know how long it will last or what the damages might be.

All our books and pictures fell over on our bookcases - but that was the extent of any damage so far for me.

This is absolutely right. Even a mild earthquake can be quite frightening while it's happening because you just don't what will happen. The first earthquake I experienced was 8.7 - and to be totally honest, when I realised what was happening, the thought did cross my mind that I could die right there and then.

It is not something you EVER forget.

My neighbor was funny - I asked if her dogs reacted in anyway before the quake or during.
She said she didn't notice any odd behavior from them - she was right about to let them outside when it hit.
She says, "I'm not letting them out now!"
I asked, "Why not?"
She says, "Because it's earth quaking out!"
I said, "Your backyard is probably the safest place for them right now as long as nothing can fall on them."
She says, "What if a giant crack opens up in the ground and the dogs fall in?"
I said, "Highly unlikely."

Which quake was that? Was that recently?

To put things in perspective, today's quake had the 3rd highest magnitude of any earthquake in the area since 1957!!

Just had aftershock at 5:59 pm (as I'm sitting here typing on the MoFo)!!!

This may sound odd, but I couldn't help feeling that on some level this was exciting and fun (only because they warned of aftershocks and it was no where near as powerful as this morning).

Part of the issue is that earthquakes in unusual places can be more dangerous than the same size quake in places that have come to expect it. They don't build accordingly, people don't know what to do or not do, et cetera.

One of my worst fears ever is being in the middle of a surgery when a big earthquake hits.

Mind you, I don't know anyone personally to whom this has happened; I just keep thinking of one of those "worst case" scenarios where you definitely hope you're going to have a surgeon with a very steady hand.

Weirdly, I had the exact same thought today.

I imagine the surgeon would stop momentarily (unless it was something like clamping closed an artery at the very moment), instruct staff to assess the situation & all equipment, then get right back in there as soon as rumbling stopped. Of course it would be a whole different ball game if say lighting was lost because backup generators were damaged or the building began to cave in.

Dude, why are you creating new scenarios to worry me? Stop it!
I didn't even know anything happened till one of my neighbors told me about it. I was sleeping when it happened. I remember the only earthquake I ever felt. I thought the boiler in the house was exploding.

OK, but is it ever possible (although perhaps unlikely) that the first major jolt of the earthquake could simply coincide with the moment the surgeon is making an incision? This thought came to me once while I was having eye surgery - which, by the way, is usually done with partial anesthesia because you have to be at least mildly aware and responsive. And they keep telling you not to move!!

Yeah, eye surgery is one with no room for deviation (which is why I've never gotten the Lasik).

For most surgeries I'd imagine an earthquake during incision would be reacted to with gauze and pressure until cutting could continue.