That's something the Blog Princess never thought she'd see in the Land of Bedwetting Socialists:
A 3.6-magnitude earthquake struck near the Gaithersburg, Maryland, area just after 5 a.m. ET Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.The center of the quake was about 20 miles northwest of Washington, the USGS said.
"It was really loud, like a plane flying really low. I had never felt anything like it," said Anne Ngunjiri, 30, of Gaithersburg. "I was jolted out of bed.
That's exactly what it felt like, too. I thought another big tree had fallen. Here's a bit of Maryland earthquake history to digest along with your morning coffee:
The earliest recorded earthquake in Maryland occurred in Annapolis, on April 24, 1758. The shock lasted 30 seconds and was preceded by subterranean noises. Additional felt reports were received from a few points in Pennsylvania.The great earthquake series of 1811 -1812 centered near New Madrid, Missouri, affected an area of 2 million square miles, including Maryland. A moderate-sized earthquake on March 9, 1828, was felt over all of Virginia, West Virginia, and portions of neighboring states, including Maryland. The effects at Baltimore resulted in considerable shaking of doors and agitation of other objects. The center of this earthquake was not accurately fixed, but it was probably in southwest Virginia. Another shock centered in Virginia, on August 27, 1833, was felt noticeably in Baltimore. A similar pattern followed on April 29, 1852, from a moderate shock in southwestern Virginia. Considerable alarm was noted in Baltimore, while Annapolis was reported as merely feeling the tremor.
Harford County, Maryland, was shaken by two or three earthquakes the night of March 11 and the morning of March 12, 1883. The intensity was in the IV - V range, (clocks stopped at Fallston) with felt points also noted in Baltimore County.
Another moderate shock occurred less than two years later, on January 2, 1885, in an area near the Frederick County, Maryland - Ludon County, Virginia, border. Maximum intensity reached V, with the total felt area covering more than 3,500 square miles. Clarke, Fairfax, Fauquier, and Shenandoah Counties, Virginia, also reported this earthquake.
Since 1885, earth vibrations felt in Maryland have been associated with sources for adjacent states and points as far away as the St. Lawrence Valley and Timiskaming, Canada.
Posted by Cassandra at July 16, 2010 07:35 AM
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Comments
There were 5 earthquakes while I was living in CA back in the 70's; I felt not a one of 'em...however, while spending the night there on my way to Korea years later, I was awakened by one in bed. I guess when the others occurred, I was moving around too, so I didn't notice...
Posted by: camojack at July 16, 2010 07:55 AM
We had them all the time when we lived in the high desert - the Landers quakehappened before we got there (thank God) but 5 years later the area was still blighted.
Posted by: Cassandra at July 16, 2010 08:06 AM
Finally, it is getting too strong to hide...I contend that we do not have earthquakes...what we are experiencing is our founding fathers turning over in their graves at what is happening to this country.
Posted by: GunnyPink at July 16, 2010 08:10 AM
Don't we have a weapon capable of making earthquakes?
Posted by: Ymarsakar at July 16, 2010 08:14 AM
Science, schmience... I'm inclined to agree with Gunny.
Posted by: bt_resident_neanderthal_hun at July 16, 2010 08:38 AM
+1 to Gunny.
Posted by: Grim at July 16, 2010 08:46 AM
I contend that we do not have earthquakes...what we are experiencing is our founding fathers turning over in their graves at what is happening to this country.
I think that wins Comment of the Day :)
Posted by: Cassandra at July 16, 2010 09:39 AM
The earthquake was the talk of the doctor's office this morning. It didn't wake me up.
But then, I had a banner childhood for earthquakes. We managed to be in Coalinga (83), Whittier (87), and Loma Prieta (89). Never the epicenter, but within 30 miles or so.
We did manage to be in Monterey for the Northridge earthquake, thank goodness. I was beginning to think there was some weird connection.
Posted by: airforcewife at July 16, 2010 11:34 AM
Over here, a loud bang and the hootch jolting in the middle of the night does *not* mean an earthquake.
Good thing, too, otherwise I might be nervous...
Posted by: BillT at July 16, 2010 12:10 PM
I loathe earthquakes. Loma Prieta was not a fun one and we were in Salinas. The ground rolling around outside was scary.
That said, 'tis the season. Earthquakes seem to happen most during the summer.
Posted by: Cricket at July 16, 2010 12:13 PM
I do have a "slightly" different take on the Earthquake over Gaithersburg, Cass. I posted some rambling thoughts over at THE CASTLE if anyone is interested.
But seriously, back home, it is normal to have earthquakes of this magnitude once or twice a year. Though the last destructive earthquake happened back in 1917. I did "enjoy" the occasional strong shakes we had in San Diego though.
Posted by: Boquisucio at July 16, 2010 12:23 PM
Born and raised in SoCal. Earthquakes are annoying - they mess up traffic and pre-empt good television shows.
And Gunny's right on.
Posted by: HomefrontSix at July 16, 2010 05:20 PM
TINS . . .One of the semi-major dams in the midwest is built right on, and I mean right on (you can see the fault scarp when you cross the end of the dam) an active fault. The last time it slipped, back in 187?, it was what we'd call a Richter 6.8. Turns out that is enough to break or liquify the earth-fill dam. The largest town downstream now has . . . tusnami warning sirens on the same poles as the tornado sirens.
The fault system that caused the Rio Grande rift valley is still active, and you can get T-shirts at NM State U saying "waterski Las Cruces!" because that is were the coastline will be if the faults ever really cut loose. The only earthquake I've felt has been while I was in Albuquerque.
Posted by: LittleRed1 at July 16, 2010 08:43 PM
Maryland does have earthquakes, but they are mild and not widespread. The only time I ever heard of them was after-the-fact. San Diego, on the other hand, is much more exciting.
Posted by: valerie at July 17, 2010 10:21 AM
Gaia loves her straying Mud-pit Prophet, AlGore. Therefore, Gunny is correct.
Posted by: Cricket at July 17, 2010 11:05 AM
I thought Al Gore was in his strato fortress in high orbit?
Posted by: Ymarsakar at July 17, 2010 02:36 PM
I've never experienced an earthquake. I suppose the closest I've been is when we lived in El Paso. That was when the big earthquake happened in Mexico City. Apparently, it was enough to slosh the water in El Paso swimming pools, but I didn't feel anything.
Posted by: Miss Ladybug at July 18, 2010 12:49 AM
Take a look at the woman on the right's smile
Pure Alpha there. It has all the traits and qualities.
I love it when the righteous dominate effortlessly their inferior Leftist counterparts.
Posted by: Ymarsakar at July 18, 2010 11:48 AM
We had an earthquake here in 1993, it was a full 2.9! I remember that I was shaving at the time and thought either a big truck had driven by the house, or there was blasting at a quary not too far from where we live. Wasn't until I was driving to the armory that I head on the news it was actually an earthquake.
Posted by: Frodo at July 19, 2010 10:33 AM
Wimps! Come to CA for a real earthquake. I was working in the City of Palo Alto fifth floor ofices when we had a 5 something quake. The whole building moved. It oscillated. I ran for the stairwell, my coworker told me not to worry, the building was ductile frame concrete - idiot.
I was having a cold one on my boat in Redwood City when all hell broke loose. I thought an electrical short had fired the engines. Not so, the pilings in the harbor were waiving in a sinusoidal mode. This was the Loma Prieta quake, 7 point something. That was some serious stuff.
Posted by: Mark at July 26, 2010 02:06 PM
