Is Hamish OK?

[BEEDEE]

Earthquake in SE England near Dover.

http://my.embarq.earthlink.net/artic...70428-19981888

Hope Hamish is OK.

Brian

[McClef]

The earthquake was felt in Kent, Hamish lives in Sussex so he should be OK

[Hamish]

Earthquake in SE England near Dover.

http://my.embarq.earthlink.net/artic...70428-19981888

Hope Hamish is OK.

Brian

Thank you so much for your concern, Brian, which is very much appreciated. Yes, I and those around me are just fine. Folkestone is the nearest town to Storrington that suffered damage and power failures, and that is just over 80 miles away, as the crow flies.

Trefor is quite correct: the damage was confined to a small area in the County of Kent - I am at the far end of the neighbouring County of Sussex.

[Scott Gilmore]

Glad to hear it, Hamish.

Since we're on the subject, apparently in `03 Dumfries and Galloway experienced a magnitude 3.5 temblor. Robertson, living Dumfries at the time I presume, and being a past Southern California resident, probably appreciated the friendly jolt. Reminded him of "the auld country" as it were.

Personally, as a San Diegan, I try to schedule my morning tooth-brushing around the usual earth-rattlers as it facilitates the elimination of plaque.

In all seriousnosity (izzat a word? Is "izzat" a word?), my business is the issuance of building permits in Southern California, and seismic requirements are a significant part of that process. We have expended significant effort trying to help owners of legally built unreinforced masonry buildings (generally built over 60 years ago) in the unincorporated areas on how to bring their structures into compliance with current seismic requirements.

A short walk around the older (it's a relative term in this part of the world) core downtown areas of even small established villages with a semi-educated eye will point out the efforts many property owners have gone to to mitigate the damage that will eventually inevitably occur when the Pacific plate takes umbrage with the North American Plate (and/or the Gorda Plate, the Juan de Fuca Plate, the Rivera Plate, etc.). Essentially, building owners have had to build a metal reinforcement structure within the masonry structure to support it if it fails during a seismic event, thereby avoiding crushing its inhabitants with falling masonry debris.

In a changing world, one wonders if and when parts of the eastern U.S. and western Europe - all more vulnerable to seismic activity than is generally perceived - will adapt to the realities of seismic occurrences. The upshot being, it happens; not very often, but once is all it takes.

[walkerk]

Another earthquake?! Hope all is well.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/...ae.php#details

[beloitpiper]

That's why I live in Wisconsin.


oh poop, another tornado...

[Rob Wright]

A friend in London felt the quake which shook his place and knocked some plaster loose.

Rob

[McClef]

According to the BBC we had the biggest earthquake for 25 years at 1 am this morning, epicentre was Market Rasen, Lincolnshire.

Few injuries, minor damage, felt in quite a few parts of the UK. 5.3 on the Richter scale.

I didn't feel it.

[Nick]

My wife felt it, apparently I slept through it. Just some short shaking in the flat.

[Pleater]

Drat - I stayed awake until 4 am today - my circadian rhythm has skipped a beat again, and never felt a thing.