Just A Little Shake

Okay, so we had this little earthquake that hit our small island this morning, and woke us all from a deep slumber. It was definitely the longest shaker I have ever experienced (and I had a few quakes in So Cal in college). I fortunately had no damage, although a few of my friends did have some breakage of shelved items (mostly those living in multifloored buildings). We almost immediately went into a tsunami warning which was lifted within the hour.

I was able to get on Facebook almost immediately via my cellphone in my bedroom, and then I came out to the computer so I could get connected to JMA website to check the magnitude, location and depth. Everyone else here was awake and on Facebook as well, so we all let each other know we were okay, and by updating our own status', hoped that our families back home would also know we were okay.

It seems that due to the earthquake in Haiti, the news is very sensitive to earthquakes, because this is the first one I have ever been in here, that made CNN. Of course, most of you know that Chile had an 8.8 hit them this afternoon (JST), and probably is experiencing some of the devastation that Haiti did so our news is mild in comparison.

We are lucky here. Japan sits on the "ring of fire" and in "typhoon alley" so our structures here are built to withstand earthquakes and typhoons (something a few places in the States could learn from). Only those in rural areas, living in traditional homes that were built before earthquake standards, were enacted would be at risk of really losing much. Obviously, a tsunami would be dangerous for any of us living close to the water regardless of the structure.

So while our earthquake here definitely was the topic of conversation today, I am thrilled to say we are all okay and that our thoughts are now for those suffering in both Haiti and Chile.

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Five Years Ago on In My Words...Birds