From experience here in Southern California, I can tell you that it’s not uncommon at all to hear a rumble as the earthquake wave closes in on you. It could quite easily be thought of as sounding something like thunder.
If you are standing outside, you can see the wave coming towards you, if you can look down a highway or another flat surface. You can also see telephone polls affected by the quake as it moves in your direction.
I was on the phone with someone about 50 miles away once, when a quake rolled by them. It took a fair amount of time to get to where I was, say fifteen to thirty seconds, perhaps a bit more seconds. I don’t remember the exact time it took any longer.
that is how it felt. we have construction going on in our subdivision and I thought it was a piece of heavy equipment coming down the street. turned out is was a faultline coming down the street.
What I heard may have been the end of the rolling. I am on a high bluff just above the Mississippi River in Southwestern IL. (I am about 2 miles from the river, but way up high and not in a flood zone. We typically deal with the New Madrid & Wabash faults here.)
I thought it’s predicted to be able to see the actual waves in an earthquake 10.0 and larger.