[freedumb2003]

I am here in Richmond, VA — the largest metroplex near to the Earthquake today. I am from Los Angeles and was 3 miles from the epicenter of the Northridge Quake.

This was a 5.8.

Richmond reaction: 24 HOUR TEAM COVERAGE OF OUR HORRENDOUS ORDEAL! Thank God no one was hurt or even killed! Here is someone who was near a window when it hit! “Well, Joan, I stepped a few steps away and that was sorta that.”

We will be broadcasting nonstop for the next 24 hours, then we will reduce to only 12 hours a day for the next 3 weeks.

Los Angeles reaction: A tiny 5.8 quake rattled a few nerves today. OK, now to Slappy Jockstrap for the sports of the day! How are Kobe and Tiger doing these last few days, Slappy?

[buccaneer81]

And what would the reaction in L.A. be to a Cat 3 hurricane? Or two feet of snow (not in the mountains, I mean in Anaheim?) Or two inches of ice? Or an F3 tornado in Burbank?

Do you think we'll point at the folks out there and call them soft?

No.

[DB]

A 7.0 anywhere California not nice but not many dead.

A 7.0 in New York city and total devastation. Likely 100,000+ dead.

An entirely different situation.

Bricks and unreinforced masonry are death in a major earthquake. Both are wide spread on the east coast. Very little remains of it on the west coast. East coasters have every reason to fear earthquakes, earthquakes that would otherwise do little damage on the west coast.

[VanShuyten]

I lived in Japan for over a dozen years, and the reporting here in northern Virginia is stupidly amusing. For example, here in western Fairfax County, I'd rate the quake as an M3.5, maybe up to M4. All of the Washington news reports are that an M5.8 quake 85 miles away equals an M5.8 in D.C.

[Rummyfan]

A scene of the damage in DC from yesterday's quake:

[Claud]

I am here in Richmond, VA — the largest metroplex near to the Earthquake today. I am from Los Angeles and was 3 miles from the epicenter of the Northridge Quake.

I'm from Philly. I've felt a few earthquakes there, but we just happened to be visiting relatives in Mineral VA yesterday. Never in my 40 years have I felt anything like that.

No, we're not used to a 5.8 quake. And thank God.

Now what's the Los Angeles reaction to a few days straight of rain again? State of Emergency? ;)