We had a 3.8 earthquake in Westchester on July 25 at 3:18 AM, and I happened to be awake at the time. It wasn't much of a quake, although I felt it very sharply since I was so close to the epicenter, and it pushed our north wall out of place so that the front gate will no longer lock. The gate was wide open when I saw it in the morning, and we've had to adjust the hole where it is supposed to lock. It still needs a bit more work. Lars

We did. Hubby and I were asleep and we heard some glassware on our dressers ratteling. We thought the cat was on the dresser. I got up and thought it was odd. I told him the folders on his dresser were shaking. He said right away it was a tremor. Lasted 30 sec. Went back to bed only to find out on the news that in fact there was a earthquake down south. We live south of Chicago...so we are over 350 miles away. We both also felt the one 20 years ago. Andrea how was it in Indy?

There was one yesterday near Jones that was a 4.0. I felt it in Broken Arrow which is SE of Tulsa. I felt it sitting at my desk and the little light on my desk shook like crazy for about 10 seconds. I wasn't sure what it was but thought it must have been an earthquake. About 30-40 minutes had past when I googled "Broken Arrow earthquake" and discovered that there had been one in Jones 37 minutes earlier. Jones is about 3/4 the way down the Turner Turnpike toward OKC from Tulsa. I could hardly believe I felt it from 70-80 miles away but I sure did.

Re Moni's sister's dishes, a relatively small quake, the kind we report on the news but shrug off, can break dishes if it's close by. If you're near a fault, cabinet latches and lower storage of breakables, can help. Also, stud and stucco houses flex better during quakes than many other kinds, though some people prefer the steel studs because they're termite proof. The thing about tall buildings is that they sway, some are near enough to each other to actually collide if there are unfavorable harmonics, you always want to be on top during a quake, but egress is low, and you don't want to go outside of a big building because the facade and windows can create deadly falling debris. So I hate tall buildings and wouldn't live or work in one, but I don't dwell on it either. What to do: Get away from anything that can fall on you, like file cabinets, book cases, hanging light fixtures, heavy art, things on shelves, breaking windows and mirrors, etc. If you're in bed, and don't have stuff hanging over the bed, stay in bed unless your house is coming apart. Shelter on the floor beside a heavy piece of furniture that's higher than you are to create a "safe triangle". If a beam or wall falls, it'll land against the furniture rather than on you. If you're in a big open office or school space, with a lot of overhead lighting and other breakable and falling stuff, get under the nearest table or desk. If you're near a structural wall (support wall) get next to it. People used to say in the doorway, but that only works if it's structural, and it's more about being away from the windows than the solidity of doorways. Don't go out while the shaking is happening unless the building is falling down around you. If you're driving you may not feel it. If you do, get away from overhead electrical lines, and falling debris, and come to an orderly stop by the side of the road. Don't assume that other drivers are away. Remember they may be panicking. Stay in your car. If you get out to help people, be very aware of the road and that the world hasn't stopped. Don't get run over! If you're a pedestrian go just inside the closest door, away from glass, or up against a building away from anything falling. If you're on foot in open country, get away from trees and anything that can fall on you and just ride it out. The common sense things to do are have an emergency plan, including a meetup place for family members. Have emergency lights that come on in a blackout and know how to put your hands on flashlights without being able to see. Don't light candles until you're sure there isn't a gas leak, and have an earthquake shutoff for your gas delivery. Also have a screwdriver whose location is easy to find and the instructions for resetting the gas and checking for leaks if your house seems undamaged. Have an emergency kit that will last you for a few days with food, water, blanket (can be space blanket), jacket, solid shoes, medications, glasses, and also keep basic supplies in your car. Bury a sealed barrel in your yard with supplies for the family, if you live in a less urban area and expect to have to shelter in place in your yard even if the house is unsafe. Always have reserves of bottled water, stored in an easy to get at place if you're outside of the house, more than you think you'll need, because your family and house might be fine, but water may be unavailable or unsafe for a week or more. Once you've thought everything through and made sensible preparations, check and replace items as necessary once or twice a year as the kids grow and supplies age. Have a family drill about emergency procedures. Then forget about it all until the next check day. When you move anywhere, or even just travel, it makes sense to know what to do in the kind of emergency that is common where you're going (BTW, earthquakes are good preparation for bombings...). I wouldn't know what to do in a tornado like happen in the middle of the country, but I'd learn if I were going there. Once you're informed and prepared, however, there's no point dwelling on it.