Another Fun California Earthquake!
@DeborahDiane (40044)
Laguna Woods, California
April 5, 2018 7:48pm CST
This afternoon, we had a 5.3 magnitude earthquake in the ocean off the Channel Islands near Ventura and Santa Barbara, California.
Reporters turned out in large numbers to interview people who had felt the earthquake. They said things like:
"It made me feel a little woozy."
"I'm on vacation and now I have something to tell everyone about when I get home."
"I wondered if the beach was supposed to move like that."
"My dogs took off and ran into the bathroom."
"I could really feel the swaying since I'm the 14th floor of an office building."
"I felt a little jolt in San Clemente."
"I didn't feel anything."
There was no damage and no injuries. In other words, it was just another fun day in paradise! 
17 people like this
17 responses
@FourWalls (61952)
• United States
6 Apr 18
The first episode of the TV series Lou Grant had Lou moving to L.A. from Minneapolis (at the end of The Mary Tyler Moore Show). He panicked during his first earthquake while everyone else in the newsroom placed bets on the magnitude. 
Yeah, you get used to it, I guess.
Yeah, you get used to it, I guess.4 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@FourWalls - Yes, I have heard people making similar bets, although now it is posted on our phones within minutes of the quake hitting.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@JohnRoberts - I agree! We used to live in Texas and our neighborhood was hit by tornadoes three times over seven years. I would much rather deal with an occasional quake.
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
6 Apr 18
Piece of cake! The Midwest has to deal with tornadoes every year while a bad quake is once a generation here. People are terrified of quakes yet tornadoes and hurricane do far greater damage and people move right back to the afflicted areas.
3 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
6 Apr 18
5.3 is fairly strong. Two people got killed here when we had our 6.3 quake in Paso Robles in 2003. It also knocked down most of my bookcases in my book shed and in my upstairs hall which is lined with them. The photo is part of my upstairs hall next to the bathroom door. I had to live somewhere else during clean-up.
2 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
7 Apr 18
@DeborahDiane I know. Since I was born in California and lived here all my life, I never took earthquakes anymore seriously than I did getting the hiccups. Probably they causes less concern than hiccups. The 2003 earthquake changed that feeling.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@bagarad - Wow! Thanks for sharing that photo. Our daughter who lives in Napa had a lot of similar damage three and a half years ago when the quake struck there. However, most quakes are no big deal. Here's an interesting quote I found about them: "Each year the southern California area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Most of them are so small that they are not felt. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15-20 are greater than magnitude 4.0."
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@bagarad - Yes, once you have lived through a natural disaster, it changes how you feel about things. For me, the tornadoes we experienced while we lived in Texas became terrifying, since we had a lot of damage several times. However, here in California, we haven't experienced a bad earthquake, so I don't find them as alarming. I hope that doesn't change!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (457412)
• Switzerland
7 Apr 18
@DeborahDiane I am pretty sensible, but it is true that you only feel some, not all of them.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@LadyDuck - Yes, most of the earthquakes are not noticeable at all. Only scientists know about them.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@LadyDuck - Yes, they are very common. Here's what I learned about our quakes: "Each year the southern California area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Most of them are so small that they are not felt. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15-20 are greater than magnitude 4.0."
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (94806)
• Marion, Ohio
6 Apr 18
Glad to hear no one was hurt. I guess you would get used to it if you lived there, but I dont want too
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (94806)
• Marion, Ohio
7 Apr 18
@DeborahDiane I am in Ohio and if I can feel it I am looking around. But we almost never have anything strong enough to feel.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@wolfgirl569 - In the Midwest, I remember feeling an earthquake in Missouri while I was at college at Mizzou. They have the Madris Fault. Oklahoma has had a lot of earthquakes because of the fracking there. Now that I live in California, most earthquakes are just little shakers and rarely do they cause a problem.
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@wolfgirl569 - Oh, yes, you get used to them and they really are not an issue. Here's a quote I found online about them: "Each year the southern California area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Most of them are so small that they are not felt. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15-20 are greater than magnitude 4.0."
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@cintol - I don't believe it will happen in my lifetime, nor the lifetime of my grandchildren. Anything could happen over a long enough period of time. We have frequent earthquakes here in Southern California. Here's an interesting fact which may interest you: "Each year the southern California area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Most of them are so small that they are not felt. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15-20 are greater than magnitude 4.0."
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@cintol - I'm sure people feel them more or less in different places. They say if you home is on rock, you don't feel them as much. If your home is in a "high liquefaction area," where there is sand under your home, your house will shake a lot more. Interesting, huh?
1 person likes this
@cintol (11261)
• United States
7 Apr 18
@DeborahDiane Wow, I didn't know that, that is an interesting fact. My grand daughter lives up near Yuba City and she said she never feels very many.
1 person likes this
@Starmaiden (9311)
• Canada
6 Apr 18
Thats good that it isnt serious, but how many of those surfers would challenge a tsunami?
2 people like this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
7 Apr 18
Earthquake is something not unusual for me. There was a time when I experienced earthquake quite often. It has been years since I experienced that though.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
8 Apr 18
@DeborahDiane Too many fault lines here and we have volcanoes. We belong to the 'ring of fire'
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@toniganzon - I have heard they have earthquakes in the Philippines. I'm glad you don't experience them too often, though.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Apr 18
@toniganzon - We are on the "ring of fire" here in California, too. No volcanoes in the area, but plenty of fault lines. Sooner or later, we are supposed to experience what they call "the big one." We'll see what happens.
@crossbones27 (48405)
• Mojave, California
6 Apr 18
No fun here. No swaying, dogs did not bark. I hate when mother nature forgets about us. OK, was a big lie because really glad 5.3 could do some serious damage. Glad she made the fishies pay and not us.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@crossbones - Glad the earthquake did not affect you. We didn't feel it either. Here's an interesting fact about earthquakes here: "Each year the southern California area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Most of them are so small that they are not felt. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15-20 are greater than magnitude 4.0."
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Apr 18
Glad to hear the damage wasn't serious at all on the mainland. Was there any damage at all on the islands that were closest to the epicenter?
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@moffittjc - There was a mudslide along the coastline of one of the Channel Islands. They showed some good video on the news of part of a cliff falling into the ocean and making a huge splash. There was also an "eagle cam" which showed a bald eagle on one of the islands flying off her nest while her three babies stayed behind while the nest shook. Mom returned quickly, once the shaking stopped. That was about all the excitement I heard about.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Apr 18
@DeborahDiane I actually saw the video of the eagle, but I hadn't heard about the mud slide. There were no homes in the area of the mud slide, were there?
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Apr 18
@moffittjc - No. There aren't many people on the Channel Islands. They are mostly used for off-shore drilling, although there are some nature preserves there, too. The mudslide was mainly just a piece of cliff that broke off and fell in the water. It would have been bad if anyone had been in the way, but fortunately no one was around.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205287)
• Walnut Creek, California
1 Jul 18
@DeborahDiane It can be hard to tell if it's a big quake far away v. a small quake close by. But I try.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
2 Jul 18
@TheHorse - Yes, I can understand how that would be difficult. It sounds like a fun challenge. I'll have to give it a try. We haven't felt one in our neighborhood in a couple of years, so we are past due!
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
1 Jul 18
@TheHorse - That sounds like a fun thing to do. My husband and I enjoy our little earthquakes, too. We've never tried to guess the magnitude, but we'll have to do that in the future!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@DianneN - I think it would bother me more to experience a serious one in Puerto Rico or anywhere where I was far from home. Here, however, we just take them in stride. Here's an interesting fact I discovered online about them: "Each year the southern California area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Most of them are so small that they are not felt. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15-20 are greater than magnitude 4.0."
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Apr 18
@DianneN - Ha ha! Your husband could be right, but I don't think I will live to see it ... at least I hope not! LOL
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246334)
• United States
9 Apr 18
@DeborahDiane The earthquake in Puerto Rico made for an interesting visit. I shall relay your earthquake info to my husband. He swears that one day the new west coast will be in Arizona.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
1 May 18
@JudyEv - Yes, believe it or not, earthquakes are a pretty normal part of life in California. Everything's good, until the buildings fall down! LOL
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
30 Apr 18
@JudyEv - Only the most violent earthquakes are scary. I would not like to be in one where buildings fall down, but the little "shakers" are really not scary.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325396)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 May 18
@DeborahDiane I'm sure you get used to them.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129379)
• Israel
9 Jul 18
@DeborahDiane
We have had some last week in the Nothern part of Jerusalem. I remember I was learning computer graphics and the class was in a bomb shelter. All of a sudden things started to move. After it was done we went outside. All I could think of was my cat was at home and I hope she was ok our home was ok. I got home she seemed fine and nothing happened there. It is a quite an experience.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
9 Jul 18
@Hannihar - I'm sure that was frightening, especially down in a bomb shelter where you could not easily tell what was going on around you! I'm glad your cat and home were OK.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
11 Jul 18
@Hannihar - I have found that most governments do not work on anything until AFTER there is a serious problem. They are always working from behind instead of getting in front of problems.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129379)
• Israel
10 Jul 18
@DeborahDiane
It was weird. I never experienced an earthquake before but when things moved and shook I figured it out. It was scary. Thanks and I am glad she was fine. I wish I could have been with her when it happened. It is happening here up North and now the govt has to figure out how to deal with it. They should have done that a long time ago like other things as well.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Apr 18
@nela13 - Yes. Things are pretty turbulent underneath California!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@nela13 - Yes, they are very common. Here's an interesting fact I found: "Each year the southern California area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Most of them are so small that they are not felt. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15-20 are greater than magnitude 4.0."
1 person likes this
@nela13 (55702)
• Portugal
8 Apr 18
@DeborahDiane wow, 10 000?!? That is more than 100 per day 
1 person likes this
@youless (112100)
• Guangzhou, China
10 Apr 18
@DeborahDiane I don't have much experience of earthquake and this is why I will be so worried about it.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Apr 18
@youless - Yes, earthquakes can be dangerous, but most of them are not ... thank goodness!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Apr 18
@youless - I assure you that only the very worst earthquakes are a problem, and they are rare.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@rakski - I agree. As long as there are no casualties or damage, they are not a problem.
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
6 Apr 18
I certainly felt nothing here in the valley.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40044)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Apr 18
@JohnRoberts - Interesting. You are much closer to the Channel Islands than we are. We must have homes built over rock! Good news. Here's an interesting fact I found: "Each year the southern California area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Most of them are so small that they are not felt. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15-20 are greater than magnitude 4.0."
1 person likes this
