Thankfully I do not know, but being roughly 200 miles away was close enough. Actually, I had not planned to discuss this topic but since the shaking struck again (zone of squiggly icons SW of Santiago in the graphic) as I was working on an alternate post yesterday, it seemed as I was being jolted for a reason.
Living in Santiago for many years now, one gets use to occasional tremors and generally speaking they are not strong enough to greatly influence your behavior. However, in the early morning hours of February 27th that changed. I was awakened as the bed moved (and yes I usually sleep through them), but unlike most this shake kept going and getting stronger. It being in the middle of the night, it was not until looking at the alarm that the power outage was confirmed. A quick look around the house inside and out revealed not serious damage, but not exactly something you go right back to sleep after. However, without power no easy way to get more info on the quake.
Finding out a bit later in the morning that it was an 8.8 and had struck just offshore (the star location) made my mind start racing. How bad was it closer to the #epicenter# (Concepcion is the green circle only 60 miles away)? Was there a #tsunami#? What would the #aftershocks# be like? And of course, were friends and colleagues ok? Without power or phones I suddenly felt completely unable to address any of these issues, so attention turns to the basics – do I have water, food, gas and batteries, thankfully yes. The next few days would reveal so much, and while I was fortunate enough to not lose anything meaningful, others weren’t so lucky.
The remainder of this post will provide you some lists to help convey important, interesting and even bizarre tidbits that have forever ingrained themselves into my long-term memory banks.
Trying to explain nerdy science stuff to non nerdy folks
Why is this #Richter scale# so confusing even if it is logical to nerdy folks – agreed when you try to comprehend that an 8.8 is 500 times more powerful than the 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti – I recommend the #Modified Mercallie Scale# – which takes into account other variables like depth and position to create shake maps #like this one#
What is a #subduction zone# and why does it have to do with Chile earthquakes, volcanoes and even the Andes mountains -
Why does a tsunami form from an earthquake and why does it travel around the world
What it feels like on my own personal scale
Mild quakes remind me of being in a building when a large vehicle or train goes by, or being on a bridge as a large vehicle or multiple vehicles pass by.
Medium quakes take on two different qualities, the last longer and therefore cause you to really take notice and often are a bit less rhythmic like a washing machine that gets out of balance. It might feel like driving through a gravel road with sporadic potholes or multiple sets of train tracks
Strong quakes take on a level of intensity and uncertainty that is like being tossed around in a large wooden roller coaster or a long stretch of turbulence on an airplane. The biggest difference from both of these is usually you have enough time to get outside and realize that everything is moving and you don’t know when it will stop (very disturbing)
Severe quakes, don’t know personally and hope I never do
What was surreal
Finding power in another part of the city and finally making contact with family and friends via cell phones, email, #facebook#, #twitter# and #linkedin# while it seems business as usual in this Dunkin Donuts
Finding an open store with 50+ check out lines stacked 50+ people in each, some with the logical – bread, water, batteries, candles, etc., others with beer, wine, steak, etc., clearly different agendas
Major aftershocks one minute, people vacuuming, mowing and seemingly back to the same old routine the next
Powerful reminders
There is never a time too trivial to tell someone you care or take the time to spend with ones important to you – like that man teaching his 10 year old to drive on my street a few days later – just missed me, but precious moment to witness and clearly he realized he almost never had that chance
Losing power and communications for two days is nothing like losing everything you ever had, or ones you love – some things can never ever be replaced
First hand experience is the only real one – watching and reading coverage afterwards was no where close to what I actually felt and witnessed, and quite often focused on whatever would capture viewers and readers but not close to the overall reality
Be Prepared – I was never a boy scout, but what a great motto, think about where you live and work and know enough about events which could impact you and what you need to do so you can minimize the impact on you and those around you
Act – when exposed to these life events, they are a reminder to not let life, good and bad, pass you by without getting into the mix – helping, caring, changing, growing, living!
What you can do to help
The list that follows are some way you can donate to help those who have had their lives forever altered by natural disaster tragedies. For those of you who have already contributed – Thank You! For those of you who are not in a position to help financially, there are always ways you can give of your time and abilities to help those in need, seek those out.
Until next time – LIVE and make the most of your time, gifts, relationships, talents and abilities!
Thankfully I do not know, but being roughly 200 miles away was close enough. Actually, I had not planned to discuss this topic but since major shaking struck again (zone of squiggly icons SW of Santiago in the graphic) as I was working on an alternate post yesterday, it seemed as I was being jolted for a reason.
Living in Santiago for many years now, one gets use to occasional tremors and generally speaking they are not strong enough to greatly influence your behavior. However, in the early morning hours of February 27th that changed. I was awakened as the bed moved (and yes I usually sleep through them), but unlike most this shake kept going and getting stronger. It being in the middle of the night, it was not until looking at the alarm clock that the power outage was confirmed. A quick look around the house inside and out revealed no serious damage, but not exactly something you go right back to sleep after. However, without power there was no easy way to get more info on the quake right away.
Finding out a bit later in the morning that it was an 8.8 magnitude earthquake and had struck just offshore (the star location) made my mind start racing. How bad was it closer to the epicenter (Concepcion is the green circle only 60 miles away)? Was there a tsunami? What would the aftershocks be like? And of course, were friends and colleagues ok? Without power or phones I suddenly felt completely unable to address any of these issues, so attention turns to the basics – do I have water, food, gas and batteries, thankfully yes. The next few days would reveal so much, and while I was fortunate enough to not lose anything meaningful, others weren’t so lucky. « continue reading »