From: jgt10@uts.amdahl.com ( KD6KID)
Newsgroups: ca.earthquakes
Subject: Re: Personal Tales of Big Earthquakes
Date: 17 Aug 92 15:48:38 GMT
Distribution: ca
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

In article <8164.18151@stratus.SWDC.Stratus.COM> jane@soave.swdc.stratus.com (Jane Beckman) writes:
>
>Which reminds me of the Morgan Hill quake.  I think it was a
>5.2?  I was in Cupertino, and dove under my desk.
>--
>  Jilara   [jane@swdc.stratus.com]

Okay, okay.  I'll relate my Loma Preita experience.

I was working in Santa Clara (still am, same office) when the quake hit.
My office mate and I were working on our computer when the P waves hit.
It felt like 3 or 4 short, sharp shocks.  We looked at each other as the
shakes passed thru.  I could tell from his face he was thinking the same
thing I was "This is a BIG one!".  Then there was a pause.  

One part of my mind went "Phew!  Glad that's over".  Only to be rudely 
jolted by the S waves that followed.  The pause seemd like 10 to 15 seconds, 
couldn't have been more than 1.5 to 2 seconds.  

When the building started shaking with renew emphasis we both ran to the
door.  I got there first and grabbed the doorway.  My office mate got behind
me and grabbed my shoulders.  I was looking out the office window and
he was looking down the hall.  (Yes, I now know this is not safe.)

Outside my window is a one row of parking spaces and then another building.  
You know those cars that are modified to jump up and down?  I saw all the cars
jumping, wiggling, and generally trying to leave their parking spaces.  
I can still see the face of a woman who was looking at the car with 
the strangest look on here face.  She seemed to be saying "Why is that
car moving like that?"

My office mate reported to me later that as he looked down the hall he saw
waves running up and down the floor.  Oh, I forgot to mention, I am on the
first floor and the floor is a concrete slab.  Go figure.

After the major shaking stopped we all stared blankly for a minute.  Then 
we got smart and we left the building.  Once we determined that the 
building was okay (nothing fallen, except for a few ceiling tiles) I made
the pre-arranged phone call to Denver.

I can still remember hours later standing in front of the building watching 
the windows on the other side of the street to see if the wiggle I felt 
was an afterschock (the reflection on the windows wiggled), or my abused 
sense of balance quaking.

I can also remember driving to work from Danville the next week getting
sick and tired of KCBS and the other stations talking about the way things
we so bad.  "So bad!  I've got to go to work.  Will you guys shut about
the quake and tell me what is going on in the rest of the world!"  They
didn't hear me.

Enjoy! JGT
-- 

John G. Thompson        Amdahl Corporation      jgt10@uts.amdahl.com 
  KD6KID                P.O. Box 3470 MS 340    {sun,uunet}!amdahl!jgt10
#include <disclamer.h>  Sunnyvale, CA 94088     1-408-737-5708

Go ahead, flame me...I've got heavy duty surge protectors.
-- 

John G. Thompson        Amdahl Corporation      jgt10@uts.amdahl.com 
  KD6KID                P.O. Box 3470 MS 340    {sun,uunet}!amdahl!jgt10
#include <disclamer.h>  Sunnyvale, CA 94088     1-408-737-5708

Go ahead, flame me...I've got heavy duty surge protectors.