Ellen Explains It All: Earthquakes!

 

 

By guest blogger: Ellen C. Lovelidge

 

The 5.8 magnitude tremor that struck the US East Coast as well as the social media world yesterday left very little damage yet many questions in it's wake. An unpredictable natural occurrence, earthquakes have majorly shaken Haiti, Chile, and Japan in recent years and could hit nearly anywhere at any time.

The quake epicenter was about 100 miles SE of Washington, DC near Mineral, VA and was felt for up to 15 seconds throughout the Mid Atlantic as well as north through New England and as far south as Georgia. Earthquakes aren't completely rare on the East Coast with the largest being recorded at a magnitude of 7.3 only 150 years ago in South Carolina.
Some wondered why shaking could be felt so far from the epicenter while West Coast earthquakes, on the same tectonic plate, are smaller in range. According to the US Geological Service, the Western rock is young and absorbs energy while Eastern rock is older and earthquakes tend to run more widespread and shallow.

There's no way to predict an earthquake but it is important to be prepared for anything Mother Nature throws our way. Experts say that you should be ready for 72 hours without vital services of any kind. More info on building a simple kit to keep you and your family safe can be found at 72hours.org <http://72hours.org/>.

 

 

 

Ellen Lovelidge is a 27-year-old ecologist and DJ recently transplanted from Washington, DC to San Francisco, CA.

She has previously worked doing horticulture and biotech research as well as a position in marine biology policy and is currently interviewing for environmental jobs. On nights and weekends you can find her DJing or attending parties on both the east and west coasts or spending time with her toy poodle, Samson. Her personal blog can be found at djlilelle.com.