Remember the Earthquake?

A year ago at 1:51 p.m. on Aug. 23, an earthquake that hit Virginia also rocked Pennsylvania. Where were you then?

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake started in Virginia at 1:51 p.m. a year ago today. Shakes were felt in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and New York. Some people had books jump off shelves, cracks appeared in sidewalks and streets, and others felt nothing at all. Where were you when the earthquake struck? Was it exciting, or scary? Here's what people said then: Autumn Thomas 2:24 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 Felt it at the office in Trevose, fiance felt it at home in Newtown. Apparently, did not faze our usually neurotic Vizsla though! Jenna Ekdahl 2:26 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 I felt it in Southampton and saw lights in my apartment shake. My dog barked (rare) and I didn't know it was an earthquake until it was over. Raul …

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)

East Coast Earthquake Shakes up Area

Warminster residents were surprised to feel the tremors from a 5.8 quake that originated in Virginia.

Warminster resident Jennifer Greener was in her backyard Tuesday afternoon when she felt her chair shaking. "I thought it was the dog underneath scratching himself," she said. "My husband called a couple minutes later and asked if I felt the earthquake. I guess I did." The tremors came from the earthquake that hit four miles away from Louisa, Va., at 1:51 p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The USGS measured the quake at a 5.9 magnitude, matching a similar earthquake taht occurred in 1897 near Blacksburg, Va. "That is part of the Central Virgina Seismic Zone," said Chuck Ammon, professor of seismology at Penn State University. "They usually occur a couple times a decade, but not as large. "This was a pretty big one." Disbelief …

• Photos (1)

PennDOT Begins Bridge Inspections After Earthquake

Bridges 200-feet or longer and at least 60-feet high will be inspected Tuesday, with other bridges to follow Wednesday.

PennDOT released information detailing precautionary bridge inspections after the Tuesday afternoon earthquake. Each of PennDOT's 11 districts are completing precautionary inspections of bridges around the state after the 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Virginia, and was felt throughout Bucks and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania. Scott Christie, P.E., PennDOT's Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration said that the earthquake probably didn't cause serious damage, but PennDOT would rather play it safe. "We have no reason to believe the Virginia earthquake caused major damage to any state roadways or bridges," Christie said. "But to err on the side of caution, we are assessing those bridges that could be susceptible to quake damage." …

• Photos (1)

Scholasticity

What Are You Waiting For?

The fact is, we’re not waiting for anything. But people in Japan are waiting graciously for the most basic human needs.

The past week or brought us amazing scenes from Japan. Scenes of destruction, yes, but also scenes of remarkable restraint. Long lines in front of stores promising the purchase of eight or 10 items – maybe. People standing patiently, waiting, then sharing whatever extra they had with the next person in line. Along the way, vending machines untouched and still full of tempting drinks for those who long for even a sip of water.  Can you imagine the scene in America?  Anyone remember the clamor over the last 100 Cabbage Patch kids a few days before Christmas in the early 1980s?  And today the trend would suggest even less patience and demeanor while waiting for something one wants and not necessarily needs.  Several years ago there was a …

• Photos (1)