Earthquake in NEW YORK CITY!

I WAS JUST IN MY FIRST EARTHQUAKE!!!

I was trying to take a nap because I had gotten up REALLY early (at 10a) and was already exhausted (at 2p).  20 minutes in, I rolled into a more comfortable position.  My window A/C unit was on, as was my ceiling fan, so a few things were blowing in the breeze of these as usual.

I live on a fairly busy street, so it’s not uncommon that a very loud car drives by or stops at the stoplight outside my window.  What was unusual, though, was that this loud car was causing my bed to rock.  At that point, I’m a little in disbelief.  I’ve lived here 5 years.  That’s never happened.  Whatever.  ……wow, that’s been about 5 rocks back and forth on my bed.  That’s a bit more than usual.

I get up quickly and and take note of my surroundings.  The strings on the blinds are swinging, as is the stick on one of them.  Even the heavy wire that holds my lamp is shaking.  Now THAT is unusual.  But really, I’ve never paid close attention to these things.  Maybe these always blow in the breeze of my A/C and fan.  (Turns out, one of the blinds’ strings does rock in the breeze.)

I run to the window and look for that really loud car.  Nothing.  What?!  Did it hit my building maybe??  I see no one startled.  Oh well.  I determine it MUST have been a fluke and I truly give it up and stop thinking about it.  I decide against a nap and sit down at my computer.  Naturally, I open Facebook (not because of the supposed earthquake.  I truly had given it up).  The first thing on my news feed is from 3 New York friends commenting about the EARTHQUAKE!!  OMG, I ‘m not crazy!

Turns out the earthquake was a 5.9 magnitude based out of (are you ready for this) VIRIGINIA.  SERIOUSLEIGH?!!

The red square is where the epicenter was.

 It was felt in Atlanta, Detroit, and Boston as well!!!  Even up to New Hampshire!  Here’s a closer look:

Look how far it had to travel to get to Manhattan. And I'm on an ISLAND!

I’m gathering based on posts that people are startled, but there’s no reported damage.  My friend Daya ran out with her neighbors because their old house seemed to shake fairly severely.  My friend Alex had to explain to her boyfriend Matt at the worst that this was an earthquake.  He couldn’t even register what was going on.  My roommate at work didn’t even feel it.

I can check that off my life list.  Now to see a tornado!!