Aftershocks

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/

Last night shortly after 1am I awoke with a start out of a dead sleep. Aaron was standing in the doorway of the bedroom looking at me. The house was shaking. A 4.5 earthquake was rattling through Mineral, this time the epicenter was even closer to my mom's house. To us it only lasted about twenty seconds, but even this small earthquake brought flashes of the big one we recently experienced. Yesterday when we were at BestBuy the sound systems there made both Aaron & I uncomfortable. Sad maybe, but true.

Aaron had been up anyway (which is why he was in the doorway and not in bed), but now I was too jittery to go back asleep. We only felt the big one, but there had been many minor quakes already in the Mineral area - just too small to cause a lot of shaking that could be felt in Culpeper. I texted my Mom telling her to text me when she got the message that she was ok - thinking she was asleep. Nope. She texted me immediately, informed me that this was the 4th one since Midnight and yes she was ok. Judging by Facebook posts, other trembles followed the big one too.

I really feel for my Louisa friends and family. That aftershock shook me literally and figuratively and it must be worse for them because they are experienceing many more of them because they are much closer. I could not get back to sleep for a few hours and I know many of them simply haven't slept.

In addition, many people are taking a light-hearted, cynical, or sarcastic attitude towards those of us who have experienced the earthquake. If I see any more photos of tipped over lawn chairs I am going to scream. A heard from a friend about what the Today Show did as a joke and I was so angry that even I responded. linked HERE People are laughing over some minor experiences and completely overlooking the trauma and damage in places near the epicenter. Sure lets make fun of the folks who maybe blew it out of proportion - but if you have never felt an earthquake and its not something you are used to it could indeed be traumatic. They could have totally made fun of the people far away and shown the damage it has caused at the epicenter. Insurance is not going to cover the damages and some people have lost a lot. I am not impressed Today. Friends of friends on facebook - you make me want to shout obscenities.

Maybe it is because there has been no loss of life (that I know about). Maybe it's because Mineral is a very small town in a rural county, with only 1 stoplight as the news reporters liked to remind us. Maybe it really isn't that big of a deal. BUT IT IS. The USGS website predicted 1-10 deaths for the earthquake and Aaron& I read somewhere that officials were surprised at the lack of injuries upon seeing the damage to the school building (I cannot remember where I read that).

Here in Culpeper, 40 miles from the epicenter, several buildings have been condemned and are slated for demolition today or tomorrow so they don't get knocked down by Hurricane Irene (a potential compound disaster on the way - what will those winds and rains do to weakened structures?). The oldest church in town, pre-Civil War, has also been condemned. Main Street and Davis are still blocked because of a broken gas line under the streets.

There has been no official word on the high school or on any other school buildings other than some of them do not look good. Richmond news is covering it more than our local ones. HERE In this interview with our superintendent (who I have known since I was in elementary school), she says some interesting tidbits about maybe school buildings not reopening, double shifting, and going to school into June (which we do not usually do). This is a photo taken from the back of the school. I wonder if the camera crews had permission to be there - but this location is accessible.

Interesting what you can find on the web. This is a seismograph from the Fredericksburg area for the big 5.8 earthquake. IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology) has an interesting slideshow/pdf put together for Tuesday's 5.8 earthquake as a teachable moment. Check it out HERE or HERE.

As I write this (11:32), I felt another small aftershock. Tomorrow we report to the schools to hear the plan and maybe see some the damage for ourselves. I don't know what is going to happen. I do know that I am proud to be from a small town, live in a small town, and teach in a small town. Even if the rest of the world is uncaring and rude, I know that we will get through this together. LC!

Quotes from LC emails

The willingness to help, the stories of what everyone did to help each other, and the way we've rallied around each other remind me that the LCHS is not about a building.  It's about the people.  And while we may have some walls that are cracked and some tiles that have fallen, we will get through this because the people of LCHS are stronger than ever. (from the principal)

Dear LCHS staff,
If you want to know who yesterday's real hero is today, please go and look in the nearest mirror.
Sincerely,
Proud to be a part of this faculty.

"If I can add a few comments to what Ms. D and Mary have said.  I can only say this.  I worked for 33 years in law enforcement in Northern Virginia and over my career was involved in many emergency situations, including weather conditions, or man made emergencies.  I have been shot at and been in mob situations, etc.  I have been reflecting on all of this since the earthquake hit.  I can truthfully say that the manner in which our school, and I include all administrators, faculty, staff, and students, handled this was one of the most inspiring things I have witnessed in my 62 years.  This was a totally unexpected event, of enormous power and destruction.  The fact we got all the students and staff out of the building so quickly, and suffered only several minor injuries is a miracle.  It speaks volumes to the fortitude and dedication of everyone in this school system. "