I have contacted several hundred of my readers by e-mail and a number of them have responded with descriptions of what they experienced. I have found some patterns in the responses. Several readers thought they were having a moment of dizziness; they didn’t realize it was a quake. Most were up on second and third floors and experienced what they felt was a gentle swaying, a rolling of their buildings. Others insisted they felt a shaking, even rocking motion. A few saw water slowly washing back and forth in water basins. Two reported coffee in cups sloshing. One family heard a loud bang and felt gentle swaying; then they all watched as a hanging lamp rocked back and forth on their living room ceiling. One reader was sorry to say that all she saw was her cat “Fen” running under the bed. In Kingston, one young woman was frightened enough to run outside. Few others have admitted that they were afraid. Many, I think most, did not understand that what they had experienced was an earthquake. One pattern I really believe is that nearly everyone reported the event lasted only 10 seconds or less. As for me, what did I experience? I was running a chain saw to cut firewood. I was wearing ear plugs and ear muffs. It was my fourth earthquake; I slept through the first three.
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