Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On
Occasional Tales from our Life in Costa Rica
Last night, just after midnight, we felt a big earthquake. No damage or anything, but it was big enough to wake Jason from a deep sleep and prompt him to go check on Sophie (who did not bother to wake up). (Amy was already awake worrying about everything that needs to get done before our move in three weeks.) It felt like a full minute of shaking, rolling and lurching. We said to each other, "Wow, wonder where that epicenter was because that was a big earthquake somewhere." This morning, we went straight to the Internet to make sure everything was OK in Mexico or wherever we imagined the quake had struck. But there was no mention of an earthquake in any headlines. So weird, we thought. Finally, this afternoon we found a mention on CNN. The earthquake wasn't as big as we feared, but it was a lot closer to home.
DAVID, Panama (CNN) -- Dozens of families frightened by aftershocks slept outside overnight Wednesday after a magnitude 6.2 earthquake shook coastal Panama near the border with Costa Rica.
The quake was centered about 235 miles (380 km) west of Panama City, near the town of David, according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The temblor occurred at 1:11 a.m. ET and residents reported feeling three aftershocks.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, but damage was reported in the cities of Paso Canoa, David and Puerto Armuelles. The extent of the damage was not immediately known.
Many families opted to stay outside their homes, saying that they felt as if the earth were swallowing them and that trees and their houses were falling down.
One resident, Carlos Estribi, said he picked up his children in his arms and ran to the public plaza in David, seeking protection since he felt like his house was collapsing.
Family members told CNN that patients at the Regional Hospital of David went outside and refused to go back in because aftershocks were still being felt. Patients at the Materno Infantil Jose de Obaldia Hospital and the Regional Rafael Hernandez Hospital also fled their rooms.
Cyclists from Costa Rica, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Germany, who were in David for a bicycle race, also had to leave their hotel rooms.
Police and other security officials were inspecting schools, hospitals and private and public buildings for damage.
Last night, just after midnight, we felt a big earthquake. No damage or anything, but it was big enough to wake Jason from a deep sleep and prompt him to go check on Sophie (who did not bother to wake up). (Amy was already awake worrying about everything that needs to get done before our move in three weeks.) It felt like a full minute of shaking, rolling and lurching. We said to each other, "Wow, wonder where that epicenter was because that was a big earthquake somewhere." This morning, we went straight to the Internet to make sure everything was OK in Mexico or wherever we imagined the quake had struck. But there was no mention of an earthquake in any headlines. So weird, we thought. Finally, this afternoon we found a mention on CNN. The earthquake wasn't as big as we feared, but it was a lot closer to home.
DAVID, Panama (CNN) -- Dozens of families frightened by aftershocks slept outside overnight Wednesday after a magnitude 6.2 earthquake shook coastal Panama near the border with Costa Rica.
The quake was centered about 235 miles (380 km) west of Panama City, near the town of David, according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The temblor occurred at 1:11 a.m. ET and residents reported feeling three aftershocks.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, but damage was reported in the cities of Paso Canoa, David and Puerto Armuelles. The extent of the damage was not immediately known.
Many families opted to stay outside their homes, saying that they felt as if the earth were swallowing them and that trees and their houses were falling down.
One resident, Carlos Estribi, said he picked up his children in his arms and ran to the public plaza in David, seeking protection since he felt like his house was collapsing.
Family members told CNN that patients at the Regional Hospital of David went outside and refused to go back in because aftershocks were still being felt. Patients at the Materno Infantil Jose de Obaldia Hospital and the Regional Rafael Hernandez Hospital also fled their rooms.
Cyclists from Costa Rica, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Germany, who were in David for a bicycle race, also had to leave their hotel rooms.
Police and other security officials were inspecting schools, hospitals and private and public buildings for damage.
posted by Jason, Amy, Sophie, and Matthew @ 4:05 PM
2 Comments:
At 6:58 PM,
Anonymous said…
Always heard of those quakes, my Mom said they feel worse then they really are.
Glad to hear that all is well. What a way to end your stay there.
Love you lots
Maria
At 9:02 PM,
Michael, Jessica, Jacob & Olivia Catanzaro said…
Wow, just the other morning we had one here too. Certainly not as big but what a coincidence. Hang in there with the move Amy! :-) Wish we could offer to lend a hand but that would be tricky. Of course the kids think it's a great idea and would jump on a plane right now.
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