I have lived in Florida for over a decade and I have never seen this happen before. An earthquake with a 6.0 magnitude hit near our coast. Apparently, this was the second time within the past few months (same spot in February had a 5.2 which was unfelt). These crazy earthquakes might be something to be expected in the years to come. What could cause it? Plates that we didn't know existed before? Oil rigs digging too deep? We truly don't know -- but as a state, we need to investigate this.
I go on a boat often and today I was off the Gulf of Mexico fishing -- this type of event does not make me happy, as it can cause some tremendous waves (remember the Indonesian tsunamis?). Residents from as far away as Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana also felt the earthquake. No one wants to create panic, but this type of disaster is far more dangerous than hurricanes, as it cannot be detected by radar two weeks prior.
What Lessons Can We Learn From This Philosophically?
You can't take each day for granted. What we are sure of in the past may not exist in the future. As in this event, we were so sure that Florida would never get major earthquakes, yet in September of 2006, we got our first ever major earthquake. Don't take for granted the days you have on this earth or what is sure. Make up the mistakes that you've had, tell your love ones that you love them, correct your regrets, do the best that you can, go back to school for that degree, or finish off a project that you've been putting off.
What Lessons Can We Learn From This Biblically?
The Bible clearly has some guidance on this in Mark 13:7-8 in this time of turmoil. "When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains."
Clearly, these signs need to occur before the time of the end and the events of our war on terrorism among others are just an introduction of what's to come.
Experiences By Other People
"It was originally reported as a 5.8 and recently upgraded to a 6.0," said Tim Sedlock of the National Weather Service in Melbourne.
"I felt the tremor, my computer screen monitor shook and I could feel a little shaking on the floor," said Scott Kelly, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne.
"I was just sitting here in my little condo when my chair started rocking. It felt strong to me and I wondered if other people felt it," said Rockledge resident Lina Norwood sitting in her second-story condominium.
"This is a fairly unique event...” said Don Blakeman, an analyst with the National Earthquake Information Center. “This kind of occurrence is unusual in that spot, especially for an earthquake of this size.”
''I didn't give it a lot of thought then I heard people talking and I put it together...", said Sally Mayse of Bradenton.
''My bed shook and probably the whole room,'' said Mary Scottoline from Miami. ``It shook once and then it shook again.''
"Some people definitely felt a little shaking in counties along the Gulf Coast," said Mike Stone, a spokesman for the state's Division of Emergency Managemen.
"As far as a fault area, there are no major subduction zones...it's a rare place historically for an earthquake," said Guy Urban, an expert at the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska.
"It's undoubtedly a strange event, you can get earthquakes in very unexpected places...", said Chris Harrison, a geophysicist at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
Mary Ruiz of Holmes Beach was leaving a supermarket when she felt "an extraordinary change in motion."
Diane H Rosser on a web log said, "I live in Jackson, Butts Co., GA and there were tremors here this morning. That’s why I checked the AJC site to see if there was a report of an earthquake near us."
John Creviston reported on a web log said, "I was laying in bed about 11:00 Sunday morning and felt the bed shake very subtly. Then a few minutes later I felt the bed shake again. I was a little harder, but still very subtle. It was enough to make me look at the clock - 11:09 AM. I live around Clairmont and I-85. I thought it may had been from a sonic boom from a 9-11 memorial service or something since may services start at 11:00 on Sunday mornings, but Sunday was 9-10. I did not hear any boom so I thought it was far off. It did cross my mind that a large terrorist bomb had gone off. Then I saw on CNN a few hours later about the earthquake."
Taylor Jackson said, "I was sitting in my 7th story condo in Ormond Beach, FL (near Daytona Beach) when my building began to sway. I thought I was just imagining it, however it happened again a few seconds later. At that point we figured that it was a quake. It was strong enough to rattle our windows and rattle dishes in the china cabinet."
Juan Ruiz said, "I just moved down to Tampa a month ago and I only thought I had to contend with Hurricanes. Well, this morning, while eating breakfast I noticed my table shaking and for a split second I thought it was an earthquake, but I’m in Tampa, not California! So I thought it was my crazy neighbors having a good time, somehow shaking the building. I mean what else could it have been? Well, I came to ajc.com to see how the dirty birds beat down the panthers and I was flabergasted to see an article confirm that it was an earthquake… Crazy! Oh yeah, and Tampa lost!!! Go Falcons!"
John Shaw said, "I was sitting at my computer desk,here in Covington, Ga., when the desk began shaking back and forth maybe 5 or six times, then a few second pause, then shook again for about the same duration."
Stacy Dumas said, "I was sitting outside, reading the paper, when it felt like someone was shaking my deck. I thought I was losing it. Good to know I wasn’t. LaGrange, GA"
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