Episodic Tremor and Slip (ETS) 2011 begining again on the West Coast....three months early.

Hi! Southern Californian checking in. Worried about you all back there. I know this can be a little difficult. Does anyone know which fault line?

The reactors shut down Lake Anna VA near epicenter plant, North Anna plant shut down with an unusual event declared.

Five plants along East Coast shut down declaring unusual events.

It was felt all the way up to Toronto, furthest point I've heard this far.

In "the East Coast you have this old hard, cold crust that does a lovely job of transmitting the waves," says Lucy Jones, a seismologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. "This large of an earthquake …. could definitely have been felt hundreds of miles away." content.usatoday.com...

Not to mention the big 5.3 earthquake in Colorado yesterday, biggest in a century. www.nytimes.com...

Has brought my dream from last night back to mind, being ripped out of a building and sent flying through the air ....

Also have not been able to call using my G3 cell, not all apps working.

Fox news says the Washington Monument is tilting?????????

reply to post by observe50


Holy! Leaning tower of DC!

Ok I am calming a wee bit.

My point I have tried to make on ATS is the fact that they built Nuclear Power Plannts on the East Coast because we aren't know to have quakes. They built them to withstand twice the amount of what this area was known to have.

We haven't had a quake here in 40 years and the last was about a 3 give or take so they plants are only made to withstand not much higher then what we just had

DO YOU SEE what I have been trying to tell you also the chem and bio off NY

I don't like this we are now another area that is not usually hit we need to watch the mid atlantic ridge these next several months

2 nuclear reactors taken off line in va

I think you are preaching to the choir ^_^

Wow...lots of comments! Sorry it took me so long to respond. I got caught up in looking at the quake swarm going on in Colorado, very odd stuff!

SO...rather than answer the questions with individual posts, I'll do it all more generally in one.

.....okay. I saw that quake in Virginia right as I started making this response, so I again got side-tracked. Started a thread to discuss the strange activity in the States right now and if there is any correlation. Most likely not...but we need to ask the question, I think.

Back to the tremors:

@cheesyleps; You bring up an excellent point. As I said, it IS hard to know what, if anything this change in pattern means because we don't have a big enough picture. This is one of the biggest reasons I find all of it so fascinating. It really is an unknown. It has HUGE implications, but this stuff is just a new-born baby in the science world and no one knows first of all, what it even really IS...let alone what a change in the pattern means. Perhpas nothing....perhaps everything.

@Shoeshiner: Your post brings a grin to my lips. First, I would NEVER wish to impose my reality on anyone else...although I try to make mine a positive one. If you think I am inventing any of this, I suggest you do some reading about it. The ETS info comes from the leading seismology site here in the NW. It is very much a reality for everyone. The Mega thrust earthquake is a very well documented, very much expected natural disaster. There have been recent documentaries on it. I actually tend to downplay the drama. WHEN this thing goes, my numbers on casualties have been conservative. to NOT be aware of a very real threat in your backyard is like not wearing a helmet on motorcycle cause your going to die sometime anyways. You are entitled to your opinion, ofcourse...but for me this is purely scientific and wanting as much warning as posible for my family. The mega thrust quake IS a reality. Sorry.

As to solar activity: I have always found that interesting. Never seen anything to date to tie it all together...but that certainly doesn't mean it can't be connected. I pay attention, but am not an avid 'sun watcher', so have not seen direct correlation myself. I appreciate any input on it though!

@mrcipher: The problem with comparing the Cascadian Subduction Zone to others, is that it is a subduction zone, most similar to the situation in Japan. It is one of the reasons that makes predicting it that much harder. It's a monster and the potential for disaster is really beyond comprehension. In addition to that, we also have numerous active volcanos, all with their own tectonic 'zones', and numerous other active faults capable of producing up to 7 mag quakes...but different from the 10 mag potential of subductin zone. LOT'S going on, and it gets hard tracking and breaking down everything!!

@llmacgregor; I'm sorry, but yes, you would be at risk. Pretty much anyone living here in the PNW would be at risk to one degree or another. I am about 15 miles South of you, which is why I pay so much attention to this stuff. I would suggest you check with your local authorities on their evacuation plans. Ours are marked by signs...and I already have a route planned, with a rendevous for our family at the highest point. For us, it's the hotel parking lot of the Skagit Valley Casino off I-5 on Bow Hill road. Are you familiar with it? The DEM has it planned as their Command Center, so I know it's the place to go. (I use to work there and I work with EMS in our county) Everywhere you go there are known and unknown risks. I think the most important thing is to just be prepared.




So to all posting here from the East Coast: My thoughts and prayers are with you, I know that it is scary to go through! (I went through a 6.7 here in Washington State)....i started a seperate thread in an attempt to look at this quake and the one in Colorado yesterday since they are both so odd. A connection? Most likely not, but there is SOOOOO much unknown, that I think anything is possible! Stay safe. It is most likely over....but if you are concerned, the most important thing short-term is water. If you don't have vast supplies on hand (bottled) than fill some containers now. Enough to last your whole family at least three days.

reply to post by westcoast


Cool to see someone on here so close.
Yep I know exactaly where that is...Seems like a good place, it is pretty much shadowed by Chuckanut Mountain, that would have to be one big ass wave to get over that. I would think I would head for the Maple Falls/Glacier area though, a little closer to me. But right under Mt.Baker, hopefully a quake wont trigger some volcanic activity and wake Baker up. Then id be screwed.

Don't worry about the DC quake. It's only MLK spinning in his grave because of the fact that his newly-unveiled statue was Made In China!

Actually, not to make light of earthquakes, wherever they may occur. Especially when they start happening in areas where it is this unusual. Stay safe, everyone.

CC

reply to post by llmacgregor


I would reconsider that.

With a 9 - 10 mag quake, I am going to assume that all the volcanos in our region are at risk. Historically, they all erupted around the time of the last mega thrust quake. Also, if you are below the dams....well.

My house sits on top of a lahar from the last eruption at Glacier Peak. I am in a direct path for any lahar/dam break from Baker. I have the ocean, so threat of tsunami on the other side of me (West) and Seattle/other major cities to the South.(not to mention Rainier and Helens) I plan on Due North....first to the Casino, and if we need to get out further...North to the Border. It would be the only route. You are much closer to the border, so that is the first place I would head, personally....after getting to higher ground and the threat of tsunami or floods are past.

Since you ARE so close to these tremors, would you do me a favor???? Go out for a walk in quite place and listen. Do you hear a rumbling, vibration? Kinda like distant thunder or a jet that doesn't quite sound right,keeps going and resonates in your body? I have believed for sometime now that the deep tremors were causing this rumbling sound I and others have heard. You are much closer to it though.

What could this mean?

Great thread OP, S & F!

I'm based in Christchurch, New Zealand, so have a lot of 'experience' with earthquakes (5000+ since Sept 4th 2010) and can really feel for what those on the East Coast are going through right now.

Like the East Coast, we were completely taken by surprize when our 7.1 and subsequest, more damaging 6.3's hit on Feb 22nd (killed 180+) and June 13th this year. When you live is a relatively quiet quake zone (nothing major for approx 150 years, mostly below 3.0), they certainly catch you out, and definitely change your PSYCHE!

Many people living here (300,000+) are now on tenderhooks and jump at the slighted jolt and large bang. In the back of your mind now, you have this fear that there's still MORE to come (5000 quakes can do that to you of course). We still get regular quakes, including a 4.2 and 4.4 two days ago.

I can't image what it must be like to be living in some parts of Japan now, mainly because of the RADIATION issue. Unfortunately for the USA that's also going to be the biggest danger when a megaquake hits.

All I can say is God bless and wish everyone well, should this happen in our lifetimes.

So these ETS are making sure there's no BIG earthquake right? By releasing the energy over a longer period...

So this is good for the bottom line right?

nothing to see here people, swamp gas caused this..everything is alright. Please continue living and spending and ranting normally.

reply to post by Vitchilo


Well, that's the thing. They don't know. There have been more recent studies indicating that smaller quakes really DON'T relieve the pressure, so we shouldn't assume small ones are a good thing.

Also, these aren't typical quakes. I picture it as more of a groaning come from the stress that is building...like when you put enough force on either end of a 2x4 until you get that creak from it before it snaps. That's how I picture it anyways.

reply to post by westcoast


So if it's a groaning, and it's getting more frequent (repeat faster than 13-14 months) then the ``big one`` is getting closer...

I wonder how close each ETS event has to be to each other before the whole area snaps...

reply to post by Vitchilo


Yes, you understand my reasoning correctly.

Certainly doesn't mean I am right......but it just makes sense to me.

You ask the biggest question, the one that the scientists scramble to answer but really don't know. I think it is in agreement though that the deep tremors are a big key to it all.