EAST BAY INSOMNIAC

A 5.6 magnitude earthquake just occured in a place called Alum Rock, near San Jose. Data and map obtained here. Felt in Berkeley just past 8PM: A low rumbling followed by a sustained shaking. Not the usual loud truck crash kind of quake, but a light cataclysm. Enough to knock some figures off the shelves, but the Trading Torsos stood firm.

A new topic for the site: Earthquakes. I was watching a re-run of Mad TV last night when we had one. My cat jumped off the couch, but did not, as has occurred during past earthquakes, vomit. It sounded like a window slamming. I would have estimated it to be in the 1.something range, so was suprised it was actually a 2.7 magnitude. The epicenter for this quake was El Cerrito, and Martha in Oakland–usually highly tuned to the movement of earth’s plates– didn’t even notice it.

For more info:  http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/nc40200208.html