An Easter Earthquake

We were very surprised to have our egg hunt interrupted by an earthquake and a long frightening one at that. Its been almost 20 years since I have even felt a significant earthquake and it was not fun. As an adult I am more aware of the possible outcomes especially since Haiti and Chile have recently been hit hard and the devastation was severe. We donated to help those families and now here we were on Easter Sunday in the back yard feeling the ground shake, losing our balance, and wondering what was going to happen.. oh you should have seen the waves in the pool! We were not all together because of our usual enthusiasm for my Dad's traditional treasure hunt for adults. We were all scattered searching for clues and eggs in hopes of finding our reward. The boys were on the balcony, Mike & I were near the pool , others were by the swings, my mom in the front yard talking with the neighbors as she and Carla saw the cars swaying. There were 15 of us and we all had different accounts of what we saw and felt. Our hearts were pounding, our emotions started to settle and then came the aftershocks! Within an hour, here in Bonita, we had felt 4 earthquakes and this morning another hit at 4:29 am that shook our entire bed. It has been an adventure and we are so grateful that in comparison to what is going on in the world these were small and we are all OK.

This is what we found on line this morning:

At least 8 aftershocks follow big quake
By Scott LaFee, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Sunday, April 4, 2010 at 5:55 p.m.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake rumbled through most of Southern California and Baja California this afternoon, followed by a series of aftershocks, according to early reports from the U.S. Geological Survey.
The biggest temblor hit at 3:40 p.m., its epicenter estimated to be 108 miles east-southeast of Tijuana in Mexico. The rupture occurred 20 miles deep.
It was preceded by a magnitude 3.3 quake that occurred at 3:34 p.m., the epicenter in the same area but at a considerably shallower depth of less than one mile.
At least eight aftershocks have followed:
• At 3:44 p.m., a magnitude-2.3 quake occurred 100 miles east of Tijuana. The estimated depth was 19 miles.
• At 4:09 p.m., a magnitude-4.5 quake occurred 62 miles east of Tijuana. Estimated depth: Slightly more than one mile.
• At 4:15 p.m., a magnitude-5.1 quake hit 86 miles east-southeast of Tijuana. Estimated depth: 10.5 miles.
• At 4:19 p.m., a magnitude-3.8 quake struck 43 miles east-northeast of Tijuana. Estimated depth; Less than one mile.
• At 4:22 p.m., a magnitude-3.6 quake rumbled 45 miles northeast of San Diego and just 10 miles southwest of Borrego Springs. Estimated depth: 4.3 miles.
• At 4:34 p.m., a magnitude-4.7 quake hit 85 miles east of Tijuana. Estimated depth: Less than one mile.
• At 4:46 p.m., a magnitude-3.5 quake struck 72 miles east of Tijuana, 16 miles west-southwest of El Centro in Imperial County. Estimated depth: 2.2 miles.
• At 4:48 p.m., a magnitude-3.4 quake occurred 98 miles east of Tijuana, 9 miles east-southeast of Brawley in Imperial County. Estimated depth: 13.4 miles.


Authorities were dispatched all over the county as nervous residents called in with concerns. It was a familiar scene for many San Diegans. Pets cowered. Pictures fell. Mothers fled homes with babies in tow. Even the hippos at the zoo stood up fast and headed for water.