Blog Archives
Earthquake hits DC area…and Hurricane Irene might visit…what next?
This afternoon, an 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit the Washington, DC area (Mineral, Va., to be exact), and it sent the area into a panic. I was at my office in downtown DC, when the quake occurred. At first, I thought nothing of the first shake, but the second one was a lot more intense. My office was evacuated, and upon going outside, I saw tons of people in the streets looking dazed and confused. When a colleague told me what happened, I remembered the earthquake that took place in Columbia, Md., a few years prior. While that earthquake was not as strong as the one today, it certainly brought back memories since I was in the middle of delivering a presentation for one of my undergraduate courses.
However, Hurricane Irene is coming for a visit, and she is headed for our area. The dangers with this system kinda trump the tremors from earlier today, and there is no doubt that emergency preparations have begun to take hold. While I might be grocery shopping for the necessities, I know batteries, flash lights, extra water, and other non-perishable will be added to this list.
So, be careful out there! Hopefully, no other crazy events between now and the weekend.
Tragedy in Haiti
My thoughts and prayers go to those who have endured the pain from the earthquake in Haiti. It is a tragedy that has brought many tears to my eyes over the past day or so.
The American Red Cross is accepting donations and it is as easy as texting HAITI to 90999. This will send an immediate $10 donation to the relief efforts. There are also several other non-profits active in the search and rescue efforts. Samaritan’s Purse is sending a group down to Haiti, and they recently sent materials to assist with rebuilding efforts.
Again, my thoughts have been with those in Haiti. The horror and pain they must be feeling is unthinkable.
