Earthquake East Coast

[Firefly]

We didn't feel a thing here in SE Connecticut. My brother and his family are visiting this week from the VA/DC area-- I'm glad they weren't there! I hope everyone who experienced it is okay.

[Farrar]

The earthquake was fine.

 

The traffic resulting from the earthquake was not.:glare: It took me two hours to get home, back into the city, from the exurbs where I had taken ds6 for a special outing. Bah.

 

The main damage seems to be churches. In addition to the cathedral, there were a couple on Capitol Hill that were damaged and the church on our corner had part of its old tower crumble, thus shutting down our cross street. You know, I'm suddenly worrying about *our* church, which is similarly old.

[LauraGB]

Wow! Glad to hear you all are okay!

[Mommy22alyns]

I hope everyone's okay. :grouphug:

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Many buildings on the east coast are not built to withstand a shock of this magnitude. So it's important to get everyone outside so that inspections can commence. This is especially important if you are in the Smithsonian "Castle" or say in Philadelphia at Independence Hall. These buildings have very little reinforcement to their brick and stone which is already 100's of years old. But even some of the more modern buildings could have an eye popping amount of structural damage because building codes in those areas are "light" by comparison to say Florida who regularly deals with hurricanes or California, a state that has learned how to build "in the likely event of an earthquake".

 

Faith

 

There have also been reports of some broken water lines. In some cases, this is affecting the air conditioning (loss of cooling water), so people are being sent home so that non-essential computers can be shut down, leaving less of a load on the A/C. The hope is that the lower load will mean that AC can keep up with the demands of essential systems.

 

There is also a natural reaction to want to leave a place that has been demonstrated as not secure. The first big earthquake I felt in Japan had me pelting down six flights of stairs to go stand outside. I eventually learned better, but flight is such a natural response.

[jenL]

I was in the shower, and for some reason I didn't feel it. My neighbor did, and my husband did in center-city Charlotte. I had no idea until my husband was calling and calling to see if we were ok. My sister felt it at the beach just outside of Wilmington, NC. She said it was odd to experience it while being in a house on stilts!

[calledtobehome]

I'm in Hampton Roads and my house began to shake! Our cell phones and home lines were down for a little while. What will happen if something big every hit our area? It was a very strange and scary feeling! I'm so glad everyone is ok! Praise God!

[dancer67]

Felt it up here in New England. Thought I forgot to take my meds or something.:001_huh:

[GWOB]

CNN also reporting pentagon has water pipe damage and "a considerable amount of water" is in two corridors.

 

eta: 10 Nuclear Power Plants have declared an unusual event (I assume as a precaution). Lake Anna NPP running on generators, with three days of diesel fuel on site.

 

The power plants are required by law to issue those notifications in these types of events. The North Anna NPPs tripped off, as designed (and practiced for hours on end) to prevent any sort of possible damage. The diesel generators will run the pumps for cooling the reactors until every millimeter of that plant is inspected for damage. Then, the plants will be brought back online safely. There is nothing to fear from those plants shutting down except possibly higher energy prices in the coming weeks.

[Jeannie in NJ]

we live on one of the barrier islands off NJ coast but dd and I were off-shore at the mall. We had just got there and were at the food court on the 2nd floor. It had an angled ceiling made of metal and glass. I thought it was some kind of structual damage and looked up to see if the roof was falling. People stood up from their tables and just looked around. Since I still thought maybe the mall was damaged somehow (still didn't know it was an earthquake), dd and I grabbed our food and left, decided to cancel our shopping and just go home. Dd was scared when we went over the bridge that an aftershock would hit while we were on the bridge. She had gone on facebook to find everyone talking about the earthquake , especially people on the islands felt it strongly.

 

When we got home, dh said the house had been really shaking, he had tried to put the cats outside (in case the house collapsed and he only had time to get himself and ds out of the house). ONly 3 of the cats would go outside and they are still outside, refusing to come in. Two of the other cats were hiding under the sofa shaking when I got home.

[Momof3littles]

The power plants are required by law to issue those notifications in these types of events. The North Anna NPPs tripped off, as designed (and practiced for hours on end) to prevent any sort of possible damage. The diesel generators will run the pumps for cooling the reactors until every millimeter of that plant is inspected for damage. Then, the plants will be brought back online safely. There is nothing to fear from those plants shutting down except possibly higher energy prices in the coming weeks.

I realize that. But I've also read that they have (like many NPPs in this country) 5x the amount of spent fuel in their pools than they were originally designed to hold. There is no extra shielding in the spent fuel pools. They were dinged on an inspection in May for not having a bulldozer ready to go and one of their generators was down at that time (and now 1 of the 4 aren't working in the current scenario).

 

I don't think it will end in anything catastrophic, but I get frustrated w/ the lack of readiness for a big event. What if a few plants had to go to diesel backup, just before a hurricane was also scheduled to hit around the same time? It isn't inconceivable.

 

I just feel our disaster preparedness is abysmal. We do. not. learn.

[RegGuheert]

I realize that. But I've also read that they have (like many NPPs in this country) 5x the amount of spent fuel in their pools than they were originally designed to hold. There is no extra shielding in the spent fuel pools. They were dinged on an inspection in May for not having a bulldozer ready to go and one of their generators was down at that time (and now 1 of the 4 aren't working in the current scenario).

 

I don't think it will end in anything catastrophic, but I get frustrated w/ the lack of readiness for a big event. What if a few plants had to go to diesel backup, just before a hurricane was also scheduled to hit around the same time? It isn't inconceivable.

 

I just feel our disaster preparedness is abysmal. We do. not. learn.

I understand your frustration with the level of preparedness, but I must admit that I do not really understand why they are running from generators (assuming they still are). I understand that they went offline when the earthquake hit and that the generators would have been required then, but the power grid did not go down, did it? As such, it should be possible to power the pumps from the grid and turn the generators back off to cool the reactors and the pools. (And I fully agree that these generators absolutely need to work for those times when the grid IS down.)

 

FWIW, after the Japan earthquake and nuclear disaster I read some extremely ****ing reports of the amount of corruption and lack of preparedness that was involved in the Japanese nuclear industry for decades prior to the tsunami. It seems the U.S. DID learn some things from the Three Mile Island disaster and many of the changes have resulted in the U.S. plants having much better preparedness for disasters than we otherwise would. I'm not saying there isn't significant room for improvement, but perhaps it could be much worse, as it has apparently been in Japan. I'm sure that is all changing in Japan as we speak...

[GWOB]

I realize that. But I've also read that they have (like many NPPs in this country) 5x the amount of spent fuel in their pools than they were originally designed to hold. There is no extra shielding in the spent fuel pools. They were dinged on an inspection in May for not having a bulldozer ready to go and one of their generators was down at that time (and now 1 of the 4 aren't working in the current scenario).

 

I don't think it will end in anything catastrophic, but I get frustrated w/ the lack of readiness for a big event. What if a few plants had to go to diesel backup, just before a hurricane was also scheduled to hit around the same time? It isn't inconceivable.

 

I just feel our disaster preparedness is abysmal. We do. not. learn.

 

US nuclear power plants are ridiculously well-prepared for disaters. I personally know because I give up my husband for countless hours of training.

 

The plant is running all four diesel generators (I can find nothing about any diesel generators failing) because they temporarily lost off-site power. The diesels are continuing to run probably due to aftershocks and uncertainty surrounding the power supply.

 

The diesel generators can run for weeks. WEEKS. There is also a battery back-up.

 

If you want to read anything about North Anna's spent fuel pool, I would only refer you to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's website. Almost anything else you read online is written by idiots who know absolutely nothing about nuclear power.

[Momof3littles]

US nuclear power plants are ridiculously well-prepared for disaters. I personally know because I give up my husband for countless hours of training.

 

The plant is running all four diesel generators (I can find nothing about any diesel generators failing) because they temporarily lost off-site power. The diesels are continuing to run probably due to aftershocks and uncertainty surrounding the power supply.

 

The diesel generators can run for weeks. WEEKS. There is also a battery back-up.

 

If you want to read anything about North Anna's spent fuel pool, I would only refer you to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's website. Almost anything else you read online is written by idiots who know absolutely nothing about nuclear power.

 

There are 3 running of the 4 per the Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/federal-officials-2-nuclear-reactors-taken-offline-near-quake-site-in-va-no-damage-reported/2011/08/23/gIQAKnwIZJ_story.html

 

this says all 4 are working:

http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/23/news/economy/earthquake_nuclear/

 

(perhaps they got the 4th running?)

 

this states the 4th not working:

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/08/23/general-us-east-coast-quake-reactors_8638626.html

 

I am sure the staff are well-trained. I thank them for doing what is a tremendously difficult and stressful job at times. I am frustrated with the power companies' decisions to not retire dated facilities when better technology is available, in an attempt to bilk more money out of facilities designed to be retired years ago. I'm frustrated that the spent fuel pools in many of these facilities far exceed the capacity they were designed to hold. I'm frustrated because I live near a NPP ranked in the top 3 most likely to suffer a core meltdown as the result of an EQ, because the NPP nearest to me was not built to endure a more substantial event, which is now thought to be more likely than originally calculated. I'm frustrated that known design flaws continue to exist in some of these plants, making them vulnerable to events under certain circumstances. Yet the licenses continue to be renewed, in the name of profit for the companies that own them. My understanding is that there is not always enough fuel on site to get these generators through the amount of time they may need to operate. What if a hurricane hit close in time to an event such as the one today, compromising infrastructure? Some of the NPPs have roads that may be impossible to access (flooding, etc.) if more fuel needs to be brought in.

 

The 4-5 x capacity for the spent fuel came from NEIS. That plant has been operating for some time, so it would seem to make sense that it would hold a far greater amount of spent fuel than it was originally designed to hold (as is the case w/ most of the older plants from what I understand).

 

From the NYT:

But in this case, the subsequent tsunami may have damaged those generators and other components, forcing the use of another layer of backup, battery power.

However, batteries are designed to last only four to eight hours in most cases, just long enough to allow technicians to restore grid or generator power. If there is trouble restoring those power sources, as appears to be the case in Japan, the strategies for cooling the reactor become much more difficult.

from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/14/world/asia/14industry.html

 

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/08/east-coast-quakes-epicenter-near-a-nuclear-plant.html

 

ETA: from the above (LA Times)

The quake came “uncomfortably close” to that maximum, said Edwin Lyman, a senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a group that advocates stronger regulation of nuclear power.

“We may be off the hook this time, but it was such a close call that we need to move quicker on reviewing all our nuclear plants,” Lyman said.

“When you have a malfunctioning backup generator, it’s something you need to be concerned about," said Robert Alvarez, a senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies and a former assistant Energy secretary during the Clinton administration. “It’s something that isn’t necessarily going to lead to any serious problem, but those kinds of things should not be happening.”

The North Anna plant has accumulated one of the largest concentrations of radioactivity in the U.S., Alvarez said, and the plant’s spent fuel pools contain “four to five times more than their original designs intended.”

Edited August 24, 2011 by Momof3littles
adding LA Times link

[MamaJo]

My son's soccer team cancelled practice "just in case". Just in case WHAT?!?!?! If it were to happen again wouldn't the middle of a field be the safest place to be? :lol:

[LuvingLife]

My family and I had no clue we had an earthquake until we turned on the news, we didn't feel anything in Rhode Island. It was a 5.8 or 5.9 earthquake I believe.:grouphug:

[datgh]

We felt a bit of shaking all the way up here in Central NH. It seemed to go on for a very long time. It is the second one we have felt this year. Freaky! Last time I had felt one here was back around 1972.

[kitten18]

My son's soccer team cancelled practice "just in case". Just in case WHAT?!?!?! :lol:

That's pretty funny. :lol:

[Janie Grace]

Just felt an aftershock about 20 minutes ago (VA).

[MamaJo]

Just felt an aftershock about 20 minutes ago (VA).

 

 

Me too. Not nearly as big though.

[Mommyfaithe]

I didn't feel it...but they did in Kingston...about 20 minutes from here...and ds felt it in Brooklyn. He said they evacuated the government buildings...but he was still at work.

 

Faithe

[proverbs356lady]

Just felt an aftershock about 20 minutes ago (VA).

 

Me too. Not nearly as big though.

Okay, so it wasn't my imagination! :001_huh: No one else here felt it and they think I'm being paranoid. Glad to see others felt it too. Definitely weaker than this afternoon.

[RegGuheert]

I am frustrated...

OT for Momof3littles:

 

It sounds like this is a topic near-and-dear to your heart so I dug through my browser history for the rather eye-opening article about what has gone on for decades in Japan. It's rather long, but here it is in case you would like to read it:

 

Japan's Nuclear Disaster Caps Decades of Faked Safety Reports, Accidents.

 

One quote which matches your sentiment exactly:

 

“We didn’t learn anything,â€

We do. not. learn.

[Momof3littles]

OT for Momof3littles:

 

It sounds like this is a topic near-and-dear to your heart so I dug through my browser history for the rather eye-opening article about what has gone on for decades in Japan. It's rather long, but here it is in case you would like to read it:

 

Japan's Nuclear Disaster Caps Decades of Faked Safety Reports, Accidents.

 

One quote which matches your sentiment exactly:

Thank you for sharing.

[BikeBookBread]

My son's soccer team cancelled practice "just in case". Just in case WHAT?!?!?! If it were to happen again wouldn't the middle of a field be the safest place to be? :lol:

 

You made me giggle!!!! You are so right.

 

We were in Old Town Alexandria when it happened... all that brick lining those old buildings did make us worry for a minute. We were sitting in a restaurant in a building that was at least 200 years old... brick-lined walls, heavy beams overhead.

 

DH got this really serious look on his face and shouted, "OUT! OUT! OUT! EARTHQUAKE!" and squirreled us out to the entryway of the restaurant, but pulled us back when he remembered all of the bricks. We really, really felt it strongly. We were about two blocks from the Potomac on King Street. It was pretty scary. The girls were shaken.

[Michelle My Bell]

Well I felt here in NW Ohio. I was in the basement sitting in one of those teen circle chairs. I felt it and asked my daughter if her foot was under my chair... "NO". Then I asked if the cat was under my chair... "NO". I said "I think we are having an earthquake. I went upstairs on the internet a few minutes later and found out I was right. I can't believe I felt it all the way here. It shows the power of God huh!

[Grover]

Glad to hear everyone's ok.

[Trish]

Let's hope it isn't a foreshock.

[Colleen in NS]

On vacation....we visited Washington DC for a few hours today over the midday, and felt it!!!! Our van was sitting in an intersection by the Capitol Building, when it started bouncing up and down, as though someone was pushing on the bumper really hard. Dh thought dd was jiggling his seat, but she wasn't. Then we thought the underground train was vibrating the streets quite violently. then we saw people congregating (more than just touristy groups) on sidewalks, and then pouring out of the museums and gov't. buildings. We thought, uh oh, time to get out of the city, something's up. So we tried to find our way out, got lost, and pulled over to one of the groups of people to ask for directions. And we were told that there had just been an earthquake!!!!!!!!!! They said that the buildings were shaking and office cabinet doors were opening with things spilling out. WOW! It was really freaky. Then we had to head south in VA, closer to the epicentre, so we kept our eyes open for rolling roads. Didn't feel anything further.

 

Will read the rest of this thread another time - I didn't read the replies to see where else it happened or what people experienced.

[MariannNOVA]

My BIL/SIL live in Charlotte and they are very disappointed that they didn't feel a thing!

 

My radio is on and there are people saying they felt it in Detroit. I didn't feel anything!

 

I desperately needed the cabana boy to bring me 4 or 5 drinks!;)

 

I was in Wegman's in Fairfax, Va -- I would like never again to feel or hear anything like that. Things were falling off the shelves, people were running out of the store. I had just paid the cashier when we heard it first and then felt it -- she and I held hands and I made the sign of the Cross. Then it stopped.