NicholasHuelva

That was my first earthquake, I still sitting here shaking. Wasnt that an amazing experience?? A mixture of fear and being amazed by the forces the earth can create. Here in Huelva capital my chair started rolling around, and things started falling over on my desk. Had to seek shelter under the most durable peace of furniture in the house (long live IKEA )

What were your experiences by the border? I would guess that the earthquake was even stronger in that area.

keithwalters

I was in the car at the time - didn´t even feel it!!!

Rixxy

Im in Marbella - didnt feel a thing from my comfy desk chair. Only when it came on the radio a few hours later did I know about it!

Having said that the 1st time I eperienced an earthquake I was on hols with my parents in Athens, Greece (my family on dads side from there) My younger bro and I were watching greek tv (!) when things started shaking

I shouted at my Bro to stop cos I thought he was moving my chair - until I saw ornaments and chandeliers moving.

THEN we bolted for the kitchen and parential cover!

NicholasHuelva

What a shame for you.....even here in Huelva some people did not feel it. In neighbourhoods far away from the harbour they apparently felt nothing. Sitting here in the attic of a 7 floor builing, I think I felt it more than people in the street.

Pam Sarky

Just been speaking to my neigbour about it. She had just got out of the shower and was walking into her bedroom when it started. She said all her make-up, mirrors and ornaments were wobbling around. It frightened the life out of her.

Sam

NicholasHuelva

And what is the clever thing to do then? Under a table, in a dooropening, the staircase, or get out under open air as soon as possible?

Pam Sarky

Just found this.



Portugal Shaken by Magnitude 6 Offshore Earthquake, USGS Says

By Alex Morales

Feb. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Parts of Portugal were shaken by a magnitude 6 earthquake that struck under the Atlantic Ocean.

The quake hit at 10:35 a.m. local time today about 250 kilometers (155 miles) west-southwest of the city of Faro, and 335 km south-southwest of the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, the U.S. Geological Survey said in an e-mailed preliminary report.

While the temblor was felt in Lisbon, there were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake struck at a depth of about 10 kilometers. Earthquakes of magnitudes 6 to 6.9 are defined as ``strong'' by the USGS, which monitors world seismological activity. About 120 quakes of that size strike worldwide annually, according to the monitoring agency.

keithwalters

Distance yourself from nearby trees.



Oh no, that´s lightening.

Solarwhizz

I lived in Cyprus for many years, where we used to get the odd wobble on a fairly regular basis, we were always advised to get out of any buildings as quickly and safely as possible. And to keep clear of buildings or any structure that may topple. But I dont know if that is still valid as it was 25 years ago!.
Anything manmade seems a fair target for forces of nature. Quite sobering really

MnM

The safest place to be is under a sturdy table or desk. In the absence of that, then under a doorway.

Fortaleza

Loved a comment on an international news forum. The poster from Portugal said the earthquake was "Our Lady's response to the impending legalisation of abortion in Portugal"

Made me chuckle anyway!!!!

Fortaleza

According to the papers this morning, earthquake was the biggest one in 38 years.

katieabi

hi there

i was in villa real de san antiono in portugal and i felt the earth quake, i was in the bank when it happened and everyone was a bit shaken and confused. my friends up in almancil also felt it apparently it measured 6 on the ricture scale

NicholasHuelva

Well, the earthquake meant that I finally got some of the information that I have been looking for. Huelvainformacion stated yesterday:

...that powerfull earthquakes like the one from 1755 occur in cycles, with approximately 450 years between them. The next one is then set for 2005 so we should be reasonably safe.
...that the earthquake in 1755 caused damage in the range of 600 mio euros.
...if you feel continous movement for 5 minutes, you´d better start moving away from the beach area as soon as possible. Tsunami will be comming within 20 minutes. Actually the amount of buildings around the Spanish coastline is thought to make a tsunami much worse. The water will have to go between the buildings meaning that the force of the water will much higher.

jdr

I dont think many Spanish buildings would resist a few waves, let alone a tsunami ;-)