Well that really really depends on “the ground,” the earthquake magnitude, and how natural structures are affected both immediately and in the coming days. 
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Well this is hot stuff and new… Did it happen this AM? Can’t be certain but was just looking around outside. About a dozen bricks on the facade of my house are cracked.
Good thing I kept the half pallet of brick that was left from the construction of this house. Builder wanted to throw them out.
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Nice aftershock (4.0) 25 mins ago.
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Bro in law in NJ said it was a long one. I did not feel it here, but I am sitting next to a 10" sub woofer
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California is looking at the east coast right now saying:
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Missed the after-shock here.
Easterners need instructions on what to do during an earthquake. I had no clue, but thought taking refuge in one of my windowless bathrooms might be a good idea, as opposed to staying in a room full of bookcases.
Might it have been safer to go into our common hallway? There are 10 apartments on my floor and not much to fall down and cause damage.
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When inside, find a doorway to get into as it is the strongest structural part.
If you can, you would get outside but away from tall buildings as things can fall off of them even if the building doesn’t fall.
Other than that … enjoy the ride and observe how tiny mother nature makes everything look.
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You basically want to avoid having something heavy crushing you. Windows shouldn’t matter much unless the quake is strong enough to shatter them (more so if you don’t have tempered glass)
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Thank you for your advice!
“If you can, you would get outside but away from tall buildings as things can fall off of them even if the building doesn’t fall.”
This would be tough to do in my neighborhood. My building is 30+ stories, and next door is 50+. A few are glass and steel, but most are brick or stone, not built with earthquakes in mind.
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Going outside around tall structures during an earthquake and having debris fall on them is the cause of many injuries. Even inside a building, falling items is what one needs to be aware of (ceiling tiles, light fixtures, shelving, tv(s), etc.).
They happen so quick that often you only have time to make it to a doorway and then it is over.
In big earthquakes, houses will be moved off of their foundation and gas lines get snapped. The resulting fires end up doing as much damage as the quake itself.
We remember each of these quakes very well and many more from living in Southern California.
1994 Northridge earthquake
1992 Landers earthquake
1971 San Fernando earthquake
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It might be worthwhile to ask your building’s resident management about any building-specific earthquake plans.
In the meantime, while I don’t know your specific city/state, I did find these resources that address “high rise” residents:
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Thanks so much for this! We are now getting articles in the local newspapers about earthquake survival skills. I will know for next time.
I live in 10065, a few blocks from Central Park. Building management is paying close attention, as far as I can discern.
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It’s odd. I was in Paterson NJ a couple of weeks ago, visiting the falls (highly recommended if you’re in the area). Walking down one street, I noticed an old brick building, with stars on the facade every few yards. I commented to Nisha that they looked like earthquake bolts; and wondered “why would they need earthquake bolts here?”
Guess I now know. (or they could have been purely decorative; I don’t know).
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Seen on many 19th and early
20th century buildings, those are tie rods, to improve stability. Earthquakes were not considered in eaxtern states building codes until the 1990’s.
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I grew up in the south, and visited Charleston SC many times. They most certainly DID consider earthquakes in building those buildings, which is why I know what “earthquake bolts” look like.
But makes sense that something similar would be used elsewhere, even if quakes were not a consideration.
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I had never heard of these but googled them and found their Charleston SC origin and history to be fascinating.
Marilyn
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