Earthquake Question

[Cachoo]

So I live in Kansas and it was announced that my city was in part of a supersonic raceway corridor. So when we heard seven loud booms followed by the house shaking/windows rattling we thought sonic booms. However it turns out those loud booms were seven earthquakes. My question: Are loud booms common in earthquakes?

 

[AxelAnnie]

I live in California. Devastating earthquakes. YES. Booms NO.

I was I the San Fernando Valley for the Northridge quake and the Summary quake. I was in northern.CA for the San Francisco quake where part of a double decker freeway dropped on the lower decker cars.
I have never heard a boom. Wish there was....then we might have a moment to get to safety before everything starts to shake.. BTW if it not above a 5.5 it really doesn't count in my book.

Transcript: Here’s what an earthquake sounds like

Listen to Fiat Vox episode #22: “Here’s what an earthquake sounds like.” Narration: This is Fiat Vox, a podcast that brings you news from, for and about UC Berkeley. I’m Anne Bric…

news.berkeley.edu

This is some interesting info.

Also there is something called a frost quake that does have a book. But it is only in really good places. Not in sunny California

 

[Vagabond]

So I live in Kansas and it was announced that my city was in part of a supersonic raceway corridor. So when we heard seven loud booms followed by the house shaking/windows rattling we thought sonic booms. However it turns out those loud booms were seven earthquakes. My question: Are loud booms common in earthquakes?

No.

I'm a Californian, and I don't think I've ever heard a boom during an earthquake. But perhaps some sort of structure was damaged.

To see if there was an earthquake near you, point your browser here:

Latest Earthquakes

earthquake.usgs.gov

The link does indicate that there was an earthquake measuring 2.9 on the Richter Scale a few hours ago near Eastborough, Kansas. Even if you lived right in Eastborough, you might not even notice such a small earthquake.

 

[Cachoo]

No.

I'm a Californian, and I don't think I've ever heard a boom during an earthquake. But perhaps some sort of structure was damaged.

To see if there was an earthquake near you, point your browser here:

Latest Earthquakes

earthquake.usgs.gov

The link does indicate that there was an earthquake measuring 2.9 on the Richter Scale a few hours ago near Eastborough, Kansas. Even if you lived right in Eastborough, you might not even notice such a small earthquake.

Thanks for the link; each quake was listed. Normally the quakes originate in Oklahoma and you feel swaying for a few seconds and certainly NOT loud, house rattling booms. I would compare it to a close lightning strike in a thunderstorm. I guess we will learn more later.

 

[Winnipeg]

I used to live in California and experienced earthquakes. No boom sounds that I can recall. However, for some reason, I still never hang any pictures above my bed even though I no longer live in an earthquake zone. Must be a hang over habit.

 

[aka_gerbil]

I wonder if the booms are more likely to happen with a tremor on a mid-plate fault vs the two plates meeting kind.

 

[Cachoo]

I wonder if the booms are more likely to happen with a tremor on a mid-plate fault vs the two plates meeting kind.

Hhmmm...maybe that explains why people living on one side of town heard the noise while folks on the other side of town felt the shake without noise. We live just outside of the area that was pinpointed as the epicenter. Glad they were tiny..

 

[AxelAnnie]

I used to live in California and experienced earthquakes. No boom sounds that I can recall. However, for some reason, I still never hang any pictures above my bed even though I no longer live in an earthquake zone. Must be a hang over habit.

Right there with you. Nothing hanging above my headboard

 

[annie720]

I used to live in California and experienced earthquakes. No boom sounds that I can recall. However, for some reason, I still never hang any pictures above my bed even though I no longer live in an earthquake zone. Must be a hang over habit.

I've never lived in an earthquake-prone area but I won't hang pictures over the bed for that very reason.

 

[all_empty]

I also live in California and experienced many earthquakes. I have NEVER heard a boom.

It's actually a low rumble. You can actually hear and feel it before a jolt hits.

For the last one we had (probably 3 or 4 in magnitude), I got a Google alert that the quake was incoming about 5 seconds before the jolt.