For those of us who live in areas where earthquakes are not common, it can be very disconcerting and frightening.
I was at work in Washington, DC when the earthquake hit and it truly frightened a lot of people. The building I work in is in fairly close proxmity to the Pentagon, which I watched as it burned on 9/11...I believe the initial reaction of many yesterday, was that we had been bombed again. Reactions which were certainly understandable since we are so close to 9/11 anniversary...
I also happen to live in Virginia, about 29 miles from the epicenter of the earthquake in Mineral, VA - which also happens to be the location of the North Anna Nuclear Power Plant - scary when you look at what just happened in Japan. There are also quite a few members of BYC who live not too far from yesterday's events as well...
There are very old buildings in DC which were not built with earthquakes in mind that are closed today, and there are many schools in the area that I live in that have delayed the start of school today because of structural damage.
I totally agree that the media over sensationalizes catastrophic events and indeed, what may be "catastrophic" to some, may be daily routine for others. While I have not been offended by any comments that I have read here, I just wanted to throw out a gentle reminder to those who may be quick to poke fun. By poking fun you may be unintentionally diminishing the fears and concerns of some of your fellow BYCers, which really isn't fair. When something happens to scare people in your "community", you should offer your support, not your sarcasm.
