Washington Quake - Scale 6.8
February 28,
2001
Leaving
my Puyallup home early one morning,
I drove to my son’s house at the top of the hill.
While at a construction site the sign said, “STOP!”
I waited a moment and my truck started to rock.
It shook back and forth with me helpless inside,
I knew in an instant, I didn’t like this ride.
I watched as the workers flew off their machines,
their faces all white, their boots seemed to have wings.
Clutching their hearts and gasping for air,
the ground slowly stopped shaking the men lost in a stare.
I felt a bit queasy and my balance amiss,
as I proceeded slowly to my son’s house again.
I pulled in his driveway as he accessed the damage,
his family outside shaken and afraid to go back in.
They watched their walls inside sway back and forth,
with their little son Nate clutching tight to their bedpost.
They tried to find a safe place as the ground flipped and flopped,
by the time they realized what happened the shaking had stopped.
Little things were broken but no lives were taken.
Mother Nature had spoken and caught everyone’s attention.
We watched the T.V. from the doorway of course;
it was believed to be a 7 and then came the new reports.
The phones were not working and the streetlights were out,
People panicked till loved ones were found walking about.
As I returned home to check on my own place,
the power was off and the look of shock on my face.
My scared kitty cat was hiding under the bed;
I called her name and caught a glimpse of her head.
Her pupils were huge as I noticed her fear,
but happy to know her owner was near.
I walked into my room and it was a mess,
My 25 inch TV upside down in distress,
drawers were forced open and items lying about.
I had to control my emotions and try not to shout.
We came out with our lives and that was all that mattered.
Despite the small mess, our homes were not shattered.
Then we took a few pictures and slowly cleaned up the mess.
And we hugged one another to relieve some of the stress.
Preparation is important long before it’s to late.
This Washington quake was on a scale of 6.8.
Copyright 2001 By
Author Patti Tricoli
To learn more about Earthquakes and Earthquake Preparedness in your area go
to Earthquake
Hazards Program (US Govt.)
