Seismo-Watch

Felt Earthquake Observations Check List

 

Print this page then click here to record your observations.

Be as brief or as specific as possible. We want to know!

Your Situation:

• Location (City, Town, Village; State, Province, Country)
• Time of the quake (local time)
• Inside or outside,? Driving?
• If inside, type of building? What floor?
• If outside, describe physical location (hill, valley, beach, street, etc.).

Your Experience:

• How would you describe the ground shaking?
  • not felt, light, moderate, moderately strong, strong, very strong, extremely strong
• Describe your feelings or reactions:
  • none
  • alert, excited, exhilarated, amazed, thrilled
  • alarmed scared, frightened, panicked
• Were you injured? Have you heard of injuries or casualties?
• Did you hear any sounds with the shaking? See any flashing lights in the sky?
• Did you hear any car alarms going off?
• Could you tell which direction of the quake came from?
• If you were asleep, did it wake you up or did you sleep through it?
• Was it difficult to stand? Walk or run?
• If outside, could you see the seismic waves?

Earthquake effects

• Earthquake damage - inside:
  • Did any topple from tables or shelves? Hanging plants swing?
  • Pictures knocked asked or fall from walls? Which wall was more damaged?
  • Did kitchen cabinets doors swing open? Did glassware fall from cabinets?
  • Furniture move about floor? Any appliances topple?
  • Cracked plaster? Fallen ceiling tiles? Cracked walls?
    • Describe the cracks. (thin, gaping, in corners, in exterior or interior walls)
  • Windows: Did they jiggle or rattle? Cracked or broken? Explosively shatter?
• Earthquake damage - outside:
  • What do you see when you look outside or travel about the area?
  • Chimney damage? Foundation damage?
  • Ruptures water/gas lines? Downed power lines?
  • Collapsed building walls? Structural failures?
  • Fires? Localized or widespread?
• Geological effects:
  • Surface fault ruptures? Landslides? Rock falls? Liquefaction failures? Flooding? Tsunamis? Sand boils? Well water changes? Be as specific as possible.
  • Have any photos? Contact us and we'll give you instructions.

Other effects:

• Unusual physical phenomena?
• Domestic or wild animal / insect / reptile reactions (pre, during and post event)?
• Premonitions, dreams, pre event feelings?
• Anything we forgot to mention above that you thought noteworthy.

Seismo-Watch, Inc.
P.O. Box 1956, Chester, CA 96020

Office: 530-258-4228 / Fax: 530-258-4339
e-mail: cwatson@advancedgeologic.com