Well, THAT was certainly an interesting evening. I was in bed, dreeeeeeeeaming away until I was jolted awake by what felt like my bed balancing on the top of a huge bowl of jello. It felt like some giant had reached into the refrigerator that was my bedroom and shook the bowl back and forth to see if it had set up yet. Something started banging on my roof, something fell off of the ledge next to my bed and then I knew immediately what was going on. Ironically, I had JUST been reading a guy’s blog that night about his time in Puerto Viejo and he described going through his first earthquake too. I look at the clock 3:43 a.m. The dogs started barking, the howler monkeys started yelling and the shaking stopped.
Once I had my wits about me, I knew I should probably go outside. Then I was worried about the huge trees and electrical poles and determined I was somehow safer in the doorway of my bedroom. I stood there a while and nothing else happened. Boy, I’ve never felt anything like that before. It was somewhat terrifying. It’s almost indescribable how the bed just felt like it was floating on water…the legs of it knocking against the floor…I seriously felt like Linda Blair in the Exorcist for a fleeting moment. The howlers would NOT calm down for a long time.
So I go back into bed. I stay awake thinking about what just happened and how I had just told my dad that I thought I’d been hearing some kind of activity lately. It sort of sounded like thunder, but it wasn’t quite thunder. Then I realized that I’m about a foot above sea level and the beach is one minute away. Hmmmmm. Ok, I should get on the internet and make sure there are no alerts out. I HIGHLY doubt there are any warning systems here unless the police go around with a loudspeaker and by that time, it could be too late. I could hightail it up Margarita Road (probably run into the dog again) if I needed to get to high ground.
So I type in (as I had just done the day before) ‘earthquake costa rica’ and in big red bold letters on the first page, it read: ‘5.6 magnitude earthquake 12 km SSW of Guabito, Panama’. I click on the link and see that it’s very close to where I live. That border line between CR and Panama is where I am. I think I’m about 20 miles from the border, maybe less.
I couldn’t find any alerts and seeing that it happened inland I sort of doubted a tsunami, so back to sleep I went. All is well and there were no damages reported in Panama from what I’m reading on the news.
Is Mother Nature sending you a message? Here in Oro Valley we have no tornados, earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires, avalanches, hurricanes, or floods. Wait, we do have flash floods which helps rid the earth of dummies who try to cross them on flooded roads. They’re like the folks who seek shelter in their trailers during tornadoes. Paradise has a rollercoaster.
Alright!!! Is that an invitation to move in!?! See ya soon!!! haha!
oh, dear. Are there any active volcanoes in your vicinity? Hurricane season is about to begin…. good thing you plan to move to higher ground, I think.
Oh yeah…the FUN time of the season. I knew rainy season would be a challenge and wanted to be here for it cause I’m crazy like that. Hey, at least I won’t be at sea level…it DOES get flooded in PV and bridges get washed out. Hopefully I make it out of here in time. There are 6 active volcanoes in CR and about 61 dormant or extinct ones. Down in this area there aren’t any active ones…but I don’t know what the deal is in Panama.
Hi Steph, This is the first time I’ve read this post. My heart goes out to you and anyone else who has felt the earth shake like you did. I experienced an earthquake in London of all places, in 1989! I couldn’t believe it when it happened – I only felt it because I lived over the tube station so the vibrations could be felt from the Nottingham area where the epicenter was. It was so very very unsettling – earthquake is an awful experience. Your Dad’s explanation of why we have flash floods and mobile homes made me laugh out loud, but he does have a point – paradise has a roller coaster! Rainy season may best be spent in the US – tornadoes and hurricanes can be bad but earthquakes and giant bugs may be worse! Hope to see you when you’re home!