M5.4 Earthquake – Northern California • Hacker News Board

Re: M5.4 Earthquake – Northern California

#11

Post by inspector-g » Fri, May 12, 2023, 12:32 AM UTC

reassembled wrote: post #7

I’m in Nevada City, CA (~2.5hr northeast of SF) and saw the notification maybe 3-5 seconds prior. Everyone in my workplace stepped out of their offices and said they all saw the notification before the building started shaking.

I'm next door in Grass Valley, and basically the same experience here.

Also, I don't run into many HN folks in/from this area, let's get in touch and maybe meet up sometime.

Re: M5.4 Earthquake – Northern California

#12

Post by inspector-g » Fri, May 12, 2023, 12:38 AM UTC

llsf wrote: post #3

inspector-g wrote: post #2

I found this notable because it's the first time I've received a push notification in the U.S. about an earthquake, which I received about 10 seconds before the shaking started.

Interesting. How far are you from the epicenter ? I am in SF, and did not get the message... and did not feel anything either.

I'd say about 70 miles, near Auburn, CA

Re: M5.4 Earthquake – Northern California

#13

Post by Fatnino » Fri, May 12, 2023, 3:12 AM UTC

inspector-g wrote: post #2

I found this notable because it's the first time I've received a push notification in the U.S. about an earthquake, which I received about 10 seconds before the shaking started.

Notifications are rare because you need to be far enough from the epicenter that the difference between the speed of the earthquake (speed of sound in rock) and the speed of the notification (speed of light through the internet) is great enough to matter. But at the same time you can't be too far from the epicenter or the shaking where you are will be negligible and the alert pointless. Most earthquakes are too small to have a significant ring around them where notification makes sense.

Re: M5.4 Earthquake – Northern California

#14

Post by phendrenad2 » Fri, May 12, 2023, 4:17 AM UTC

Gotta love .gov websites commitment to only show us UTC. In normal human time that's 4:19:41 pm PDT

Re: M5.4 Earthquake – Northern California

#15

Post by dheera » Fri, May 12, 2023, 5:24 PM UTC

reassembled wrote: post #7

I’m in Nevada City, CA (~2.5hr northeast of SF) and saw the notification maybe 3-5 seconds prior. Everyone in my workplace stepped out of their offices and said they all saw the notification before the building started shaking.

Hm, for most buildings, stepping outside is one of the most dangerous things you can do during an earthquake. It's common for bricks, shards of glass, large tree branches, power lines, and all kinds of things to come crashing to the ground in the immediate vicinity of buildings.

If you are inside, stay inside and get under a sturdy piece of furniture, such as your office desk. If you are outside, run the hell away from structures and trees toward the most open space you can get to.