Wednesday 27 February 2008

Small Earthquake - Not Many Dead



















I was awake at around 1am this morning when everything shook. It was rather disconcerting - such events are very rare here (this was the biggest one in quarter of a century). According to ERT the earthquake measured 4.7 on the Richter scale, with the epicentre near Grimsby (a delapidated fishing town on the East coast). Apparently there are few reports of casualties or damage (one man injured his leg when a chimney collapsed).

Grimsby before the catastrophe

I don't know if you've seen my "headline" before. Sometime in the early 1900s, I think, some Times journalists had a bet to see who could get the most unsensational headline past the editors. Apparently the above was the winner.

Earthquakes were at the time really newsworthy because they are detected around the world almost instantly, whereas most news took weeks to get from some parts of the world. These days almost every quake however small seems to get reported by ERT (The Greek state broadcaster).

I'll obviously keep you updated as events unfold...

48 comments:

Dan said...

feed
is
rat
sock
tomato

Haven't read it yet, get back to you.

Dan said...

Wow, that sucks !!!
Can't imagine loosing everything in a blink of an eye.

Jean Knee said...

I have gas that can cause more damage than that lame thing.

Jean Knee said...

why is there a big space after the picture??

Brian o vretanos said...

Dan:

Well done at being first!

Jean Knee:

There are a lot of blank lines because I messed up. However, these lines don't show up on my web browser, so I didn't realise they were a problem.

Think of it as a bonus.

you're right, 4.7 isn't very impressive as these things go.

Bee said...

:o{

Bee said...

:'o{

Bee said...

:"o{

Bee said...

:'o"{

Bee said...

I better stop crying...

Bee said...

11th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bee said...

Living in Cali, we had to sleep in our staionwagon one year because of aftershocks from an earthquake. The after shocks register about 7 on the scale.

I really feel for you guys.

Bee said...

registerED! I'm sure they're done by now.

Bee said...

Brian, rethink the whole sending jean knee a picture in a bathing suit. It doesn't have to be you and you can wear a Tutu if you want.

Brian o vretanos said...

Bee:

We apparently had an aftershock, of, wait for it... 1.8!

The US is a far more dangerous part of the world - we don't expect such trauma here...

Brian o vretanos said...

No I'm afraid the swimming thing is too dangerous - imagine all the stampeding women, followed by their jealous husbands...

Brian o vretanos said...

From the BBC a shocked eyewitness account:

David Somerset, 41, from Driffield near Beverley in East Yorkshire, said: "I have never felt one as strong as that one before. I was in my sitting room and the grandfather clock was rattling rather violently.

Bee said...

Okaaaay, I'm gonna have to send one in for you then.

Poor guy, a grandfather cock shouldn't rattle violently!

Bee said...

Oh! My mistake I read it wrong... CLOCK!!

Dan said...

Sitting room ? is that English for toilet ?

Brian o vretanos said...

Dan:

Not even the Eccentric Brits usually keep their grandfather clocks in the toilet.

No, it's usually the lounge/living/room/front room. Where people sit, not where they erm, you know...

Jean Knee said...

Brian, rethink the whole sending jean knee a picture in a bathing suit. It doesn't have to be you and you can wear a Tutu if you want.



yes Brian reconsider, you can use a body double although I will be using my actual body

Jean Knee said...

we don't have earthquakes in Texas but we do have a ton of tornadoes.

Tracy Rambles On And On said...

I love the headline. And I now know to stay away from wherever Jean Knee lives on chili night.
I'm glad to hear that little damage was done. I think I would lose it if I were in an earthquake!

Brian o vretanos said...

Tracy:

Yes, tornados are pretty awful. The Earth's natural forces can be incredibly desturctive.

Bee's Dark Side said...

Earthquakes are nothing to laugh about.
Seriously.

Brian o vretanos said...

BS:

BS ;-)

Bee's Dark Side said...

HA! Added bonus!

Bee's Dark Side said...

I changed it. ;op

Bee's Dark Side said...

I would be nice to me since I'm going to be sending jean knee a a "faux Brian" picutre in a swimsuit.

Brian o vretanos said...

Don't threaten me...

...at least not when I'm trying to read the paper...

Bee's Dark Side said...

Oh, okay didn't realize... I'll come back when you're done.

Brian o vretanos said...

Come on!

I don't think anyone's dark side should give in that easily...

Bee's Dark Side said...

Hey!
I take things seriously. Just like my threats are serious. Even men on death row get a last meal. You should be able to enjoy your newspaper.

Brian o vretanos said...

Death Row!!! I'm not sure I like that analogy...

I think I'd better read the paper, erm, a bit more comprehensively. It might take me a few hours ;-)

Brian o vretanos said...

It's a very interesting paper. They're explaining why everyone was having BBQs at school and BBQ street parties. Emilia told us about this, but didn't explain the reason. It's the Festival of Meat today in Cyprus. Next week is Cheese Week, when they'll be eating fish and dairy products in preparation for Lent.

Bee said...

mmmm BBQ! As soon as the ice melts on my grill I'm going to make some yummy steak.

Brian o vretanos said...

Oh yes, I remember, we're all invited...

Jean Knee said...

yes, I received the bathing suit photo of you from Bee. I didn't realize you were so hawt

Brian o vretanos said...

Jean Knee:

HAWT? That doesn't sound right...

I'd threaten to sue you if you publish it, but I'm wasting enough money on lawyers at the moment.

Besides, I'm curious...

Bee said...

She said she's not going to post it.

Bee said...

Brian, you should know by now that life isn't fair which is why youguys had such a disastrous earthquake. If I have 2 blogs I have 2 votes. (I actually have 2 more unknown ones but Dan discovered one last night shhhh)

Brian o vretanos said...

I think she should post it. You can't talk about a thing and then not show it to people. That's not right. They might be curious...

Jean Knee said...

okay I'll post it

I have two blogs and one I share with 2 other people. so do I get
2 1/3 votes?

Jean Knee said...

I knew about one of Bee's unknown blogs



feeling out of the loop?

Brian o vretanos said...

Not on this blog. 1 person (me) 1 vote (mine).

Feeling out of the loop? No. If Bee wants to have unknown blogs, that's up to her.

I spend enough time on the blogs I know about...

Jean Knee said...

Brian, sometimes you are no fun to kid

Jean Knee said...

only sometimes