I've just experienced an earthquake...

[um bongo molongo]

No, not a poor attempt at a joke about the ramifications of an Ashley Barnes brace, but I'm in Tokyo with work and wondered what the shaking was that woke me up a couple of hours ago - turns out it was this:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/353380-earthquake-today-in-tokyo-5-8-quake-hits-japan/

Oddly, we'd had a conversation about them over dinner last night so I'd looked up what you're supposed to do and as the building started to shake I ended up on the floor with my head under a coffee table for about a minute, wondering if I was overreacting! Obviously it's a very regular occurrence out here so no one seems too put out by it (we're in a very Japanese hotel with no other westerners that I've seen). But for us English who got worked up about a little storm a couple of weeks ago it was a bit more of an event!

The question now is, if another one comes and I'm outside and not near a desk, what do I do then?

 

[countryman]

Panic?

 

[fat old seagull]

No, not a poor attempt at a joke about the ramifications of an Ashley Barnes brace, but I'm in Tokyo with work and wondered what the shaking was that woke me up a couple of hours ago - turns out it was this:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/353380-earthquake-today-in-tokyo-5-8-quake-hits-japan/

Oddly, we'd had a conversation about them over dinner last night so I'd looked up what you're supposed to do and as the building started to shake I ended up on the floor with my head under a coffee table for about a minute, wondering if I was overreacting! Obviously it's a very regular occurrence out here so no one seems too put out by it (we're in a very Japanese hotel with no other westerners that I've seen). But for us English who got worked up about a little storm a couple of weeks ago it was a bit more of an event!

The question now is, if another one comes and I'm outside and not near a desk, what do I do then?

Portable desk ?

 

[Washie]

Become Iron man.

 

[sydney]

there is nothing you can do mate........door frames and stair -wells are generally the safest places to stand in high rise buildings but if it's a large scale quake then you are taking pot luck......hop on a plane home maybe...

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

No, not a poor attempt at a joke about the ramifications of an Ashley Barnes brace, but I'm in Tokyo with work and wondered what the shaking was that woke me up a couple of hours ago - turns out it was this:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/353380-earthquake-today-in-tokyo-5-8-quake-hits-japan/

Oddly, we'd had a conversation about them over dinner last night so I'd looked up what you're supposed to do and as the building started to shake I ended up on the floor with my head under a coffee table for about a minute, wondering if I was overreacting! Obviously it's a very regular occurrence out here so no one seems too put out by it (we're in a very Japanese hotel with no other westerners that I've seen). But for us English who got worked up about a little storm a couple of weeks ago it was a bit more of an event!

The question now is, if another one comes and I'm outside and not near a desk, what do I do then?

I think you probably did overreact! Tokyo must be the safest city in the world to be in if there is an earthquake, particularly if its not that strong. There are pretty stringent safety rules that the buildings have to comply with.

If a big one hits when you are outside and its big enough to panic the locals....head for open ground. There are designated safety zones-usually school playgrounds or similar-for people to gather at should a significantly strong enough earthquake hit. That said, in the ten years I've been here I've never seen them used(in Tokyo).

 

[bluenitsuj]

Just film it and post on here!!

 

[um bongo molongo]

So, having spoken to a few locals today, this mornings was about a once a month occurrence, with little ones in between so I definitely did overreact! More worryingly, the most recent prediction from local "seismologists" (I've been doing my research) is for a major quake (7.0 or higher) within the next 4 years with an epicentre directly under Tokyo - a 70% chance! That's almost as likely as palace getting relegated!

 

[Plake]

I was in a 6.5 in the Dom Rep in 2004 ish. Was pretty scary actually, sounded like a nuclear bomb going off somewhere nearby, bed jumping across the room, plaster falling out of the ceiling onto us. Then daily aftershocks of varying magnitudes which we got progressively more and more blasé about.

As has been said, safest places are under doorframes and stairwells.

 

[Leighgull]

Start screaming and Toss yourself off...the balcony.

 

[Steve in Japan]

Nobody likes them, they are one of those natural events which can scare the cr@p out of you. You do get used to them, although I`m not sure thats such a good thing as it can make you complacent.

 

[Mental Lental]

That was a bloody tiddler! Get one of those a week. After the big quake we were getting those EVERY HALF HOUR.

 

[Seagull Stew]

Advice here:

http://www.getthru.govt.nz/web/GetThru.nsf/web/BOWN-7GY5TP?OpenDocument#during

Based on New Zealand, but I would imagine, it would be the same in Japan.