MarkGeldmeier's Blog

The ground had barely stopped rumbling when the Fox2 Weather and News team started receiving questions and comments by e-mail.  The system was nearly overwhelmed by the response.  Here are the top 75 excerpts from e-mails received after the quake.  They are in order of receipt (the most recent were later in the morning after the strong aftershock).  Thanks to everyone for keeping us updated!!

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Name : Michelle
So, my two year old sleeps in the bed with me. At 415am this morning prior to the earthquake, he is up jumping all around, falling all over the place acting all strange and everything. I am trying to calm him down-threatening to throw him out of the window:) if he doesn’t settle down and let me get my last 1 1/2 hr. of sleep. Then all of a sudden he flops down as close to me as he can possibly get real oddly looking around. And what do you know, before the count of ten the earthquake starts and he is clinging on for dear life. After it is over and gets is little cry out and back to sleep he goes. Is it safe to say that humans can sense earthquakes too, or is that the weirdest thing.

 

Name : Carrie
I'd like to know if excess rain or moisture, has any influence on fault zones? I know Glenn has spoken a lot about the "air" having no affect, but what about the recent rain and/or flooding? Thanks so much.... We love Fox 2!!!

Name : Carol

 

My question that none of the media is covering is - if the quake measured 5.2 at the epicenter in Illinois - what is the actual seismic measurement of the quake in St. Louis 127 miles away?

 

Name : Ron
Hello, my clock is set with your clock. I was woke up with my bed shaking at 4:18 AM. So why do you say the earth quake was 4:30 AM?

 

Name : Gail
ya crack me up!!! at 4:37 am my bed shook
as it would in the summer if one of my dogs had a flea scratch! sleep easy tonight ya mid-west folks. Been in cal for the big bear and the rolling motion with dozens of after s. people camping out in the front yard . scared to go inside!   we are blessed. so it is not news!!!!!  always want to make it out more than it seems. good luck on that it was so funny to watch you roll back the barrel to confirm. i don’t want people to be scared from watching your reports!!  California Resident from 1990 – 1998

 

Name : Tanya
Is it possible for these earthquakes to be affecting the Electromagnetic Fields? I have had sea legs all day and can't keep my balance and I am not sure if it is just my imagination or if there is something to this. This only happens to me when I am around high EMFs. Just curious.

 

Name : Chris
I just wanted to let you know at 9:50a.m. my 9 month old lab, Quigley, started crying and making sounds and stayed right at my feet, he kept it up for about 15 minutes. Then at 10:15 my fireplace doors started to vibrate and within 15 seconds or so I felt the tremor. By then the dog was at the door wanting out. So I was made aware before anything happened. Not that I knew something was going to happen. Nothing was damaged, just thought I would share the story.

 

Name : Mary Jo
We felt the first quake around 4:41 AM and the latest after shock at 10:17 AM. Just wanted to let you know how far north the aftershock was felt.

 

Name : Jennifer
My brother in law said that he felt the one at 4:30 this morning. He has a room in my basement. I was just sitting here at my computer at about 10:15am this morning and My chair went jiggleing across the floor and my chemy was making creaking sounds.

 

Name : Sherill
about 10:18 this morning the house started to shake again just like 4:37a.m.
Is it possible to happen again?

 

Name : Judy
Did we just have another one?

 

Name : Joyce
Our 18 year old Dachshund sleeps with us and usually gets us up at 6:00 AM. This morning she was up at 4:00 and was very restless. My husband finally took her outside to go potty and then brought her back. She did not want to stay on the bed, moving, restless. I was holding her when the quake hit.
By the way, Allstate cancelled our earthquake insurance last September. I was under the impression that many insurance companies did the same.
I have never written you before so I may have done this incorrectly. Sorry.

 

Name : Pat
Could the recent flooding have seeped into the fault lines or created enough weight pressure to have caused the quake we experienced this morning?

 

Name : Patricia
Hello Glenn,  I called the Fox Hotline to provide information about the history of Southern Illinois earthquakes. You have reported several times this morning that the last quake there was in 1968.  This is incorrect and I have waited to hear a correction.
The quake of June 10, 1987 was centered at Olney, Il, a 5.1. It is listed under Historical Earthquakes in Illinois.  Google it at 1987 "Earthquake Illinois."  Would love to hear that my voice has been heard.  Thanks for your time.

 

Name : Faith
My name is Faith and I live in Florissant. This earthquake woke my 14 y/o son and I up at 4:40am. It was shaking our beds and dressers. It was so violent that I'm sure it moved my king size bed at least 2"! lol I am from San Diego so I have felt many earthquakes!

 

Name : Dorothy
About 4:35 a.m. this morning I was waking up and all of a sudden my bed started vibrating or slightly moving. It only occurred a few seconds. I laid there until 4:55 a.m. and then asked my daughter to check the computer and yes we had a tremor. Thought you would like to know it was in St. Charles also.

 

Name : Nancy
I felt the quake this morning but when I looked at my cable box clock the time said 4:34, my dresser was banging against the wall. No one has mentioned the event in 1983 when at midnight there was an earthquake or maybe it was a tornado and it happened so quickly when I turned on the TV right away no one was talking about because it took everyone by surprise. What that an earthquake or a tornado. I remember very clearly that it sounded like a train coming right at my house. thanks,

 

Name : Joyce
hey That Earth quake woke me up at 4"30 and certainly lasted more than 20 seconds, It shook my whole house, there was a loud rumble, anyway at 4:30 when it awoke me ,I went to the bathroom the toilet was shaking and it lasted at least a minute.

 

Name : Ron
Does the water table have anything to do with the earth quake? That was Browning's beliefs.

 

Name : Leslie
We love channel 2 new in the morning...but my husband’s job depends on the weather and we would like to know whether it is going to rain or be sunny today also....you all have been so involved with the earthquake which is wonderful but we do need to hear other things also.

 

Name : Chris
I live as far away as Wright City MO and this morning I felt the earth quake. We have a 3 story home and our bedroom is on the 3rd floor it woke me up. The house was shaking and rumbling. Our grandfather clock was making clanging noises.
I also was shaking thinking the house was going to tumble. I ran downstairs where my husband fell asleep watching Fox news and naturally he didn't feel a thing. Go figure.

 

Name : Crystal
I live in Bismarck MO and I was awakened @4:39am by my whole house shaking. It wasn't shaking hard but enough to wake me. It lasted for almost 35 seconds. I have a projection clock in my bdrm that puts the time and temp on the ceiling and it was a very long 35 sec. No damage, just some shaken up cats.

 

Name : Sonya
I wanted to THANK whoever set up the weather buffet. I found out about the earthquake before the news came on thanks to the information on the weather buffet.

 

Name : Lequila
where exactly was the start of the earthquake and was there an aftershock registered

 

Name : Darlene
Hi, My name is Darlene and I live in Jennings, MO. I was awakened by my bed moving this morning at or around 4:37 or so. I took a few seconds to compose myself to make sure that I wasn't dreaming and I could hear my perfume bottles, my windows, and my amoire chest rattling. All of a sudden, I screamed my son's name (while sitting up in the bed by now) and as he was running towards my room, I told him that we were having an Earthquake!!! He got in my bed and I ran to my front porch and I could hear my windows rattling and I touch the window and it all of a sudden stopped! My heart is still racing!!! I went back inside my house and I got the phone book to try and call Fox 2 to see if we actually had and Earthquake, but I was too nervous to even look up your phone number. My son and I turned on the TV and Cops was on, but no mention of an Earthquake whatsoever!! We started watching Cops!! As I sat there I wondered if my son thought that I was crazy or something!!! I even told me son a couple of times that I wasn't crazy, and I started making up excuses of what could have shaken up our house, then all of a sudden Glenn appeared with "Breaking News" of the Earthquake and I was so relived and so was my son!!

 

Name : Tony
If the epicenter has it at 5.4, how do you tell what it was for us in stl? It wouldn’t still be a 5.4 would it? it would seemingly be smaller as it got further away.

 

Name : Jenny
I live in a Loft in Downtown St. Louis. I am on the top (8th) floor, and I felt the earthquake this morning. I was sleeping, when my bed began shaking back and forth and woke me. I stood up and could feel my entire building shaking. I had never actually felt and earthquake before, so it was quite scary. I live in Vanguard Lofts, so I just had the scare of the fire not too long ago, and now I have to deal with earthquakes! What is the best thing to do during an earthquake if you live on the top floor of a tall building? Do you stay up there, or try and get safely outside?

 

Name : Rosie
I just wanted to let you know that the earth quake was felt here as well, We thought that it was strong gusty winds blowing against the side of the house.

 

Name : Jan
We felt the tremor here in Northeast MO after 4:30 this morning. We're 120 mi. north of St. Louis.

 

Name : Erica:
I was wondering if it was at all possible that we had a small earthquake about 4:30 this morning? I woke up to the coach shaking. It felt like someone was bumping into to wake me up. The next thing I knew the whole house started shaking and I ran and grabbed my son. My parents felt it at the other end of the house. So I just wanted to know if it was a small earthquake.

 

Name : Jennifer
Can you confirm earthquake activity in North St. Louis

 

Name : Sarah
I'm here in Vandalia IL. and it awoke the whole family. Very, very scary. I thought a Semi-truck hit our house. Lucky we have no damage that we can tell of.

 

Name : BARBARA
Hi, just wanted to let you know that we live in a mobile home in Hardin, Il and were awakened by the quake at about 4:35am, nothing broken just "A WHOLE LOT OF SHAKIN' GOIN' ON. Thanks, Barb

 

Name : A
was there an earthquake at 4:40 am

 

Name : Bethany
We live in St. Charles county.  The earthquake woke us from our sleep. All of the items on our shelves were shaking and rattling.

 

Name : Nora
We felt the earthquake in ST. Peters. that floor was moving, my bed was shaking and the furniture was moving also.

 

Name : Brandy
Good Morning - My name is Brandy. Roughly twenty minutes ago my house shook. It didn't last very long. It was definitely hard enough to give us a scare, shake the bed and wake my husband and knock a few little things off the counter. Did we just have an earthquake? Thank you for your time.

 

Name : Eric
I was sitting in my bunk bed in my dorm at Hannibal Lagrange college and my bed started shaking pretty hard but nothing to violent. At first I thought that my roommate was messing with me but he was sound asleep then I thought it must be people sneaking in again but I didn't hear anyone running. Was it a small earthquake or am I just really tired?

 

Name : Emily
It shook me out of bed here in Warrenton. Thank you for confirming I’m not crazy.

 

Name : Tammy
I live in Centralia IL. and at 4:35 am this morning i heard a loud boom here and my rocker was rocking sideways, and glasses in cabinet slid and clanged together. NO DAMAGE IS VISIBLE.

 

Name : Veronica
My sister and was woke this morning to the house shaking a bit. It lasted for a minute or so. We live out in South County, Jefferson Barracks Park. We called our parents who live in Soulard, and they too felt it. Was there a Quake showing up on radar?

 

Name : Sheila
i felt the earth quake about 4:30 4:45 this morning in belleville, il

 

Name : Kathy
I was getting ready for work when the "icecicles" on my Victorian lamp began to shake. Then I felt the floor rumble as if we had train tracks next to the house. No damage that I can see but we could really feel it!

 

Name : Carletha
we just had an earthquake here in florissant mo.

 

Name : Eric
This morning the whole house shock a t4:44am.I was just wonder if anyone else had experience this today. Thanks Eric

 

Name : Andrea
Oh my God I thought I was going crazy!! I was woke by my bed shaking and my dresser! I jump up and looked outside to see if the winds had pick up due to the approaching storms!! I checked on my children all were sleeping, my dog and cat took off running, so I knew I wasn't dreaming!! I could not go back to sleep and I turned the news on and there was Glenn saying, Yes this was a earthquake!! I live in Warrenton and it last for about 12 sec. Hope you get this Glenn thanks for keeping us up to date

 

Name : Joy
My husband and I were awakened at @ 4:37 a,m when our bed was shaking. I jumped out of bed and heard plaster falling inside our old walls. I ran downstairs and heard our china rattling. Do you know if this area had an earthquake then?
Thanks.

 

Name : Lori
I'm in Wood River, IL, and woke up from a dead sleep from my bed uncontrollably shaking. I was very scared, and my initial thought was "earthquake", but then I got nervous that someone was in my house, but thankfully no. No known damages at this point, but I wanted to share! I think the more East we are, the greater the shaking.

 

Name : Miles
I woke up at 4:40 ish this morning. . . My bed was shaking. I had thought I was dreaming, but then I sat up and my bed was like sitting on a hotel bed with the vibrating machine. I thought I was crazy so I stood up and walked to my window. I had a bottle on top of my entertainment center that was rocking back and forth pretty radically. Again thinking I was crazy I walked out of my room to find that my dad was at the bottom of the steps. he had thought I fell down. He said his bed shook as well. . . do you guys know if there was a earthquake. . . even if it was a minor one, or maybe fast and strong enough winds. the house literally felt like it was going to crash.

 

Name : Brenda
Just checking to see if anyone else felt the earthquake this morning at about 4:30 a.m.? It shook our house here in Jerseyville for about a minute. Thought something was going to fall off the walls and break but didn't.
Thanks

 

Name : Joey
To whom it may concern,
I want to make this brief because its 4 40 am and I'm typing this from my cell phone however my family and i were just awaken by what seemed like a jolt from the Missouri fault my line. We thought it might have been just us but a quick phone call to friends and a look outside reassured us that we weren't the only ones. What could this be? Is it the fault line?  Please let me know if you hear any more information about this

 

Name : N
At approximately 4:40am my house shook hard enough to see the water tremor in my glass and also wake my dog up off the floor. I was wondering if anyone else felt this too. I'm in Overland.

 

Name: Lisa
At around 4:30 am, I heard a loud noise and woke to my house shaking back and forth (yes, it sounds crazy!) In my mind, being half awake, I thought we were having a tornado so I ran upstairs to my daughter’s room to wake her up. I didn't have to wake her.  She was wide awake and said, "What was that?" I grabbed her and blankets and we went downstairs to our "tornado" safe place. She told me it was different than ever before and I thought the same thing. I literally felt my house shake back and forth. It lasted no longer than 30 seconds, but it was the strangest experience. I guess I need to know, did we have a slight earthquake this morning? We are in St.Charles, MO.

 

Name : Sheena
Has there been any seismic activity in the St. Louis area lately? This morning at approximate 4:42 am I awoke to my house shaking, my bird falling out of his hut in his cage, something in my kitchen falling, my puppy freaking out. Everything in my house rattling in general for at least a minute or so. Just wondering if it was a small earthquake.

 

Name : Theresa
Glen did we have an Earthquake this morning??????? My house shook so hard and loud it woke me and my 8 year old from a deep sleep.

 

Name : Dana
WAs that just and earthquake? I felt it around 438 and it might have lasted 20 seconds.........that was scary. I had been sound asleep and heard things shaking.
Just was wondering.  Anxious for the news.

 

Name : Melinda
Was there just an earthquake at 4:40am this morning in Shiloh/Belleville, IL?? I hope I'm not completely crazy, but out entire apartment complex was shaking and woke me up!!!!

 

Name : Djiana
Ok i need to know am i crazy about 4:37-4:50 am i was in my kitchen cooking and the counter began to shake then more shaking counter/house it felt like an earthquakeI stood still it didn't last long, could that have happen and how could i find out if there was quake activity in the area... South St. Louis city. Thanks

 

Name : Sandra
Did we just have an earthquake at or about 4:30 this morning... Our house shook so bad it woke us up ... just was curious and scared... thanks for your time... sandy

 

Name : Ron
advise if this area received reports of high winds or earthquake conditions in the last 15 minutes thk u

 

Name : Emily
I am at my mom and dad's in Effingham Illinois and around 4:40am we heard and felt the ground shake. I was just wondering if that was an earthquake they always taked about happening. I will keep on checking the web site and the tv for any news you may have.

 

Name : LARRY
CAN YOU TELL US IF WE HAD A MINOR QUAKWE ABOUT 4:30AM

 

Name : Ronnnessa
Did we just have an earth quake about 10 minutes ago. Our house was shaking and things were moving?

 

Name : Ray
Was just woken up but 4:30 am. by shaking. Thought at first that it was prob kids upstairs, but realized there was no stomping going on... just steady shaking that went on for bout 15-20 seconds. Was that a quake tremor i felt? Are we in a quake zone?

 

Name : Margaret
I live in house springs this morning around 4:30am Friday, April 18 the house started to shake. It lasted all of but 20 seconds, But I was wondering
Was that an earthquake or just my imagination?

 

Name : Geraine
About 4:40am this Friday morning the 17th our house was awakened by what seemed to be an earthquake. My 2 daughters, 8 and 3, as well as my wife were woken up. Was that what it was, an earthquake? Did anyone else report this? Please let me know and thank you.

 

Name : Diane
at about 4:38 this morning there was an earthquake at our home.

 

Name : Michael
This is for Dave Murray and the weather team. Our dogs wokes us up around 4:35 am this morning and our whole house and windows were shaking for about 15 seconds. Did we have a small earthquake??

 

Name : Becky
Was that just an earth quake???? It woke our entire court of families up, from infants to adults just now. Wow is all I can say. What does this mean?

 

Name : Colby
I was wondering if you have felt or heard anything about an earthquake in this area around 430. My mom and I were awakened during a dead sleep and felt our house shaking. I was just wondering since the new madrid fault is somewhat close by.
Thanks so much for your help!

 

Name : Jennifer
I just felt an earthquake at 4:30 am. I live in midtown.

 

Name : DJ
Friday April 18, @ 4:37am... Did we just
feel an earthquake in Mo.? The whole building shook for for about 10 seconds.

 

Name : Kevin
just Felt The Ground Shake For About 40 Sec.

 

Name : K
DID WE JUST HAVE AN EARTH QUAKE...OUR WHOLE HOUSE WAS SHAKING.

 

Name : Christy
Did we just have an earthquake?

 

Name : Ryan
Hello Fox weather team!
At 4:37 or 4:38 this morning, I was sitting at the computer, and all of the sudden my apartment shook! I thought a really strong wind came through or something, but I realized it had to be an earthquake of some sort!!! Am I crazy? I swear, the only thing I've had to drink was a Diet Pepsi! Would love to hear some closure, for my sanity! Thanks so much, and have a wonderful morning:)

Name: Trish
Please, we need your help. We just got woke up to our houses being shook and items falling off the walls. Was this an earthquake ?? Can you please Check into this.

 

Name : Christy
DID WE JUST HAVE AN EARTH QUAKE...OUR WHOLE HOUSE WAS SHAKING