CJ Eyewitness: California quake

Your assignment: Do you live along the West Coast? If so, and you felt Tuesday's earthquake or heard the tsunami warning, tell us about your experience. Write your report on the space provided below. E-mail if you want to send photos or video.

Your stories:

Great drill
I live in Gold Beach, Ore., and never felt the earthquake. Our house is about 1/4 mile from the beach, as is most of the town. We evacuated our house, grabbed the kids and the dogs and headed for higher ground. We just sat and watched the fire trucks and police go through the town with their sirens and loud speakers telling people to evacuate. I think they did a great job getting the word out to everyone. It was a relief to have nothing come of it, and we look at this as a great drill for our family.
--Amber Timm, Gold Beach, Ore.

Widespread panic
I was at a softball game when word came of a Tsunami warning. Being that I was already at the highest point that we could be, we were safe, but it was interesting that one of the teams I was watching was a team with many local Coast Guard members. I figured if they weren't being called to base, and they weren't freaking out, it can't be that bad. I was amazed, however, at the widespread panic that I saw in many people. That is one thing that will never help the situation. If I can give people one good word of advice, don't panic. All that does is create more confusion and add fuel to an already tense situation.
--Nicole Hansmeier, Warrenton, Ore.

Wake-up call
It was a wake up call. We live in Seaside, Ore., where we would be hit hard by a tsunami. We live just out of reach of what would be the area hit. I began filling everything I could with water when I heard the siren. I know that although we would not be hit, we would be with out power and water. I looked in my pantry and saw our 24-hour emergency kits, but I knew that was not enough food, payday was two days away and my cupboards where bare. WOW. I felt sick. My husband was out of town in Portland and I felt alone and frightened. I was so grateful when the warning stopped. I will be sure my cupboards are well stocked at all times. It will not only be our family, but many in low laying areas called and asked if they could stay in the safety of our home. I must prepare for not only my family, but other families.
--Kathleen Peterson, Seaside, Ore.

An experience to remember
I live in Crescent City, Calif.. My 4-year-old daughter and i were sitting watching TV and my husband was in another room. I felt this small vibration and thought it was our downstairs neighbors partying and then it got more violent so I grabbed my daughter and ran to a doorway and called to my husband and asked if it was an earthquake. He said, having grown up in Southern California, yes it was indeed an earthquake. After it stopped my daughter was upset because I grabbed her arm and hurt her in my haste to keep us safe. My Mom called from Salem, Ore.,  and I told her we had just had an earthquake and we talked a little then hung up. A few seconds later the Tsunami siren went off. My neighbors started going ballistic. My husband stayed calm the whole time. I wanted to do something, so we drove to my sister's house. A little while later the warning was turned into a bulletin then called off. It is an experience to remember to grand children.
--Jaime Davis, Crescent City, Calif.

Impressed by reaction
I am nineteen years old and have only been living in Crescent City, Calif., about a month.  When the earthquake occurred last night, I was walking across the kitchen and did not feel it.  I was watching TV with my mom, and the dogs had suddenly started barking, when my mom said, "I think we're having an earthquake.  Yeah, look at the lights."  The kitchen lights, which hang down from the ceiling on poles, had begun swaying very gently.

After the shaking, my brother and his friend arrived and immediately began searching for news on the quake on the internet.  While they were searching, my brother's friend's cell phone rang.  Nobody was on the other end, although he could hear people talking and long, wailing sirens.  Immediately, we all went into my mom's room and listened for the sirens.  Sure enough, we could just barely hear a voice saying, "Get to higher ground now."

As we have only lived in the area a short time (my family moved here in January), we were unsure as to what we were supposed to do.  Several people have told us that, in the case of a tsunami, we would be safe, as we live a few blocks from the beach on cliffs about sixty feet high.  My mom and I decided, however, that it would be best to leave our house, just in case.  We called my brother, who had already left to take his friend home, and told him to stay there and keep his cell phone on.  After getting our shoes on, we got the dogs in the car and left.

At first, it seemed that everybody had either left or gone inside their homes.  Some people were standing in groups on front lawns and watching the ocean, while sheriffs patrolled the street.

When we got to U.S. 101, it became clear that many people had evacuated their homes.  It seemed that all the law enforcement and emergency officials were on the street.  As we drove up 101, we called family members who live in Southern California, telling them that we were okay and were getting to higher ground.

Before we got a mile from where we got on the highway, the all-clear was given and we went home.

I was truly impressed by how quickly everybody responded to the tsunami warning.  The Del Norte County Sheriff's, California Highway Patrol, and Crescent City Police, as well as the fire department, were all perfectly coordinated.  Their organization, I believe, helped to prevent a panic among the people in the area.  I applaud these agencies, as well as the citizens
and visitors to Crescent City, in their handling of this situation.
--Kristyn Castaneda, Crescent City, Calif.

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