BETHESDA

EARTHQUAKE:

TWO AFTERSHOCKS

RATTLE TOWN

Another www.RobertDyer.net Exclusive!!!

Yesterday's 5.9 earthquake in Virginia was felt violently here in Bethesda. Contrary to some assertions that this was a "typical East Coast earthquake," I can assure those new to Bethesda that such events are simply unprecedented in this area.

Before last year's quake, there had never before been a tremor of any note in Bethesda. This one was worse than that.

Four aftershocks have been reported, but only two of them were felt in Bethesda. The 8:05 PM aftershock was fairly strong, but few people in Bethesda reported feeling it. Besides myself, I heard from 3 other fellow residents who confirmed it. That aftershock was also felt not only in Bowie, but as far away as Syracuse, NY and Myrtle Beach, SC (world capital of miniature golf, by the way).

The second, just before 1:00 AM this morning, was heard rather than felt. The epicenter was near Louisa, VA.

There may be additional aftershocks, but not necessarily felt here.

It's clear that something new is happening, but the science suggests no reason to panic about 2012 theories or apocalypses. Earth's continents and the plates below them have been moving for ages. There's strong evidence that they were all once united in one landmass. So they will keep moving. The Earth has many "built-in" systems that help regulate its health, and, frankly, we don't yet understand how or why those systems are working.

So stay prepared, but don't get stressed about it.

But if this keeps happening, Bethesda bartenders will have their hands full inventing new Earthquake cocktails such as those that were a big hit at Union Jack's and Lebanese Taverna!

Metro is back on schedule, but some schools are closed today. Most importantly, no one was hurt, and this is a good wake up call for future disasters, because it's now clear that cell phones will be down, and traffic will be jammed.

We survived this Bethesda Earthquake, but we didn't even get a T-shirt.