I’ve been tracking “quake” and “earthquake” on Twitter. There was a continuous flow of information as soon as the quake hit.
9:14 pm Update:
Wanna see more? Part 2 of this transcript is here.
10:31 pm Update:
Part 3 is here. That’s all folks!
10/31/2007 Update:
Just wanted to clarify that the start of this transcript was about a minute after the quake – i.e. this does not include the very first tweets. According to @laughingsquid, @sofia was the first person to post to twitter about this quake.
andykaufman: earthquake nice shaker in the mission/noe
burtonator: WELL THAT WAS AN EARTHQUAKE…..
elatable: Huge earthquake in East Bay
mintigal: Just felt our first tremor, very slight, but like a big rig riding past
me: Track quake
twitter: You’ll now receive updates matching ‘quake’. To stop, send ‘untrack quake’.
sacca: Earthquake!!!!! Woohoo!!
me: track earthquake
twitter: (joshtynjala): Just felt my first quake. That was awesome!
You’ll now receive updates matching ‘earthquake’. To stop, send ‘untrack earthquake’.
briancaldwell: my whole building just shifted
(oscarjr): omg! did u feel the quake?
(sallypnut): Whoa. Hello, earthquake.
(krob): Earthquake in the Bay Area!
(tychay): Earthquake. Sweet.
(CraigB): EARTHQUAKE!
(vglshn): An earthquake has my cat on edge.
(chipotlecoyote): Earthquake. Fascinating.
(trevor_m_wilson): earthquake in Berkeley
(jimgoldstein): Earthquake in SF
(rcrowley): Earthquake!
(jonk): earthquake!!!!
(MizLit): Earthquake!
(Golabutron): Earthquake!
(malerin): EARTHQUAKE
Nymo: OMG, Earthquake
(jakeludington): Anyone else feel an earthquake in the South Bay about now?
(lloydgomez): Modesto just had an earthquake! Yikes…..
(shawnbot): Whee, earthquake!
(sct): earthquake??
(homesliced): a little shaken from my 1st SF earthquake
(Fenchurch): Whoa, violent earthquake. Not the rolling kind, but a shaky one.
(stevepm): Hello earthquake, welcome to my dinner party.
(hizKNITS): earthquake?
(bernie): wow. best quake yet!
(synergist): Earthquake!
(deebeedee): WOW, we just had an earthquake!!
(aliciarenee): Earthquake! and haus still stands. huzzah.
(abhaykumar): Whoah. Anyone else just feel that? My first earthquake!
(CathyE): ZOMG! FIRST EARTHQUAKE!
(mjyazzie): Earthquake!!!!!
(head_zoo_keeper): that was a pretty big earthquake — a fore-shock?
(lhalff): Quake!
(mpeachey): Earthquake. San mateo. Decent size. Lasted 15i20 seconds.
(dan_mcweeney): That was either a small earthquake or a big ass truck.
(romeroax): Earthquake?
(catcubed): earthquake! Long and fairly strong one too.
(AnthonyBaker): Cripes! That was a big earthquake.
leahculver: earthquake!
(mat): Wow! Big quake!
(dialect): WHOA, we just had a crazy earthquake here!!!
(lisapadilla): earthquake
(scottchaile): We just had a big earthquake!
(shirasade): Wowza – earthquake! I guess I really am in California…
(askpang): Just had an earthquake! Not big enough to knock anything over, but big enough to make the house shake.
(bigepaz): Earthquake?
(misskaren): hmmm earthquake. guessing high 4, 4.8
(radioluxembourg): earthquake?
(odannyboy): EARTHQUAKE!
(goodwillstacy): Earthquake!
(SlightlySasha): Jesus. Earth quake!!
(jonchan): earthquake?
(Frang): significant quake just hit. Don’t know size just yet. Lasted a long time too
(kurtbrockett): whoa…..earthquake
(booboolina): Earthquake! And a long one at that.
(DylanThawt): woah, just felt a gnarly earthquake.
(donpark): whoa. a long earthquake
(kevindente): Earthquake!
(halletecco): earthquake
(kenn): Earthquake!
(musicalholiday): Whoa. Earthquake!
(bsii): earthquake.
(rickyromero): Holy shit, that quake spooked me.
(samuraiBSD): woah, mild quake in Oakland…anyone else feel that (if you’re in the Bay Area, that is)
(caffeina): Earthquake or whatever. NOT BAD.
(torrez): Big quake.
(shaper): Serious earthquake in SF a second ago, I actually got under my desk.
(thomashan): major earthquake in the Bay Area, CA!
(caffeined): Whoa! Good size earthquake just now.
(someToast): The first one not so much, but this quake I noticed.
(yoandrocky): earthquake!!
(PamK): Rumbles of something like an earthquake here in Hillsborough, CA
(rafer): earthquake in the mission! 4.4?
(jdaisy): earthquake
(whatman75): Woah! Nothing like a little earthquake to go along with my walk home
(gils9965): Woohoo. Mini earthquake. I thought I had too much to drink.
(mtanne): Wow. BIG earthquake. Lastest a long time.
(Quikchange): Earthquake! It was my first one since moving to California. I was hoping that shit would fall down and none did though [frown]
(Kittenbomb): EARTHQUAKE AHHHHH
(raynbow_me): We just had one HELL of an earthquake
(theleftcoast): just experienced a rather lengthy yet mild earthquake. The apartment building was swaying.
(trishC): That was an earthquake…..yep, whole building moved….. a bit freaky…. yeah…
(csoriano): Holy shite. In Gilroy at an Arby’s. EARTHQUAKE JUST NOW!!! Crazy. Everything seems to be ok.
(labspaz): I am missing Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin… Cause of work… ;( and we just had an earthquake…
(mikecreighton): A little put off by the earthquake that just happened. So was Rexie.
(aki_wah): my first earthquake in the new apartment!
(yoz): Okay, that was the strongest earthquake I’ve ever experienced. (Mission Dolores.)
(tonystubblebine): wondering if sarah felt that quake. it was long. eggs didn’t notice, did you eggs?
(raylee): Earthquake!
(eskimogirl43): Shook up by the earthquake
(lmorchard): Whoa. Quake in the south bay (Santa Clara, CA), first time every feeling one and assuming that’s what it was
(jessykate): earthquake?? i swear i just felt one! (in monterey)
(ridgeracer): First the brown out this morning and now we just had an earthquake.
(crazybob): Earthquake!
nick: FIRSTQUAKE!
(bs): EARTHQUAKE!!!!
(StarFire2258): Earthquake.
(clunkclunk): Pretty decent earthquake just hit the bay area. Not enough to cause any damage, but a nice 15 seconds of shaking.
(kndy): Is it me or is there an earthquake right now!
(tones): earthquake!!
(afex): woohoo! my first earthquake! that was neat.
(critke): earthquake – just a little one. gives me the creeps.
(rubaiyat): woot earthquake! and dreamy afterglow! All’s fine here.
(osi): whee earthquake!
(g808): Whoa. Earthquake! Really felt that one.
t: earthquake!
(williammanning): just had a earthquake. Not sure how big it is.
(nileshd): was it an earthquake???? It was a good 10 seconds…
(rycaut): that was the first big earthquake I’ve experienced since moving to the bay area
(lisaphillips): earthquake!
Fogview: Just felt an earthquake lasting 30 seconds here near Livermore, CA. House was moving back and forth.
(rrwhite): My first quake … it was nice an gentle to me
(adammathes): That was definitely and earthquake.
(pdow): woah, earthquake!!
(korntee): Just felt quake
(AnthonyBaker): Largest amount of shaking I’ve personally felt since 1989’s quake. (csman): yep, that was an earthquake
(rands): Earthquake
(mutgoff): I think there was just an earthquake! And it was cool!
(ritcheyer): earthquake in campbell.. big enough to stand in a doorway for 30 seconds
(kyleshank): earthquake
(DericHorn): @rands Earthquake… Did you feel it?
(daveman692): Earthquake!
(antoniocapo): people – did you feel that earthquake in menlo park, ca?
(happyinwater): Earthquake!
(judielaine): Damn, i felt that. And it lasted a while. (Earthquake)
(corypina): Earthquake!
(hjem): Earthquake @ rockridge. Or someone is shaking my car.
(tiffchow): Woah! Earthquake? Shimmy shimmy shimmy!
(treeswing): Earthquake!!
(RexPechler): Earthquake in Santa Cruz!
(KuraFire): earthquake in the south bay just now
(jbeck): Earthquake just befor 8 pm pacific time
(cg): EarthQuake in MTV – biggie – my guess 6.0 +
(jspepper): Earthquake – or big truck. I think it was an earthquake.
(DevilBlueDress): ok. who just felt the earthquake?
(N3wtR0ckn13): Holy cow we just had an earthquake…
(tshepa): earthquake. tasman and fair oaks sunnyvale ca
(beadfanatic): Earthquake! A small one, but shakey!!
charleneli: just felt a tremor, two short bursts in San Mateo
(Antigone): EARTHQUAKE! Just hit in San Jose, CA. Checking USGS site for stats now.
(IgorMinar): Earthquake here in Sunnyvale, CA – no damages but scarry
(Herb): @apenny earthquake, where?
(solrac66): Hmm… Earthquake or semi-truck?
(jimgoldstein): @arielwaldman didn’t you get the memo I’m supposed to be the first on to announce the earthquake
(tpbrown): Finally felt my first earthquake.
(one9): earthquake! N Sf. I still feel the rolling quakes…
(apenny): wow that was a big earthquake, i hope everyone is safe.
(sarahsosiak): whoa! earthquake.
(herdiansah): earthquake in SF….
(hdiwan): Ne1 feel da quake just now?
(borourke): Watching all the twitterers report the earthquake on Twittervision.
(arleneg): just felt an earthquake!
(mediajunkie): whoah serious quake, kind of a double
(webomatica): gee, felt an earthquake in the bay area.
(Lobsticles): 1st earthquake…well 1st one I felt
(Chrysocolla): ooh, earthquake. wonder where it was. surfs
(mjmalone): ahh, earthquake!
(nolimits): riding the waves of an earthquake
(homebysix): That was probably the biggest quake I’ve felt yet…
(cyclelicious): earthquake! Santa Cruz County, about magnitude 3.
briancaldwell: damn that was sizable quake
(TRMite): just experienced my first earthquake. ever so slight but it was real.
(tonybojo): just enjoyed a nice little earthquake. i think.
(alexfalk): oh, sure, @earthquake ‘s updates are protected…. go figure.
(ChrisWeiss): http://tinyurl.com/njlow <- Bay area earthquake map (no update yet)
(mccammon): Standing outside office after earthquake
(lisachan13): Wow. Earthquake.
(vinayd): looking for details on the quake
(yetanother): quake?
(salimismail): just experienced my first earthquake… boy that was nuts… the paintings on the walls were quivering like mad… feel a bit nauseous…
(cody): Sitting at the W Hotel in Newark, CA, and just felt the biggest earthquake of my 5 aggregate years in CA.
(garyrw): Earthquake!
(Mykul): Just had an earthquake.
(lyena): Earthquake! A long one this time. But not strong enough to knock stuff off the walls.
(lkonstan): just felt an earthquake. A small one.
(livia): Quake (novas0x2a): Earthquake data: http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/nc40204628.htm
(junyu): Just earthquake…
(ian23): riding the office-building-in-earthquake-zone ride
(legirl): …yeah. that was an earthquake.
(Remo_Uherek): Just experienced an earthquake in SF. What was it? A 4 or 5 on the richter scale? The news will tell [nose smile]
(Coley): Yaaaay! My first earthquake! [equal grin]
(tduffy): Earthquake!
(skell): Sounds like an earthquake just now in SF. How big?
(Dan_): @veronica @irinaslutsky @radioluxembourg – all talking about a Quake in California! I love Twitter!!
(eatsmog): Shit. Earthquake scare. Just ran outside cuz I do not trust the building i live in.
(cdr): just had a mild earthquake – maybe a 4?
(pyknosis): Whoah. Earthquake.
(MacDude): Earthquake. Looks like the Hayward fault
(ruby): SF-ers are twittering an earthquake! Now that’s live. Be safe, all.
(kaydub): ok, how big was the quake?
(prepop): earthquake!
(seancorfield): woohoo! earthquake!
(mwalsh): Earthquake?
(spandana): Whoa! An earthquake!
(n1s): Earthquake! Damn. That was a big one.
(jalgot): just experienced first earthquake. wow
(irinaslutsky): earthquake?
(mikegoelzer): Earthquake? (Might have just been the BMW people upstairs.)
(toddsampson): Holy crap… Biggest earthquake I have ever felt!
(jimgoldstein): Checking to see the size of the earthquake http://tinyurl.com/2qnpa4 (sharon): That was the biggest earthquake ever.
(topperge): I just had my earthquake cherry popped
(glenc): Just had a fairly major earthquake – lasted about 25 seconds, rolling and bouncing. Some aftershocks.
(pacificIT): Earthquake http://tinyurl.com/3d7y4w
(winehiker): Just experienced a decent-sized earthquake here in the SF Bay Area, centered in the hills east of San Jose. Not sure of the magnitude yet.
(theamericanxp): I think there was a earthquake in california. Many twitters coming through
(Tracy27): Ooh, earthquake!
(rnewman): that was a hell of a quake!
(douglawson): Wow, we just had our first earthquake! Everyone is cool, though.
(brandyk): first earthquake!
(rklau): EARTHQUAKE!
(yourhopeness): there was an earthquake 3mins ago. it’s scary. grabbed my daughter and my son panicked. Oh Lord, please give me the strength. Guide us!
(silentsensei): Just had a big rolling earthquake. Nothing broke, but things were really rocking. All is ok here. I’m going to bed.
(lchin2): Earthquake!!! Scared Jawa off the couch. Estimate it to be about 4.5.
(kul): wondering who was the first person to twitter the earthquake. @sacca was pretty quick!
(jeffreymcmanus): quake knocked a candlestick off a shelf at our place
(scruzgeek): Rockin and rollin in Marin with a (guessing) 5.5 quake
(yobosensei): earthquake at least 15sec!!!!
(lostingrovont): Earthquake at 8:05PM: http://tinyurl.com/32l5vb
(webguy2k): earthquake was what size?
(michael): long 12 second earthquake
(itsthomas): small earthquake in the bay area. felt that one!
(mdann50): damm we just had an earthquake….
(kevnull): I ordered that quake for @coley
(gwachob): It was a “vibrating” earthquake – no sharp jolts
(rjray): That was the biggest quake I’ve felt since moving here in 1997. Anyone have a link to data?
(krob): following the earthquake on twitter….fun and cool, so timely
(willkirkpatrick): EARTHQUAKE!!!!!!
(garbear): It’s sad that it takes an earthquake to meet your neighbors.
(pquerna): quake. http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/nc40204628.html
(nbrosnahan): woot!! earthquake!!!
(pohl): Phone call with jon interrupted by quake. Quake telepresence cherry is popped.
(TheLaughingImp): @emilychang, @ianmckellar & others. Hope it isn’t a bad quake. Take care of yourselves.
(netzkobold): Wow, I just experienced my first real earthquake in California
(jonhall): earthquake!
(stevecooley): Earthquake, woo
(tempo): I was in the big quake of ’89 and this one reminded me of that one–seemed to go on and on…
(rharmes): That earthquake was no joke. My guess, at least a 5.5.
(itzpapalotl): OMG earthquake
(cboone): Now they’ve stopped the train for an earthquake. Not a good day for the train.
(vaccine): Big earthquake!
(jeremybrooks): Sissy little baby quake in el Cerrito
(image415): earthquake
(cgerrish): Earthquake in SF just now – Any word on its richter reading?
(nagutron): Word. Earthquake… Not too subtle, either. Will email coord to sfo…
(tirana): wow! that was a nice earthquake there!
(pragmatic): Earthquake!
(kucharo): @golabutron the only time you get on twitter is for an earthquake! (istarman): @veronica earthquake? mathewi: Google wants one ring to bind them: After much rumour and speculation about what Google might do as far a.. http://tinyurl.com/2hcffc
(pmb777): 5.6 quake, biggest one I’ve ever felt.
(TDavid): Earthquake was 2.9 on richter scale
(akshayjava): whooooaaaah earthquake was scary!!!
(Jeremiah_Angel): Holy shit, my first earthquake! Wahoo!
(yobosensei): earthquake in san francisco!!!!!!!1
(OmarShahine): I just felt a quake. it felt bigger than normal
(krob): 5.6 quake near San Jose
(gustaf): earthquake! my legs are still shaking. Oh, i’m not from here…[smile]
(attitune): ANOTHER earthquake in the east bay….and this felt like a long one, too. (dbcohen): earthquake “shake” page http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/nc40204628.htm
(danielha): earthquake and i’m twittering
(ksmarshall): @kurtbrockett was that an earthquake? kind of felt like one. i won’t feel like a real SF resident until i experience an earthquake
(happyinwater): Boring small earthquake. 15 seconds of shaking. House is still rocking.
(Jocelyn): I flirted during the quake!
(cheekyattitude): Il2007 earthquake
(NurtureGirl): @melis WOW! Thank you for sharing about the San Fran area earthquake. Looking it up now.
(kndy): It’s interesting how a lot of us twittered “earthquake” nearly at the same time…I thought I was getting lightheaded…. News reports …
(ladylexy): Rae beat me to Twittering because she was on her computer instead of hiding from the earthquake. No fair.
(nanaze): Apparently we just had an earthquake. How do I know? Adam’s Twitter told me so. I, of course, didn’t feel a thing.
(admc): I’ve never had an earthquake nock me over.. holy crap.
(kidrocky7): earthquake in cali’? friend said it just happened
(Fungible): Earthquake strength – 5.6, located 5mi NNE of Alum Rock, CA (JustinSimonsen): always afraid it’s ganna be the big one, yet just a little quake (shawnferry): wondering how soon after the earthquake started the first earthquake twitter was sent
(jennatar): @adammathes Definitely! I just finished cowering in my doorway. Also, when my computer tweeted, I said aloud, “Someone felt the earthquake.”
(jcrow): Anybody know what that earthquake just registered in Santa Cruz? My wife and I have a bet. I didn’t even feel it.
(Mrs_Bobcat): That was … interesting. What does it say that it took me to realize it was an earthquake, not my kids running in the house?
(Menta): Omg. There was just a huge earthquake. That was so scary!
(jet66): Ok, ok, i’ll join in. EARTHQUAKE!
(sundar_spark): Wow! My first earthquake experience. But went away before I could realise what it was
(Dan_): Holy shit! Earthquake (5.6 on richter) in East Bay area…
(virginie): just felt my first big earthquake!!!! our offices were really shaking, okay I am kinda scared [smile]
(bobm512z): just had a big eath quake in no cal (jwshin): earthquake!
(jspiro): 5.6 earthquake w00t
(mcnitt): #earthquake 5.6! http://tinyurl.com/bjhfw
(aki_wah): earthquake was 5.6
(sfsuradiodj): Damn I just felt a fucking earthquake……that was awesome!…ineed a wall mount for the westy
(toddsampson): Earthquake: 5.6! http://tinyurl.com/2bs3fe
(mukund): Earthquake Sunnyvale registered
(skinnyjeans): Trying to find out the richter reading for the earthquake we just had. It made me dizzy and scared.
(thatguynamedtom): Lol. Earthquake hit Stockton. First person i called the laurel she’s ok. But the phones are tied up now
(ZappCatt): wowsers…any other SF bay peeps feel that quake????? it was AWESOME!!!! Largest I have felt in awhile
(austingovella): no quake news on cnn. they should import a twitter feed…
(seanness): Nice quake!
(sbraford): just felt a 5.6 earthquake here in SF: http://tinyurl.com/njlow
(MosioQuestions): how big was that earthquake in sf just now? -hunter www.mosio.com/q : Mosio
(clith): Earthquake in San Francisco around 5 on Richter scale: http://tinyurl.com/2qnpa4 (callous): 5.6 Magnitude quake in San Jose.
(halostatue): yes. 5.5 earthquake. http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/latest.htm FTW
(erku): Could anyone please write short news about the Earthquake and submit to HULIQ.com ? Thank you.
(edrabbit): Wow. 5.6 earthquake, my biggest and longest so far.
factoryjoe: Wow, ‘track earthquake’ and ‘track quake’ is off the hook!! FYI: http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/nc40204628.htm
(karina): 5.6 earthquake in sj!
(nullalux): Big freekin’ earthquake anyone? Spencer is beside himself.
(ruff): Andy is Earthquake!
(Rarriaga): Felt an earthquake too — whole house shook pretty damn hard
(truemors): Earthquake- Bay Area http://tinyurl.com/2tacb9
bpm140: Weird — driving in my car and didn’t feel a thing. Earthquake site says 5.6 in San Jose. @toddsampson you felt it at home? Jen didn’t.
(Sharmoota): Just felt her very first Earthquake
(marjens): big ass earthquake just hit. not sure how big, but my house was shaking a lot
(datn): EARTHQUAKE 5.6 EPICENTER E OF MILPITAS — I thought someone was walking on the roof at first
(genecowan): WHOA. An earthquake virgin no longer.
(griffijg): @sharon. No kidding. That was a proper earthquake, my plants are still quivering!
(gort581): well that was an interesting little earthquake
(indus_khaitan): Experienced an earthquake 3 mins ago
(mukund): Earthquake felt in Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Oakland, San Francisco
(dan_mcweeney): Epicenter of quake: http://urltea.com/1og No magnitude yet.
(tombat24): Wow there just was this earthquake which was really scary.
(boulter): whoah, huge earthquake. All is ok here.
(Radu43): earthquake 5.6 Alum Rock, Oracle was shakinghttp://snurl.com/1sxyg (powdahound): Earthquake! – http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Quakes/nc40204628.php (zachambrose): just got three tweets about a big quake in SF — no breaks for CA this month
(rberger): Earthquake that shook the house 8:05pm
(jbone66): Did u feel the earthquake? That was a strong one…
(moggymania): Looking up information on (and the reporting page for) the earthquake we just had…
(neilkumar): ha, wasn’t sure that was an earthquake, until I started to get the twitters on my sidekick
(kristi7): just experienced an earthquake for the first time. bizarre.
(rddy): oooh… that was a nice little earthquake!!
(gyardley): huh, earthquake was magnitude 5.6. biggest i’ve personally been through.
(bear): Quake in San Fran area – twitter is all over it
charleneli: 5.6 tremor 9 miles NE of San Jose, 8:05pm PT.
(lmorchard): Wheeee, first twitterquake participation and first earthquake we’ve actually felt since moving to CA.
(billwesterman): earthquake! in bay area! woot! about 15 miles from home … no damage, lots of fun
(madpod): 5.6 Earthquake
(fling93): I was at Tied House when the quake hit and just watched the mugs on the wall dance around.
(sprsquish): The scariest part about that quake was that it was offshore and I live in a tsunami zone.
(DevilBlueDress): C’mon folks. There was just an earthquake in the bay area. we’re on bedrock in the hills and we felt it. anyone feel it? at 8:05pm
(zangomango): earthquake!!
(jkusters): Whee! Quake! http://www.earthquake.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Quakes/nc40204628.php
(Grenadinegirl): shakin’ from the earthquake!!!!!!!!!!
(gwachob): Could this be the first twitterquake? Could this be quake that makes twitter a household name? hahah
(deadrich): whoooo SF EARTHQUAKE!
(frogknits): we just had a 5.6 earthquake
(danielpunkass): Looks like the CA earthquake was a 5+ http://tinyurl.com/yvn2ks
(natech): He just felt earthquake! His first time ever!
(Twitster): Wow that is the longest quake ever!
(sentience): Watching Twitter intently for news on the earthquake in SF.
(solrac66): @nileshd Chances of simultaneous convoys of semi-trucks driving by both of us is pretty slim. Must have been a quake.
(douglawson): Here’s the quake data from the one we just felt: http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/nc40204628.html No damage, though.