[KarenH]

Well, aren't we always surprised by earthquakes? Chris and I were also in Torrance at the time. My brother was with us, and at first I thought it might be him shaking his feet. But the motion kept getting stronger and stronger--rather alarming! It seemed like it kept going on and on, too. I guessed the shaking lasted maybe 2 minutes.

I know from experience that a gentle rolling motion that lasts a long time means bad news for people far away. In contrast, we've had a couple recent temblors that were centered almost within walking distance, and they were short, sharp jerks. It felt like we were on top of them.

So far, the damage reports seem relatively minor. Nevertheless, I'm hoping and praying that the people near the epicenter are OK.