This morning’s 4.8 magnitude earthquake — the third strongest within 50 miles of New York City since 1950 — was a compelling reminder of the power of nature.
For 10 to 15 seconds, from Philadelphia to Boston, the ground shook, floors vibrated, and walls rattled. The epicenter was Whitehouse Station, New Jersey — 106 miles from here.
Westport Police report no damage. But there were plenty of surprised, and a few shaken, residents.
Today’s earthquake, measured by the Westport Astronomical Society. (Courtesy of Franco Fellah)
Most Westporters have not experienced a major earthquake. I was in the 1994 6.7 magnitude Northridge quake that killed 57 people, injured 9,000 and caused $40 billion in damage.
It was the scariest event I’ve ever been through.
I had arrived in Los Angeles the day before, to do some interviews for a book I was writing. I checked into my West Hollywood hotel, had dinner and went to sleep,
At 4:30 a.m. I was awakened by enormous shaking, and deafening noises. My first thought was that a plane had crashed into the building.
Then I realized it was an earthquake.
I remembered something about quakes and doorways. But I couldn’t recall if I was supposed to stand in one, or get far away.
It didn’t matter. My bed shook so violently, I could not get out of it. Meanwhile, shelves in the closet fell onto the floor.
After 20 seconds — which seemed like 20 years — it stopped.
I rushed to the balcony, to see what was going on. Foolishly, I did not realize the balcony might not be there.
Fortunately, it was.
I looked around. A man stood on the balcony next to mine.
“Holy shit!” he said. “I’ve lived in California all my life. That was the worst earthquake ever.”
It was — right up there with the “World Series” Loma Prieta Bay Area earthquake of 1989.
And the epicenter was 15 miles from me. Smoke rose in the distance.
Then I heard the noises. Every home and car alarm in the area was ringing. So were the sirens of every police, fire and emergency vehicle.
One view of the aftermath of the Northridge earthquake …
I never did those interviews. I spent the next couple of days in a state of tension. Aftershocks came randomly.
Walking down the street, the rumbling would begin. I’d lock eyes with strangers; we’d wonder, silently: Is this another big one?
Then it would end.
Ten seconds later, a pane of glass might land at my feet.
The New York Times notes that the Northridge quake was “more than 700 times as strong as the temblor in New York on Friday.”
… and 2 others.
Aftershocks may continue here in Westport, experts say. There is a 3% chance that one will be “large.”
Earthquakes are unlike any other natural disaster.
In every other one — hurricanes, blizzards, tornadoes — there are warnings, or at least time to prepare.
An earthquake happens suddenly. There is no warning. And there is little anyone can do, until it ends.
At 10:23 this morning, Westporters learned what people in California — and Turkey, Japan and many other places — have long known.
Significant coastal flooding was expected at high tide tonight (7:35), then again tomorrow morning at 8.
Wind gusts could be up to 60 mph. And up to 3 1/2 inches of rain is expected before it ends tomorrow morning.
Be careful out there!
Old Mill Beach … (Photo/Matt Murray)
… and Compo … (Photo/Lana Diggin)
… and Hillandale Road, between Hillspoint and West Parish Roads. As of 7:30 p.m. there were 48 outages in Westport. By 8:30, the number was “fewer than 3.” (Photo/John Raho, via Facebook)
The few-hours-long deluge wasn’t a particularly significant weather event — not compared with, say, Superstorm Sandy or Hurricane Isaias.
But it was enough to flood much of Westport.
Nyala Farm
72 hours later, it’s easy to forget the rivers and streams that overflowed their banks, the waterfalls that cascaded out of nowhere, and the soggy basements.
But — as several residents have pointed out — what happened after a couple of inches of rain is really our new normal.
Muddy Brook, at Greens Farms Road.
Construction that changed the natural topography of our town, the felling of trees, the installation of pavement — all contribute to more (and more dangerous) floods in Westport.
Water needs someplace to go. We can either help it, or let it run its course.
Nico Eisenberger and Robin Bates have lived in Westport for 10 years. When there’s a big rain, Robin heads out to see how all the little rivers and ponds — some hidden, some not — take on new forms.
On Saturday, Nico says, “we saw some of the biggest changes we’ve ever seen here. I know there have been bigger wet weather events, but this was definitely up there.”
Here — before the weekend recedes too far in the rear view mirror, and also before the next rains — are a few reminders that, in the memorable phrase: “Mother Nature bats last.”
Kowalsky Farm on Clapboard Hill Road. (All photos/Robin Bates)
As pressure mounts on young athletes to be more competitive than ever, Sebastian Little says: Enough!
The leadership coach — who works with clients in MLB, the NBA and NHL, and is in his 3rd year as Yale University football’s performance coach — will speak on a Westport Public Schools and Westport Together panel called “For the Love of the Game: How Parents Can Promote Successful Athletes on and Off the Field.”
The session — for parents and coaches — will offer insights and strategies into “balancing competition with compassion and growth with enjoyment.”
The event is March 5 (7 p.m., Bedford Middle School auditorium). Click here to register.
Members enjoy pre-sales, discounts and more for specially ticketed events. Shows announced so far include
May 25: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong | Andy Frasco & The UN | Dogs in a Pile
June 1: Couch (free)
June 8: Keb’ Mo’
June 16: The Wood Brothers
July 5: : moe. Best. Summer. Ever. With Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country and Neighbor
August 17: Andrew Bird, with Amadou & Mariam.
Memberships help subsidize over 50 free shows, all season long. Click here for more information, and membership registration.
Levitt Pavilion (Photo/JC Martin)
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The Westport Library and Representative Town Meeting are looking for candidates to fill vacancies on the Library Board of Trustees.
Candidates must be Westport residents. Skills in management, planning, marketing, finance and law are valued. Candidates with a track record in fundraising and connections within the community are encouraged to apply. Knowledge of public funding, and service on other boards is advantageous.
Trustee appointments typically span 4 years, beginning July 1. Interested candidates should email a resume and letter of interest to rpowell@westportlibrary.org by March 15. Click on the Library’s Strategic Plan and also here for more information.
Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between February 7 and 14.
A man was arrested for larceny, after video surveillance showed him stealing $137.94 worth of laundry detergent from Stop & Shop.
A man was arrested for evading responsibility (hit and run) and failure to remove a vehicle from a highway, following investigation into a 1-car accident on Easton Road January 6. He hit a telephone pole during a snowstorm, then left while his car remained in the travel portion of the road.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 5 citations
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 3
Failure to obey stop sign: 3
Passing a standing school bus: 2
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 2
Evading responsbility: 1
Speeding: 1
Traveling at unreasonable speed: 1
Traveling at unreasonable speed for conditions: 1
Following too closely: 1
Failure to grant right of way: 1
Failure to remove ice/snow from roof: 1
Illegal use of a handheld device: 1
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 1
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1.
It’s the law: Connecticut residents must remove snow and ice from car roofs!
Staples High School’s February Students of the Month are seniors Chelsey Oliva and Michael Belpedio, juniors Anna Berrod Cassimatis and Zachary Pardon, sophomores Landon Alswanger and Claire Harris, and freshmen Makayla Hein and Ari Sklar.
Students of the Month “help make Staples High School a welcoming place for their peers and teachers alike. They are the ‘glue’ of the Staples community — the type of kind, cheerful, hard-working, trustworthy students that keep the high school together, making it the special place that it is.”
“Students of the month are nominated by their teachers, who are asked to think of those students who come to school regularly, are friendly to the staff and to fellow students, and make positive contributions in class as well as the Staples community. In short, these students are all-around good citizens of our school.”
February Students of the Month (from left): Anna Berrod Cassimatis, Claire Harris, Chelsey Oliva, Michael Belpedio, Landon Alswanger, Ari Sklar, Zachary Pardon. Missing: Makayla Hein.
As the snow fell on Tuesday, this red-shouldered hawk found a way to escape the flakes — and at the same time, pose for our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
(Photo/Melissa Chang)
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And finally … on this date in 1965,a new red-and-white maple leaf design was adopted as the flag of Canada. It replaced the red ensign banner.
(O Canada! O6880! This blog is where Westport meets the world. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
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