Humanity is a strange creature

[DragonWolf]

Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon?

Not 20 minutes ago we just had a 5.5 earthquake around the Moe and Morewell area near Melbourne which I felt all the way down here in wonthaggi, some hour and a half away. And then while watching the news found out that while there has been little-to-no damage, the majority of calls to emergency services to inform them that there has been an earthquake.

I mean we do it when there are accidents and strange goings on. We absolutely must tell somebody or slow down and have a good look. I know I've done it a time or two without even realising that I was doing it until well after.

Heck, I'm doing it right now.

ZOMG We had an earthquake!!11!1!!!

[Renevent]

It is funny like that...I have to admit I actually looked forward to hurricanes when I lived in Florida. Natural disasters are such an awe inspiring event it was so cool seeing the amazing show of force and the effects afterwards. Although now that I own property in Florida (I currently live in NC) I definitely do not want hurricanes to visit lol.

[Counterbug]

Well we don't have practically any natural disasters here in Portugal, except for the rare earthquakes that may happen once every 3 decades or so but I share the same point of view here. Humans are naturally curious and tend to get lost in though and observation, not that we don't fear natural disasters, it's just that they are in fact impressive and astounding in a scary and disastrous way. For example I am fascinated by waves and think they are beautiful in their own way, BUT HECK! I don't want to be any near a Tsunami.

[Malpheas]

There was an explosion near where I work that happened on Friday, Oct 19, 2008, 07:47 GMT - 0700 hrs. I remember it clearly. Most impressive thing I've ever been through. We all had to go outside and have a look, but were shooed away by employees of the business that it happened at. We would have been hit harder had it not been for a string, two deep, of railroad cars laden with whatever, in the way.

The furniture jumped a good 2 inches off the ground and the glass bowed but didn't shatter in my office.

Incidentally, we got the day off after that...

Cheers,

Malph

[Executioneer]

Well, you guys are lucky since where you live, the country is bigger than the disaster, even though it means more damage. but where i live, a tsunami would render the country the new Atlantis, never to bee found again until the end of time.

[hooby]

So this is a "my experience with forces of nature" thread now? Cool

Some years ago, while I was visting the place I grew up at the countryside, a strong storm hit the area, which would then be called "the storm of the century" by the newspapers and television.

Sky was grey and it was looking like rain - but I still went out to ride my bike, hoping I'd make it home again without getting wet. I got like 5km as suddenly the sky turned black, and heavy, squally winds pushed me almost off of my bike. Wind blew in my face and became so strong that didn't have the strength to continue driving against it. I even was unable to walk upright, so I went on leaning heavily on my bike.

Luckily I was riding a narrow road next to a single track of rails - and there was lonely train stop nearby - surrounded by only fields. It was just a tiny wooden shack, about the size of this, but with a different roof, and a bit differently built. There was still no rain, only wind, although the wind already carried the first drops when I managed to take shelter in the hut.

Then hell broke lose. Hail and rain came down so intense, that from within the hut I was unable to see the rails - although there was only a very narrow platform inbetween. You couldn't see further than 2 meters. Winds were so strong, that the hut was repeatedly lifted for up to 15cm, the bolts of it anchoring squeaking. When ever the hut was lifted, waves of water would flow inside.

Just five minutes later things calmed down, and weather turned into regular (but still heavy) rain. Another 15 minutes later raining stopped, and clouds broke up a little bit. I jumped on my bike and drove back home. On the way back I witnessed several uprooted trees, many broken off branches. The next day I drove around checking out the damage... There were houses that had completely lost their roofs, bales of straw had rolled around - some for great distances, there were even some upturned cars.

I was very, very lucky to find shelter out there, and that said shelter survived the storm. An experience I won't forget

[Harlequin]

My experiences with nature don't epand past plastic-chairs being blown across the street. :/
If you want to witness some exciting nature spectacle...don't come to Germany.

Basically no earthquakes (or some that you dont even notice)
No Tsunamis
No Typhoons
etc

well we do have I think 2 volcanoes but if those go off Germany is pretty much done for for the next few hundred years........

[eisprinzessin]

There are some tornados in Germany - not that spectacular as in North America. Therefore people tend to believe Germany is tornado-free ... and are pretty surprised to hear of them in the news.

[DragonWolf]

@hooby That sounds kinda like something thta happened here about eight years ago. We called it a Micro Burst. Its kinda like a mini cyclone/tornado but not quite, that forms overland and hits hard and sweet.

We had a school half demolished (while it was empty), fences ripped up (some of them were brick) cars tipped and lots of trees uprotted, several houses missing rooves and one with a brick bedroom wall that fell in on the man who was sleeping in his bedroom - he survived.

I bet you learned your lesson though. No going riding when the sky looks like its gunna storm.

[Overlord]

Originally Posted by hooby

So this is a "my experience with forces of nature" thread now? Cool :D

Some years ago, while I was visting the place I grew up at the countryside, a strong storm hit the area, which would then be called "the storm of the century" by the newspapers and television.

Sky was grey and it was looking like rain - but I still went out to ride my bike, hoping I'd make it home again without getting wet. I got like 5km as suddenly the sky turned black, and heavy, squally winds pushed me almost off of my bike. Wind blew in my face and became so strong that didn't have the strength to continue driving against it. I even was unable to walk upright, so I went on leaning heavily on my bike.

Luckily I was riding a narrow road next to a single track of rails - and there was lonely train stop nearby - surrounded by only fields. It was just a tiny wooden shack, about the size of this, but with a different roof, and a bit differently built. There was still no rain, only wind, although the wind already carried the first drops when I managed to take shelter in the hut.

Then hell broke lose. Hail and rain came down so intense, that from within the hut I was unable to see the rails - although there was only a very narrow platform inbetween. You couldn't see further than 2 meters. Winds were so strong, that the hut was repeatedly lifted for up to 15cm, the bolts of it anchoring squeaking. When ever the hut was lifted, waves of water would flow inside.

Just five minutes later things calmed down, and weather turned into regular (but still heavy) rain. Another 15 minutes later raining stopped, and clouds broke up a little bit. I jumped on my bike and drove back home. On the way back I witnessed several uprooted trees, many broken off branches. The next day I drove around checking out the damage... There were houses that had completely lost their roofs, bales of straw had rolled around - some for great distances, there were even some upturned cars.

I was very, very lucky to find shelter out there, and that said shelter survived the storm. An experience I won't forget ;)

I've experienced something similar last year, around this time of summer.

Was waiting, at the bus station, with a friend. There was a lightning show way high in the sky, but no thunder. It was almost dark, but the city lights and lightning made it so it was quite visible. After about 10 minutes it just dropped: rain, hail, and wind at about 80-100 km/h. We took cover in between some concrete walls in front of a building, we also had the view. The wind was blowing so hard that it was raining horizontally; hail so big and thick that you couldn't see more than a few meters in front. Street was flooded in about 1 minute, and almost all the parked cars were moved a few centimeters, and maybe some broken windows.

If it weren't for that building I think the wind would have just swept me away >.>