Earthquake in Bucharest, 2005, Julie Tetel
From MemoryArchive
Who: Julie Tetel What: Earthquake When: December 13, 2005 Where: Bucharest, Romania
On December 13, 2005, there was a 4 earthquake in Bucharest. The epicenter was some miles outside of Bucharest, and it registered 5.2. I was in my apartment in Piata Lohovari, and I didn't feel a thing. No shaking, no quaking, not even a little rattle of anything. Now, why is this a story? For the very simple and good reason that I am evidently living in a pretty safe building. Ever since arriving in Bucharest a couple of months ago, I have been hearing that everyone is expecting "a big one" some time soon ("soon" means in the next few years). Bucharest is earthquake-prone, and there have been some devastating earthquakes here. I have been told that there have been these smaller earthquakes lately (there was one this summer), and everyone seems to think that these are good in the sense that they are "letting off steam" so as to ward off something bigger. The most devastating earthquake was in 1977 (or thereabouts, I've forgotten), and so the big deal is to know whether you are living in a building that was built before or after the 1977 quake. After is better because then the building is built more to earthquake standards. However, if you live in a building built before 1977 (as I do -- mine is from the 60s I believe), then if it is still standing after the 1977 earthquake, it is evidently solid. The fact that earthquakes are on everyone's mind can be seen from the comment made by the very first visitor to my apartment. "Here is where you should stand," he said pointing to the doorway between the living and the foyer, "in the event of an earthquake."
The only reason I knew there was an earthquake today was because about 30 minutes after it happened, a friend came to visit. She was coming from "campus," i.e. the building where we both teach at the University of Bucharest. It is a very old building, I assure you. She arrived rather shaken, because they in the building had experienced the earthquake. She said the walls were swaying and objects on the desks were bouncing around. Nothing fell down, however. What is interesting about that is that the university building is a one- or two-minute walk from my apartment, i.e. in the very same neighborhood. So obviously the ground under my apartment was rumbling, too. But, as I said, I didn't feel a thing.
So, I am in a curiously divided emotional state: I am now uncomfortably aware that earthquakes can and do happen in Bucharest; I have evidence that my building is a good one.
