In our prayers

Drudge is reporting a major earthquake and minor tsunami that hit Christchurch New Zealand.

that city was badly damaged a few years ago in an earthquake.

Drudge also reports an earthquake in northwestern Argentina and links to a report that the "ring of fire" is awakening. That is nothing new: it's just that you rarely read headlines when one hits Indonesia or New Guinea or Tonga.

We had a 5.0 earthquake the other day east of here

No one died as far as I know. Here, I only "felt" a rumble that lasted too long to be a nearby truck (we are on the street where some trucks detour; the main road turns one way a block up, and it's easier for huge trucks to make a right turn at our corner because there is a vacant lot, not our relative's house, if you turn too broadly).

Our area had a major earthquake in 1990 (not to mention Mt Pinatubo, typhoons, floods, landslides and dengue fever). I was going to add "at least we don't have tornadoes like in Oklahoma", but actually once in awhile we have a small one of those too.

They hold earthquake drills once in awhile in Manila, and I know here all the concrete block buildings have to be reinforced with steel bars. But if a big one hits Manila, we would be in trouble.