earthquakes and volcanoes and tsunamis, oh my!

It may not be as big of news anywhere else in the world, but I feel as though it is probably my responsibility to keep you up to date on all the weather/natural disasters that are threatening this lovely country of Nicaragua. . .

Last Wednesday there was an earthquake in Costa Rica that we felt pretty strongly up here too! It was a 7.6. Fortunately it was more of a rolling type. At first I thought it was just me getting sick. I felt dizzy and like I was going to throw up! Then I realized it wasn't me, but an earthquake! When it ended, I figured, okay then, it's done, lets move on with life. But that is pretty much the exact opposite of what has been going on.

First we were put on Tsunami watch (the earthquake occured a little off the coast from Costa Rica). We are far enough off the coast (and high enough up in the mountain) that that wouldn't effect us physically, but still something the country was considering. Fortunately, the tsunami watch was just as soon called off, and life on the beach went on as normal.

Like any other earthquake (I think), we had little aftershocks following. The problem though, is that they began to bring even more paranoia to the country! Nicaragua has notoriously been effected by major earthquakes every 40 years, the first occuring 127 years ago. The last major earthquake (killed 10,000 people) and happened in 1972. . . exactly 40 years ago. Now I have heard that earthquakes are impossible to predict, and we can never know exactly when they are going to hit, but Nicaragua is still on alert. Here is one article that talks about it. The country is preparing itself for the next one to hit.

The next concern to fill the country was around our various active volcanoes. When the earth quaked, the volcanoes decided they wanted to become a little more active too. One of the more active volcanoes- San Cristobal, decided it was time to errupt a little. It is quite a ways from us (I think like 100 miles) so it isn't anything that could reach us, but still another threat to the people who live over there. This is another active volcano that's a little closer to us. It's the one I've been up to a number of times.

San Cristobal

San Cristobal

School was canceled Friday so that teachers can plan evacuation routes and emergency plans in the case of another major earthquake. In someways I feel like it may be a bit of an exaggeration, but at the same time, you can never be too prepared!

Regardless, keep the country in your prayers, and also the nerves of the people too!