Residents at ease after Tuesday afternoon earthquake

The shaking from a Tuesday afternoon 4.7 earthquake was felt south to Salinas and beyond.

Some people in Downtown Salinas say they did not feel the earthquake at all, while others say they ran outside during the shaking. For the most part, everyone just went about their business.

The owner of Lee’s Jewelers, Jaime Gomez, tells KION he was just sitting at his desk repairing watches when the shaking started. He said he felt a strong initial rumble followed by a softer rumble lasting over ten seconds in total.

He tells me luckily, nothing in his shop fell to the ground, but his overhead lights were swaying.

Some said they thought something else was causing the shaking and it was not an earthquake. Others just brushed it off.

“No, I saw some people sitting down eating. Just looked at them, see what they were doing. But it’s another day, it wasn’t that big of a deal for us right now,” said Jaime Gomez, the owner of Lee’s Jewelers.

“Normal. It’s kind of like waking up with a hangover, except the opposite,” said Anna Verner, a Prunedale resident who was in Salinas to speak in downtown. “The earth is actually moving and you’re not, so a little backwards.”

People did mention that it was a strange coincidence this quake would happen just two days before the 30th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake back in 1989.

“I was brushing my teeth, getting ready to go through my business. Next thing you know, I just felt the whole room shaking,” said Anthony Morales, a Salinas resident.

“Yeah… I was in one of the stores shopping, and you know what, it doesn’t even rattle me at this point,” said Margot Klepar, a Salinas resident. “It’s all part of California’s charm.”

Most shops in Downtown Salinas were still open and people were still out shopping and eating.

KION 2019