Ok, I believe I’ve stopped shaking, now, and bear with me, because this story IS about mobile phones…
Anyone who’s watched the news today, will have no doubt heard about the earthquake that hit the UK at about 1am this morning, as covered by the BBC. For a lot of people in the UK, they actually felt the tremor, since it measured at, according to the BBC, 5.2 on the Richter scale, and it was felt as far as Wales and Berkshire.
However, if you look on our website, you’ll see we’re based in South Yorkshire. And if you read any news reports about a town called Gainsborough (that got hit very hard), then I should probably point out, that Gainsborough is about 20 miles from where the epicentre was…
Gainsborough is also where I live…
I believe the phrase is ‘abject, bowel-knotting terror’…
Anyway, on to the serious point of this story, which isn’t so much about the earthquake itself (although since nearly all of us here live within 30 miles of epicentre, it did scare the living bejeebus out of us, especially me, as I got it into my head, for a second, that it was an alien invasion), but the way it was reported by the various news agencies, predominantly in the UK.
The first reports didn’t come in from the British Geological Survey, or the USGS… the first reports, encouraged by the media, came in from mobile phones, or more specifically, from the average joe in the street (having just been shaken out of bed), sending in text messages. With most of the early news coming in via confused reports from people texting, it’s hardly surprising it took till 3am this morning to figure out exactly what was going on, and calm down enough to go back to bed…
It certainly does seem to be the way the news media is going, though. When a big story breaks, the first news they get is from the people on the ground, people like you and me, sending in a text saying, “OMG, CN U FEEL DAT”
Mobile phones, eh? They get everywhere!
Oh, and just to knock the rumours on the head, it’s been confirmed the earthquake wasn’t caused by someone dropping a JCB TOUGH PHONE.
Were you affected by the earthquake? Did you feel the big shake? Or did you text the news, to tell them what was happening? We want to hear from you, so leave us a comment and have your say!
February 27th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
To be fair, I felt it in North Yorkshire…
I sent a text to one of my mates who simply replied “Go away you kn0b, it’s 1am”.
Fair enough I suppose. Anyway, will that be the next feature on mobile phones? Richter Scale meter thingy?
The Nokia Seismo…got quite a ring (get it?) to it.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
i was asleep and woken by my bed shaking violently and said “what you doing?” as i thought my mum was trying to wake me for college. i fully woke up when i looked at my clock and it was around 1am, i shouted to my parents “what the heck is going on?”. the whole house was shaking for a matter of seconds, it sounded like an aeroplane was flying really low over the houses. i had a look outside my window and around the house to check if there were any damage at all
February 28th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
It was really scary! Brilliant blog, keep them coming
February 28th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
I’m with you ladies on that. Geologically speaking, we were sat right on top of it (well, near enough), so my god, did it scare me!
Rebekka, was everything ok with the house? No bits dropped off?
March 14th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I live in London and at 1am I woke to the house creaking. If you northerners want to start going all continental on us and having earthquakes then please keep your early morning ones down a bit!
Interestingly you were able to use your mobiles during the emergency. During the London bombings they just turn off all the networks totally (we’re told this is to stop terrorist communicating during that time).
March 26th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
there was not any damage thankfully. just petrified me haha
March 26th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Gordon: Aye, I seem to remember that at the time, as well. Surprised me how easy I found it to get through, given how many people must been using their phones (mind you, I live across the road from the cell tower)
Rebekka: Eep! Well, it scared the cacky out of me, too, so you’re not alone!