I lived at the epicenter (two miles away) of the Northridge Quake and our home was uninhabitable. It took two years to be restored. The feeling of being awakened by something that powerful is terrifying. You cannot move to get out of harms way. The noise is deafening. The neighbors all poured into the streets - many barefoot and in night clothes. The emotional toll lasted for several years between aftershocks and dealing with insurance companies, contractors (we had a condominium), and all kinds of red tape. We had no electricity or water for over a week and it took months to even find some of the damage. Our gas lines broke and we were very lucky we did not have fires. The aftershocks were terrifying. We went to Orange County to stay with family for a week to avoid them.

I really feel for the people and hope they recover quickly.