Can you "hear" an earthquake but not feel it shake?

Question

Today at work around 2pm I heard a loud rumble just like an earthquake and I looked around to see if anyone was just pushing a desk or something heavy but nobody was. It lasted about 10 seconds and the girl next to me heard it too. Nothing shook at all and then it stopped. When I got home I checked the earthquake report website and indeed there was a 2.0 earthquake about 20 miles from here.

Can you hear an earthquake but not feel it?

It was a little after 2pm and the earthquake report website said 2:04pm. I just thought it was weird or not possible to only HEAR the quake but not feel it. I've been in a few quakes in the past (I live in California) and so I know what the rumbling sounds like.

Answer 1

Sound conducts better through the earth than through the air.

It is possible that it struck the building and the very structure conducted the sound to you. It could have been strong enough to hear, but not strong enough to be felt. The building and its air shafts could have acted to channel the sound.

If you took note of the exact time you head the sound you could be sure. What were you working on, was it a computer? If so then the file was saved at a specific time and Windows Explorer will give you that time for that file.

Answer 2

There are several unproved methods to predict earthquakes. You may hear a rolling thunder sound emanated before an earthquakes. Be care full.It may be the pre warning of impending major earthquakes. The following are some of the methods to predict the earthquakes.
Methods for prediction of earthquakes & Tsunami
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1. Seismic gape: - The earthquake at a particular place may occur for every fixed gape of time. By knowing the past records of the quakes affected at that place may help to decide when the earthquake is next due.

2. Planet position.: - When the stress is accumulated at the tectonic plate boundary and the same time if the position of more than 2 planets comes in a straight line this may help to accelerate the earthquakes. There fore the full moon days and new moon days are more vulnerable days for earthquakes. Some time this method fails why? Think of a sick patient. New moon and full moon days are dangerous for only sick patents. These days will not affect the healthy people. The same way if there is no accumulated stress at the tectonic plate boundaries no need to worry about the planet positions.

3. Sun rays falling method: - If you observe the position of the sun rays falling on our wall at a particular time on all days it should form an angular infinity symbol. If there is any deviation in its path it means that there is some difference in height of the earth. That means some strain noticed at that place. Somebody claims that they can predict the place of epicenter by observing this. The laser beam measuring method of earth height from satellite also will help.

4. MCDB:- Chinese scientist claims that they can predict up to 60 % accuracy by sensing electro magnetic rays.

5. Cloud forming: - Few hours to a few days before the occurrence of earthquakes a cloud reader claims that he has noticed a peculiar mosaic type of formation .We may also notice some lightening in the sky.

6. By sound :- A professor from Ajmeer University claims that he was able to hear a low frequency noise under 125 meter depth in a bore well. The same thing was reported by one Mr. Nair that he heard some roaring noise under the earth one week before the occurrence of earthquake in Gujarat.

7. By frequency of waves :- Mr Richter Allen of Berkley University claims that he can decide the magnitude of earthquake just 4 seconds after observing the frequency of the primary wave. Present method needs the full seismographic picture to find the real magnitude that too from as many places as possible to have fairly accurate results. His claim has got some truth because when there is a slip of bigger tectonic plate the frequency of quake will be less. If a small tectonic plate slips the frequency of the waves will be more.
8. There are several changes in nature and in the behaviors of animals and birds can be observed before an earthquake and Tsunami. I wrote several articles on these subjects. The water level in well may change. Stay away from beaches if you sense earthquake waves. The Tsunami may attack long after the shaking is stopped.






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Answer 3

yes you can.
Used to live in San Salvador, lots of Earthquakes there. In fact, if after a big earthquake you place your ear on the ground, you will hear a lot of rumbling from aftershocks you wouldn't normally feel.

However, if you are on a building, you won't usually hear the ground rumbling, what you will hear is the building making noises, and it can easily be confused with the wind exerting a force on the building walls. - I used to hate windy days because of that.

But anyways, if you got that feeling, where your body freezes, your stomach tickles, and you felt the adrenaline go up - then looked at the co-worker and asked in a somewhat soft voice 'did you feel that?', then chances are it was a quake ;)

Answer 4

Many birds probably do just that. They fly away from the place and hint humans. It is said fish also do the same. In your case a small quake with sound frequency not normally recognised by human ear might have occurred. This is theoretically possible.

Answer 5

Earthquake waves are too long to hear.
What you heard was probably the building structure reacting to the quake.

Answer 6

you can hear the rumbling of an earthquake.