The Sound Preceding An Earthquake

Living on the ring of fire I’ve had my share of earthquakes and we believe generally we think of them as coming without warning. But, I begun noticing earthquakes of 5-point-something or more often have a deep, wide rumble announcing their approach just a couple seconds ahead of the quake. I perceive the rumble to come rushing towards me (if that makes sense), then at its crescendo the quake begins. The otherwordly sound fills the sky as if coming from everywhere at once but it feels as if it is approaching too. A true reminder of how small you are compared to the earth below your feet.

Recently, I’ve been quick enough to recognize this sound as a warning, “an earthquake is coming”, I would say. It felt like a super power the first time I predicted an earthquake and then I decided to lookup online the science behind the sound I was hearing. Surprisingly, there was not much about it online and I’m not sure why, I know what I hear and I know its real after hearing it several times. I even had this conversation with a friend and she too confirmed the same sound in her experience. Perhaps there’s something unique to living on a small island and the interaction between the ocean and the earthquake that produces the rumble, making for a rare effect?

It’s also helpful to know that sometimes dogs, cats and other animals go wild before an earthquake and this phenomenon is much more documented and usually gives you more warning.