Quake's Tremors Hit Students at Harvard

Seismologists report that the earthquakes that rocked Southern California on Sunday were felt as far away as Phoenix, but Harvard summer school students say the psychological tremors even reached Cambridge.

News of the 7.4 quake terrified Vidya Murthy of Fort Worth, Texas. Murthy said she was surprised by the nonchalant attitude of her roommate from the Los Angeles area.

"For me, a 7 is enormous," Murthy said. "I thought it would freak [my roommate] out, but it didn't."

Cathy Y. Kim, Murthy's roommate, lives in Palos Verdes, Calif. She said she has grown inured to the ritual rumblings of her native state.

"If I was there, I wouldn't have woken up,"said Kim, who was already in Cambridge when thequake hit. After living through "six of seven"large quakes, Kim said she now finds they are "nota big deal" for her family.

"My brother through it was fun," she added.

But some Angelenos admitted to having been alittle more rattled by the quake.

"I come from an island in Japan whereearthquakes are very common," said Elizabeth J.Toomer, who was in her San Pedro, Calif. home whenthe shaking started. "[But this] was stronger thananything I've ever experienced. Blinds wererattling, beds were shaking. It was like havingone of those vibrating beds."

Mike B. Choe of Hancock Park, Calif., was inthe Golden state just long enough to feel thesecond quake three hours later.

His airplane was just about to take off forBoston when the 6.5 quake shook the asphalt of theLos Angeles airport runway.

"The plane started moving. I thought it wasgoing to take off." Choe said. A passenger next tohim revealed the reason for the aircraft'srocking. "He said. "That's not the plane, that'sanother earthquake!" Choe recalled.

Salazar, who sleeps on a waterbed at home, saidthe liquid mattress insulates her from thenauseating motion of the California earth. "I cansleep through them," she said. "They're kind ofcool.

"If I was there, I wouldn't have woken up,"said Kim, who was already in Cambridge when thequake hit. After living through "six of seven"large quakes, Kim said she now finds they are "nota big deal" for her family.

"My brother through it was fun," she added.

But some Angelenos admitted to having been alittle more rattled by the quake.

"I come from an island in Japan whereearthquakes are very common," said Elizabeth J.Toomer, who was in her San Pedro, Calif. home whenthe shaking started. "[But this] was stronger thananything I've ever experienced. Blinds wererattling, beds were shaking. It was like havingone of those vibrating beds."

Mike B. Choe of Hancock Park, Calif., was inthe Golden state just long enough to feel thesecond quake three hours later.

His airplane was just about to take off forBoston when the 6.5 quake shook the asphalt of theLos Angeles airport runway.

"The plane started moving. I thought it wasgoing to take off." Choe said. A passenger next tohim revealed the reason for the aircraft'srocking. "He said. "That's not the plane, that'sanother earthquake!" Choe recalled.

Salazar, who sleeps on a waterbed at home, saidthe liquid mattress insulates her from thenauseating motion of the California earth. "I cansleep through them," she said. "They're kind ofcool.