Local residents report that animals felt D.C. quake seconds before they did.

[elleng]

The earthquake that recently struck the Washington area was minor, but it offered new information on a matter that has aroused curiosity since ancient times.

This is the question of animals and earthquakes, and specifically whether animals can somehow foretell a quake.

Hundreds of comments have been posted on the Washington Post Web site in connection with accounts of the July 16 quake, which was centered in Montgomery County. Without being asked, some people described what animals did before, during and after the earthquake.

"Just before 5 a.m. both of my dogs nudged me . . . to wake me up," one man wrote.

"As I tried to convince them that they were a bit too early," he added, "the house shook like a plane was flying low."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/24/AR2010072402705.html?hpid=sec-metro

[liberalmuse]

1. My dog and bird both knew a quake was coming.

About 30 seconds before we had an earthquake in Vegas (back in '98, I think), my bird started squawking and my dog went nuts barking. Very interesting article!

[qazplm]

2. Probably hear the sound

before the shockwave hits.

Either way, not sure 30 seconds is going to do much. It would take that long to figure out they were nudging you because of an Earthquake instead of to play or needing food. lol

[elleng]

3. 'One of the waves

that radiates from the quake source, known as the P (for primary) wave, travels faster than the larger wave, known as the S (for secondary) wave. The P arrives before the more damaging S.'

[hedgehog]

4. It reminds me of the very low frequencies that elephants

use to communicate over long distances.

[IndianaGreen]

5. There have been reports for years of farm animals sensing a precursor to quakes

China has documented many of those cases. I think this needs some scientific exploration.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. Uh huh.

Sure. I am personally a psychic, and I predicted the quake.

The fact that I'm notifying you after the fact does not mean that I did not predict it.

[caraher]

7. As elleng pointed out...

the article in the OP points out exactly what the animals are sensing, and it's perfectly well-understood. But the WP figures it makes for a cooler story if they hint that animals are using some magical sense we do not understand.