Was that an earthquake, or something else
You feel a sudden jolt, a rattle of windows, or a few seconds of swaying, and the first thought is a question: was that an earthquake. Often it is not. Plenty of everyday events produce earthquake-like sensations, and a small nearby earthquake can feel like a passing truck. The good news is that you can usually settle the question in about a minute, using a mix of what you felt and what has actually been recorded.
The 60-second check
Start with what you noticed. A genuine earthquake usually shakes more than one room and more than one object at once, and other people nearby feel it too. A single creak, one swinging lamp, or a rattle confined to one appliance is more likely something local. Then confirm against the record. Monitoring networks post earthquakes within about a minute of detecting them, so the fastest confirmation is to look. Check the earthquakes recorded near your location, or scan the whole planet on the live globe. If a quake matching your area and time is listed, you have your answer. If nothing is there a few minutes later, it probably was not an earthquake. You can also file and compare notes through the official Did You Feel It reports that agencies collect from the public.
What else it could have been
Many ordinary things mimic seismic shaking. Knowing the usual suspects helps you rule an earthquake in or out.
| Sign | Suggests an earthquake | Suggests another cause |
|---|---|---|
| How it started | A jolt or rumble with no obvious local source | A bang timed with a truck, door, or nearby machine |
| Area affected | Whole building shakes; neighbours feel it too | Only one room or one object moves |
| Sound | A deep rumble that may arrive with or before the shaking | A sharp boom (sonic boom or blast) or engine noise |
| Duration | Seconds of building and fading motion | A single instantaneous thump |
| Repeat pattern | May be followed by aftershocks over hours | Recurs with traffic, wind gusts, or an appliance cycling |
The most common earthquake impostors are heavy trucks or buses passing close by, which shake a building briefly through the ground. Sonic booms from aircraft produce a sharp double bang and can rattle windows without much ground motion. Quarry, mining, and construction blasts do the same and are often scheduled at regular times of day, so a jolt that recurs on a routine is a strong hint. Thunder can shake windows, usually paired with the storm you can hear. Strong wind sways tall buildings enough to feel like slow motion. Building systems, heavy machinery, an unbalanced washing machine, or a slammed door upstairs can all be mistaken for a small quake, particularly on upper floors where structures flex more. Even a large truck idling nearby can set up a steady low vibration that feels seismic until the engine stops.
When it probably was a quake
A few signs point more firmly to an earthquake. If the shaking rolled or swayed for several seconds rather than hitting as one thump, if it moved objects in several rooms, if other people across the neighbourhood felt it, and if there was a low rumble, an earthquake is likely. Small aftershocks in the following minutes to hours are another strong clue, since ordinary causes do not repeat that way. For more on how those follow-on shakes behave, see the guide to how long aftershocks last.
What to do
If shaking is strong enough that it might be an earthquake, the standard advice does not depend on being certain: drop, take cover under sturdy furniture, and hold on until it stops. It is better to take cover for a passing truck than to hesitate during a real earthquake. Do not run outside during shaking, where falling glass and facade material are the greater danger, and stay away from windows and heavy objects that could topple. Once the motion ends, confirm what happened by checking the recorded events near you or on the live globe, and compare the magnitude and distance against the guide to what different magnitudes feel like. Most of the time the mystery jolt turns out to be traffic or a boom. When it is a quake, a quick look at the record tells you how big it was and how far away.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if it was an earthquake or a truck?
A truck usually shakes a building briefly and coincides with the sound of the vehicle passing, and the motion is confined to the side of the building nearest the road. An earthquake tends to shake the whole structure, is felt by neighbours, and may roll or sway for several seconds. The surest test is to check whether a quake was recorded near you at that time.
How quickly do earthquakes show up online?
Monitoring networks typically publish an event within about a minute of detecting it, with the location and magnitude refined over the following minutes. So if you felt something and nothing appears near your area after several minutes, it most likely was not an earthquake.
What else feels like an earthquake but is not?
Common causes include heavy trucks or buses, sonic booms from aircraft, quarry or construction blasts, thunder, strong wind swaying tall buildings, and building machinery or a slammed door. These usually affect one area or coincide with an obvious source, unlike the broader shaking of a real earthquake.