Severe quake relatively benign

The United States Geological Service has reported a major earthquake in Mexico on October 21, 2010. The epicenter of the quake was between southern Baja California and the Mexican state of Sinaloa, and occurred at a depth of more than six miles below the surface of the earth. The only damage that the quake has done seems to be limited to peace of mind, rather than physical damage. What is more shocking about the apparent lack of destruction was the strength of the quake: 6.9 on the Richter Scale (to put this into perspective, the Loma Prieta earthquake was 7.1)! Schools in the area were let out early.

-Caleb B. Ray