We asked for your quake tales, and they poured in from across the state and the rest of the nation. Here are just a few of the stories you shared with us on honoluluadvertiser.com.

"I live on O'ahu, but I am originally from California, so earthquakes are common but always scary! I was visiting California during this quake and would just like to wish my friends and the people of Hawai'i a speedy recovery. I am sure the aloha spirit will prevail."

"... I heard my roommate's footsteps in her room running toward her door, and when she opened her door, I grabbed her and we ran to our front doorway, and she kept saying, 'I'm scared.' She's from Osaka and has experienced many earthquakes. We stood there, and I kept telling her, 'It's going to be OK, it's OK, don't worry' "

"A big thank you to the city bus company for continuing their bus schedule during the blackout. It is not easy to drive with all the traffic lights out. The operators always have safety in mind."

"The figurines on top of our 6-foot-long fish tank fell to the floor, and you could see waves inside the fish tank during the earthquake. My little brother called me from Waipahu wanting me to come over. I took 26 flights of stairs to get to my car and drove to Waipahu. Thought it was essential to be with my family and glad we had a nice dinner together."

"I was sitting at the computer when the house started to rock. 'Earthquake,' both my wife and I exclaimed. The shaking got stronger and then stronger still. While we ran to stand in the door jambs, a blur streaked through the house and through the screen door - the cat! Once the house stopped shaking, we got the dog off the lanai. Poor Olallie was shivering with fear. It took almost 10 minutes to calm her down, and then, we heard a rumble come up the side of the hill. An aftershock!"

"... I felt a little rumbling and warned the family that an earthquake was coming. Then next, I heard a rumbling which sounded like a freight train, then the house really starting shaking, and thought it was going to come off its foundation. It seemed like a long time but was probably about a minute or so. Being this was my first time in experiencing an earthquake, it really got me worried."

"My sister and I grew up here in Hawai'i but now live in San Francisco, where earthquakes are common and deadly. We would always hear from the news over there that San Francisco is due for the 'BIG' one soon. My sister and I came back home last week to take care of my dad, who has cancer. He was admitted the night before the quake to the hospital due to a high fever. I think we were so lucky that he was admitted because it would have been a disaster if he was home during the quake."

"I was fast asleep when I felt my bed shaking; it was more like someone at the foot of my bed bumping the mattress. I opened one eye to check if maybe my grandson or husband was playing a trick on me to get me out of bed. I saw no one in the room, (so) I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep, when I heard this weird sound like a huge truck coming, then the bed starting swaying back and forth and the windows started rattling."