A 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Baja, Mexico, and parts of California on Easter Sunday, killing two people and injuring hundreds.

In California, there were no fatalities, but that doesn't mean the quake didn't take a toll. While TV news crews tend to focus on the usual U.S. Geological Survey maps and close-ups of cracks in the street, we thought we would take to the Internet and find some harrowing, as-it-happens quake footage.

What we found were important lessons about earthquakes that could only be taught in the age of YouTube, and only in America.

Lesson 1: Be in America
To put this 7.2-level earthquake in perspective, keep in mind that the January quake that devastated Haiti and killed anywhere from one- to several-hundred-thousand people was a 7.0. As this footage shows, in order to be killed in this earthquake, you would have had to be tied to the ground next to a pool while someone held your mouth open.

Keep reading for our video roundup of important earthquake lessons.




Lesson 2: Cats do not go crazy, no matter how much you want to believe it
The title of this clip says "Cat Runs Crazy" during the quake, but in reality, the tabby is calmer than any of the surrounding humans. There's a sub-lesson to be learned here, too. Keep your speculation reasonable. This guy's prediction that the quake might have "wiped out L.A." will live until the end of time.


Lesson 3: Don't get stoned in the middle of the day on Easter
The guy holding the camera in this clip may or may not be stoned, but in the middle of an earthquake, his befuddlement at earthquake customs and loyalty to his dog (whose name appears to be "Gunch") have us leaning toward yes.


Lesson 4: Take the camera with you
If you happen to be filming yourself when an earthquake starts, don't do what this girl did. "Less is more" worked in "Jaws," but you are no Steven Spielberg.


Lesson 5: Don't get drunk in the middle of the day on Easter
Again, if you can't show even a little restraint on Easter Sunday, you might have a drinking problem. Even worse, you might have awful one-liners like "That was a gnarly earthquake" frozen in time forever.


Lesson 6 and Lesson 7: Why we pay TV reporters, and earthquakes are hilarious
In this compilation clip, the first guy is a perfect illustration of how we take TV reporters, with their facts and odd way of EM-phasizing ... their speech, for granted. First job requirement is the ability to do more than repeat the word "earthquake" over and over again.

Then check out the clip at the end, which actually features some pretty cool footage of cars shaking, but also a bunch of girls who, although kinda scared, can't stop laughing.


Lesson 8: There's only one thing more boring than earthquake footage where nothing happens
That would be a video of a guy telling you how he feels about having been in an earthquake where nothing happened. This clip is hilarious, though, in its narcissism, as the guy way over-thinks the possible consequences to his beloved fish tank.