Virginia has a modest earthquake - 5.9 on the Richter scale - and everybody east of the Mississippi goes nuts. To native Californians like the other DrC and me, this seemed faintly ridiculous at first blush.
Then we remember that there are many brick and stone buildings in the east; these don't tolerate earthquakes well at all. We build expecting earthquakes in the west, including here in Wyoming. It makes a difference.
