Video: Earthquake hits BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells (updated)

INDIAN WELLS, Calif . — An earthquake registering a magnitude of 4.7 on the Richter scale hit the Coachella Valley on Monday morning, the two-year anniversary of the massive Tohuko earthquake in Japan. The quake was centered about 15 miles from the Indian Wells Tennis Garden at 9:55 a.m., about an hour before play was set to begin at the BNP Paribas Open.

This isn’t the first time an earthquake has hit a tournament in North America. Two years ago, play was stopped and the stadium was evacuated at the New Haven Open when a 5.8 earthquake centered in Virginia shook the grounds. Play resumed hours later after officials cleared the venue of any structural issues.

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Here are some of the players’ initial reactions on Twitter to the tremor Monday:

Earthquake!—
Mardy Fish (@MardyFish) March 11, 2013

Just experienced a pretty big earthquake right now… Wow… #nervous—
Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) March 11, 2013

Earthquake!!!! I was in the bathroom. The rest of the team was a bit freaked—
Milos Raonic (@milosraonic) March 11, 2013

We just had an earthquake!!! Suddenly everything start moving, I was holding the walls in my room not to fall! OMG😁—
Maria Kirilenko (@mkirilenko) March 11, 2013

Earthquake
Nice
#wakeupcall http://t.co/OZvPTR6kPH—
DUŠAN VEMIĆ (@dusanVemic) March 11, 2013

WOW! Small earthquake in Indian Wells just now….—
Kei Nishikori (@keinishikori) March 11, 2013

But the winning tweet goes to ATP pro Frank Moser, who was in Indian Wells for doubles. Let’s go ahead and assume that’s a well-placed typo:

Earthquake in the desert! Maybe that's a sign I need to get out of her?!—
Frank Moser (@FrankyMoser) March 11, 2013

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