(Photo Gallery) Hurricane Irene: Reports from the East Coast

One week ago, Left Coasters had a hearty laugh at their East Coast counterparts, who reacted to a 5.9 magnitude earthquake with less than what we considered suitable aplomb.

Angelenos, in particular, couldn't help but revel in the panic experienced in New York and Washington D.C. at the hands of an earthquake that wouldn't even stop traffic on the 101.

Two days later, President Barack Obama declared a State of Emergency in North Carolina as our East Coast friends braced themselves for Hurricane Irene.

Reports from East Coast Patches reported that Irene's heavy winds and rains knocked out power to thousands of residents, flooded basements and took 35 lives.

Like many Los Angeles residents, I'm a transplant. Specifically, I grew up on Massachusetts' South Shore--where tropical storms and nor'easters are an annual annoyance. 

I was glad to hear from my family that Irene was just that--an annoyance. Trees were downed and power was knocked out; there was nothing too exciting too report compared to the what was experienced by many in the southern states. 

So, while East Coasters may have experienced a little hitch due to last Tuesday's earthquake, it seems that they've mostly taken the devastation doled out by Irene in stride. For that, I think they've earned our respect.

Do you have any family or friends who were impacted by Hurricane Irene? Tell us in the comments.