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Earthquake Rumbles Through Reston
Buildings shake as rare temblor rattles Virginia communities.
This image from the U.S. Geological Survey shows that an earthquake struck the eastern United States this afternoon.
Photos (3)
Photos
The Reston area just experienced a rare earthquake, which shook buildings, cars and everything for a few brief moments just before 2 p.m.
The Reuters news service is reporting that an earthquake had struck Mineral, Va., and shook communities along the East Coast.
The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting that an earthquake of 5.9 magnitude struck near Mineral, Va., which is about 83 miles from Washington, D.C.
Accounts on Twitter and social media show that people felt the temblor from Richmond up to New York City. No reports of damage yet, although some people in Northern Virginia reported that their cell phones had stopped working. Services seem to be working fine in Reston.
Here is a link to the USGS site with details about the earthquake:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc0005ild.html#details
Joan Morris, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Transportation, told USAToday that there have been no reports of damage to roadways or bridges.
What did you feel?
Tell us in the comments.
Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story.
Carolyn Lawson Low
2:25 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Quite amazing to feel... out walking in the woods and could see the ground move. Only issue seems to be the lack of cell phone service
Friends of the Reston Regional Library
2:28 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
I grew up in Japan so I "got" this immediately. It went on longer than the last one I felt in Va. My husband was driving home and said he didn't feel/notice anything though.
Carolyn Lawson Low
2:31 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Kalypsos at Lake Anne is offering Earthquake specials this afternoon to calm your nerves
Bert Katz
2:32 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
and they are served in shot-glasses...
Phil
2:46 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
:-)
Bert Katz
2:33 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
I was walking in Town Center, but felt nothing...though i was wondering why all the people were running out of the RTC buildings...
Margaret Perry
2:37 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
We lost a mirror that came from my grandparents house. It toppled and the frame and a corner of it broke. Other than that it just made me nervous and scared my kids.
Lynda Hulkower
2:49 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
On Lake Newport:
lots of swaying and shaking, and rumbling sound
very scary
Many things fell off shelves and shattered in the pantry
A huge framed photograph fell off the mantle and glass broken-and many things
toppled over on the main floor
Emma DeGraffenreid
2:50 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
My cell phone doesn't work, but other than that we're fine here.
LD
3:26 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
On Lake Newport here too - i felt nothing! Everything is intact in the house - nothing moved... I'm glad everyone is ok! Everyone is calling from up & down the coast checking in on us - they felt more than I did!
Jessica Wallach
3:30 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
We were outside and I thought it was a big truck, but didn't see any or something going with metro construction. My daughter saw the whole house shake. I was about to come in and write Karen Goff, Reston Patch editor, for surely she would know...when neighbors started talking earthquake. All seems ok here.
Carolyn Lawson Low
4:37 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Karen is actually on vacation this week - in San Francisco. She's going to be sorry she missed this event.
Chris Moore
9:06 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
How ironic that Karen goes away on vacation to San Francisco and misses the earthquake that strikes ... in Virginia?
Mike
3:43 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Cell phones work but the system gets overloaded when everyone uses them . Just like on 9/11
Bert Katz
3:50 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
I think texting is fine though..doe snot user as much band-width...
Carolyn Lawson Low
4:54 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
"All Fairfax County Public Schools activities are canceled this evening. Those areas in schools that have polling places for the Virginia primary elections will remain open until the polls close. Canceled activities include:
• extracurricular activities• interscholastic contests• team practices
• professional learning and training courses• all adult and community education classes• recreation programs and community use
Robert Beale
8:15 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Family home at 13:51EST on Saffold Way. I was on 4th level of 2-story TH & just out of shower and heard what I first thought was our attic fan bearings failing, then trembling got louder and attic and roof started shaking with rumbling getting louder. Grabbed clothes and headed down stairs. Wife and daughter were on way out front door with daughter looking for George, our cat. Wife was asking, “what is that." I shouted, "Earthquake!" It shook me up as I had initial thoughts of a bomb or plane crash. I noticed I remained a bit disoriented. Pictures moved and a few things fell over or off shelves. George has been hanging out in his bed since.
Phil
9:18 am on Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Just curious...How can you be on the 4th level of a 2-story TH? ;-)
Amanda Hamm
11:41 am on Wednesday, August 24, 2011
I was wondering the same thing LOL...I was thinking the attic but there wouldn't be a shower up there would it?
Robert Beale
1:30 pm on Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Many of the townhouses in Reston are 2-story with 4 levels. 1st level is usually a living room/dining room that opens to a deck or outside, and usually includes a half-bath and large laundry room and closet, the 2nd level is sometimes a kitchen and foyer leading to downstairs and upstairs with a large closet area just inside front door, 3rd level in our case is two bedrooms, an office, and a large closet at top of stairs, plus a full bath, 4th level is our master bedroom and a full bath, and above the 4th level is our attic. Since I was actually sitting on our bed in the master bedroom, the attic and roof were just above the ceiling. As buildings usually sway most at the top during an earthquake (like the tower of cathedral and top of Washington Monument, plus it’s a reason roofs give way in heavy storms), I probably felt the most sway/shaking in our home. This gives our home three sets of stairs. Excuse comment as it is not really related to our earth quake.
Phil
4:35 pm on Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Oh...So it's a split-level....Got it! Thanks for explaining. :-)
Chris Moore
9:09 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
An amazing day. Thanks to everyone for sharing their comments. I was talking to Jody Hunter, director of Reston Association's summer camp, this afternoon. She said she was working in the basement of Brown's Chapel when she heard what she assumed were a herd of children entering the old building above her. It wasn't until she got a call a few seconds later that she realized what she had experienced!
Robert Beale
9:30 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
I felt the 4.2 aftershock at 8:04 PM as a small tremor on Saffold Way. Hope the initial reports that both the Washington Monument and the central tower of the Washington National Cathedral have experienced measurable leaning are incorrect.
Chris Moore
9:35 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Chevy Chase Patch has an updated. Sounds interesting. http://chevychase.patch.com/articles/national-cathedral-loses-pinnacle-in-earthquake
Aalliiee Marie
11:37 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
I was working on my mind-numbing summer reading assignments when my room started shaking. I didn't know what it was at first, but then I realized it was an earthquake......my parents panicked more than I did.:)
Some award I got for my piano performance fell off the molding on the top of my window, but that was it.
Frances
7:26 am on Wednesday, August 24, 2011
My daughter and grandaughter were are home and it frightenen my little 4 year old grandaughter.We live in Ireland and were having a McDonalds in the jeep outside Mc Donalds,when my daughter came on Skype to my sons ipod from her ipod to tell us what was happening.Her husband was at the gym and thought it was someone bouncing a huge gym ball.Very scary for you all over there,Gid bless and be safe.
Frances
7:29 am on Wednesday, August 24, 2011
I meant God Bless above there,wrong glasses on, lol
Frances
1:37 am on Thursday, August 25, 2011
My daughter just emailed to say they just had an aftershock and i i think she said 4,1.pretty scary stuff going on over there.Hope it passes soon.God bless,be safe.