On Tuesday, a 5.8 earthquake shook the Washington, D.C. metro area including the states of Maryland and Virginia. The epicenter of the earthquake was located in Mineral, Virginia where two aftershocks at 2:46 pm and 3:20 pm also occurred. The first aftershock measure 2.8 on the Richter scale. No information has been released for the size of the second aftershock.
The earthquake occurred 3.7 miles below the surface of the earth and its effects were felt as far as Massachusetts in the East and Alabama in the South. President Barack Obama reported feeling the quake on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts as he stood on the golf course. Monuments and museums in the DC metro area closed early and were immediately inspected. Companies and schools also closed soon after the event as employees and students flooded streets after fleeing from buildings.
