I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet was a good way to describe feelings all along the U.S. East Coast early this afternoon as a 5.9 magnitude earthquake centered in Virginia shook buildings from the Carolinas to New England.
The United States Geological Survey reported that the earthquake occurred at 1:51 p.m. ET with an epicenter 9 miles south of Mineral, Virginia and a depth of 1 km.
Grenville felt it at The Frog & PenguINN, but not me. I was volunteering at the library, less than 10 miles away, and felt nary a rumble, rattle OR roll. Several family and friends from NJ to New England called to see if all was OK here – Thankfully YES.
As far as we know there were no major evacuations in this town of 500. However, one neighbor called Grenville asking about a possible tsunami. He reminded her that we live in the “mountains” of the VA eastern shore, elevation 35 feet above sea level. We did not hear of any major closings or evacuations here. Rail traffic was not halted and the lone bus line remained in operation.
However, it led to numerous building evacuations in major cities such as Washington, DC, NYC, and Philadelphia, PA; halted rail and air traffic. Two east coast nuclear reactors were taken offline.
Memorials and monuments on the National Mall in Washington, DC 
Grenville and I hope that blogger friends and their families along the east coast and New England were also safe. We invite your comments: where were you when the earthquake hit AND did you feel anything?
CREDITS:
I Feel the Earth Move was written and recorded by singer-songwriter Carole King and included on her Tapestry album .
Shake Rattle and Roll was originally recorded by Big Joe Turner and by Bill Haley & His Comets. It was written in 1954 by Charles E. Calhoun (songwriting name of Jesse Stone).
Earthquake graphics courtesy of ABC News. Images of National Cathedral and Smithsonian Castle borrowed from websites.
17 comments:
Ginny from Let your light shine, said she was terrified, her house was shaking like crazy and a loud noise at the same time, she lives in VA
I had just gotten back from a bike ride and had the refrigerator door open. I heard a boooomm but no shaking.. then my daughter called from New Jersey where the house was shaking, as my parents home here on the shore was. My son in Richmond,Va had to evacuate his office building.. with all his coworkers.. and now a hurricane is coming up the coast.. busy week,eh> take care and hunnker down, love,Diana
Glad to hear you're fine. Our oldest son lives in Alexandria, VA. He had some pictures move on the walls of his home and small things fall, but is fine. It's scary about buildings that have not been built to withstand earthquakes, though.
I live in northern VA about 25 miles out of DC. I was in the house when it started to shake, probably for 20 to 30 seconds. At first I thought a big truck was rolling up the street but when I saw my neighbor across the road with her hair sopping wet, I knew she must have been in the shower and she had hurriedly thrown her housecoat on and vacated her house. I used to live in California and went through several earthquake tremors, some very strong, but in the 20 years of living here in Fairfax County, I have never experienced one before.
I saw on the news about the earthquake. That would be so scary. Got in a couple minor ones when we lived in Alaska....but it was my first experience with it, and I was pretty alarmed.
I was reading on the deck and definitely felt it. Pretty amazing given that we are in western North Carolina. I heard at one person who said her dishes rattled in the cabinet. I'm not sure I believe it unless her home is really unstable.
I'm in Ohio and didn't feel it, although there were some in my state who did. Glad to hear all is well with you.
Glad everyone ok we had one years ago un Yorkshire UK it was 5.2 and my whole house shook.. Big ones must be terrifying.
We made it through fine...:)JP
Sorry about the damage and frayed nerves, but the tsunami bit was good for a chuckle.
Hi All, we were glad to read that everyone who commented had no damages, other than as AC commented, some frayed nerves.
Now, as Diana noted, we can concentrate on ano impending weather event called "Irene" which may (or may not) impact the east coast. A little rain would be OK cause we need it, but hopefully everyone will be spared any damaging winds and torrential downpours.
I did not hear anyone say what the fault line that this shaker is from. I think it might be called "New Madris fault" ????
I read about that earthquake in another blog yesterday and I´m glad nothing worse happened! But I don´t think You can get tsunamis from that kind of earthquake, it has to be a continental shelf that slides beneath another to create them.
We occasional have smaller earthquakes like the one You had but we rarely feel them thankfully!
Have a great day!
Christer.
Hi Beatrice, so nice to meet you!! your blog name is so familiar, maybe because it is on Sandra's list. Sandra and I are sisters separated at birth! Soul sisters. What is the story on your blog name, that is also the name of your farm? Be very glad that you felt nothing, it is an awful and awesome memory to feel and hear the earth move. And by the way, happy anniversary!! Phil and I are working on our 42nd!
Yes, I felt it here in North Carolina ... lucky for all of us that it wasn't worse. Now I have fingers and toes crossed that the hurricane Irene will pass us by!
Didn't feel a thing here in Southwest Virginia but my brother called from Virginia Beach worried that the Navy base a mile from the house was under attack! I had just received an e-mail alert reporting the quake and was able to calm him down some.
Hi Snapper II, not sure either, so you might be right with the fault line name.
Hey Christer, the comment a tsunami was only a joke :-) Thanks for the info too.
Welcome Ginny, yes you might have seen our blog name on other blogs where we comment. The blog is named after our house which is so named because we like frogs & penguins (also teddy bears). Congrats to you and Phil on your upcoming 42nd! Please revisit anytime and I wil also drop in on your blog.
Yes Ginnie, so fortunate and now only have to get through Irene.
Hi Chip, glad you wqere able to sooth your brother's nerves.
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