HTH -- Haiti Earthquake

August 24, 2011. Strong earthquake rattles Eastern US Coast

SOURCE: Altegrity Risk International

A strong earthquake rattled the East Coast on August 23rd, sending tremors as far as Canada and damaging well-known buildings in Washington, D.C. There were no reports of major damage or serious injuries from the 5.8 magnitude earthquake, which was centered in Mineral, Virginia, some 90 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. It was the largest quake to strike the region since 1897 and hit at a shallow depth, increasing its potency. The Pentagon, White House, U.S. Capitol and other buildings were evacuated.

Phone service was disrupted throughout the region as network congestion blocked cell phone users from making calls. Meanwhile, control towers at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City and Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey were also evacuated and flights were briefly grounded in Washington, Philadelphia, and New York.