Virginia recorded the second most powerful earthquake in state history at 1:51 p.m. Tuesday, when a 5.8 magnitude tremor shook the region and caused connectivity issues for cell phone customers. An estimated 12 million people felt the quake in 20 states.
The epicenter was 38 miles northwest of Richmond, Virginia, about 84 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. The shock wave was felt as far north as Rhode Island and New York City. It was exceptionally shallow, amplifying the effects.
The air control tower at Richmond International Airport was briefly evacuated and many downtown Richmond buildings were also emptied as a precautionary measure. Air traffic delays were encountered in Chicago, Miami, Boston, Newark, New York -JFK and Baltimore -Wash, D.C.
Parts of the Pentagon, the White House, the Capitol and federal agencies were cleared of people, as were all memorials and monuments on the National Mall. No damage was reported.
Fifteen of the 250 residents from Fay Towers, an 11-story highrise building for the elderly in Richmond, were slightly injured during an evacuation of the building. Three were taken to area hospitals with chest pains and respiratory difficulty.
Twelve others were evaluated at the scene and did not need to be transported to medical facilities. The highrise structure showed evidence of buckling bricks and a damaged stairwell.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the largest recorded earthquake in Virginia history was a 5.9 magnitude, centered around Giles County in 1897.
Check out a CNN report below: