3.6 Earthquake Shakes D.C. Area
07-16-10, 05:44 AM
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3.6 Earthquake Shakes D.C. Area
WASHINGTON - A 3.6 magnitude earthquake shook the WTOP listening area just after 5 a.m.
The U.S. Geological Survey says it happened at exactly 5:04:49 a.m.
"It was centered in the Germantown-Gaithersburg area," Randy Balwin with the U.S. Geological Survey's Earthquake Information Center tells WTOP.
"It was certainly widely felt throughout the area," Baldwin says.
"There's always a chance of getting aftershocks. As a general rule, the aftershocks are of a less magnitude."
D.C. emergency services says there are no reports of any damage or injuries. No problems with utilities are reported.
"It may have felt like a truck passing by, things were rattling on their shelves," says Jessica Sigala, a geophysicist with USGS.
Sigala tells Federal News Radio says the bedrock is different in the eastern U.S. She says when an earthquake shakes on the East Coast, you feel it for a greater distance than you do on the West Coast.
"When something shakes, it goes everywhere," she says.
"I have heard from some people that they have felt aftershocks."
The quake occurred 3 miles beneath the surface, she says.
Preliminary reports from USGS said it was a 3.7.
Baldwin say the area's last earthquake was 2.0 in 2008. The region also had a 2.7 quake in 1993.
The calls started rolling in right after 5:04 a.m.
WTOP listeners have called in from Falls Church, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Aspen Hill, Poolesville, Boonsboro, West Springfield, Beltsville and Gaithersburg. WTOP also received calls from as far away as West Virginia.
"I was pretty scared. I got rattled out of bed. I thought it might be a transformer, but it shook the whole building," Dave Garcia of Gaithersburg tells WTOP.
Some say it felt like underground blasting or a truck hitting a building..
(Copyright 2010 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
I was taking my usual morning dump and felt the vibrations for 10 seconds or so, thought it was the Taco Bell from last night, but I guess not. Glad there was no damage reported.
The U.S. Geological Survey says it happened at exactly 5:04:49 a.m.
"It was centered in the Germantown-Gaithersburg area," Randy Balwin with the U.S. Geological Survey's Earthquake Information Center tells WTOP.
"It was certainly widely felt throughout the area," Baldwin says.
"There's always a chance of getting aftershocks. As a general rule, the aftershocks are of a less magnitude."
D.C. emergency services says there are no reports of any damage or injuries. No problems with utilities are reported.
"It may have felt like a truck passing by, things were rattling on their shelves," says Jessica Sigala, a geophysicist with USGS.
Sigala tells Federal News Radio says the bedrock is different in the eastern U.S. She says when an earthquake shakes on the East Coast, you feel it for a greater distance than you do on the West Coast.
"When something shakes, it goes everywhere," she says.
"I have heard from some people that they have felt aftershocks."
The quake occurred 3 miles beneath the surface, she says.
Preliminary reports from USGS said it was a 3.7.
Baldwin say the area's last earthquake was 2.0 in 2008. The region also had a 2.7 quake in 1993.
The calls started rolling in right after 5:04 a.m.
WTOP listeners have called in from Falls Church, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Aspen Hill, Poolesville, Boonsboro, West Springfield, Beltsville and Gaithersburg. WTOP also received calls from as far away as West Virginia.
"I was pretty scared. I got rattled out of bed. I thought it might be a transformer, but it shook the whole building," Dave Garcia of Gaithersburg tells WTOP.
Some say it felt like underground blasting or a truck hitting a building..
(Copyright 2010 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
I was taking my usual morning dump and felt the vibrations for 10 seconds or so, thought it was the Taco Bell from last night, but I guess not. Glad there was no damage reported.
Last edited by Mankal; 07-16-10 at 05:46 AM.
07-16-10, 07:42 AM
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DVD Talk God
Re: 3.6 Earthquake Shakes D.C. Area
Originally Posted by emanon
***awaits McHawkson***
Didn't feel anything.
07-16-10, 07:54 AM
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Re: 3.6 Earthquake Shakes D.C. Area
"I was pretty scared. I got rattled out of bed. I thought it might be a transformer, but it shook the whole building," Dave Garcia of Gaithersburg tells WTOP."
Optimus Prime isnt real.
Optimus Prime isnt real.
07-16-10, 09:28 AM
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Re: 3.6 Earthquake Shakes D.C. Area
Originally Posted by Deftones
[McHawkson]You guys are a bunch of pussies![/McHawkson]
07-16-10, 10:47 AM
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Re: 3.6 Earthquake Shakes D.C. Area
3.6? You would feel more shaking from a truck driving by.
I'm from earthquake country. If it's not at least 5.5, it's not worth talking about.
I'm from earthquake country. If it's not at least 5.5, it's not worth talking about.
07-16-10, 11:26 AM
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Re: 3.6 Earthquake Shakes D.C. Area
It woke my dogs up. I live in the flight path of some planes going into BWI, so I thought it was just a low-flying jet. More noise than shaking.
How is this even news....?
07-16-10, 01:11 PM
#21
DVD Talk Legend
Re: 3.6 Earthquake Shakes D.C. Area
Moving to Pansy Forum.... 
I don't care if it's in DC or on east coast - 3.6 is fucking small and I don't care if it's solid underground but it's still a pussy earthquake!
I don't care if it's in DC or on east coast - 3.6 is fucking small and I don't care if it's solid underground but it's still a pussy earthquake!
07-16-10, 01:32 PM
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Re: 3.6 Earthquake Shakes D.C. Area
/thread
07-16-10, 03:21 PM
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Re: 3.6 Earthquake Shakes D.C. Area
I was in the middle of putting the final touches on my boat in a bottle when I felt the quake. I ended up on the floor (naked, somehow) with the bottle/boat smashed underneath me.
