Yep, that was an earthquake

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake alarmed people around the D.C. area this afternoon but the Fairfax County government reports there was no damage. Buildings throughout the area were evacuated. The epicenter was at Mineral, Virginia, north of Richmond, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

Did you feel the earthquake? We were sitting out in the backyard and heard a loud rumbling just before 2 p.m. the screen door was rattling and my laptop was shaking. Later, we found this frog candlestick on the floor (above), which had apparently been knocked down by the earthquake. Got any better photos? Send them in.

‎“The whole house shook,” reports a reader in Fairfax. “The cupboard doors in the kitchen opened and things flew out. Pictures fell down. Nothing too serious, but it was certainly a surprise.”

“My house (a few doors down from the Edsall Park pool) was shaking,” says another reader. “It was a weird, weird feeling. The china in the cabinet was shaking. I was afraid (thinking the roof was going to come down), and went outside. Saw the mailman and neighbor, and they all confirmed it—we just had an earthquake!! I had never felt one in my life!!”

The Treasure Trove on Columbia
Pike is advertising an “earthquake
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“I found out what the large pop noise I heard was. In the kitchen, a glass jar fell onto the stove,” she continued. “And the power towels on the rack were unrolled quite a bit! I head a creaking noise and then head the glass in my china cabinet rattling.”

When an earthquake strikes, the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management suggests getting under heavy furniture and look for gas leaks.

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