Minor Earthquake Rocks NoVA. OK, Maybe "Jostles" Is More Like It.
By: TheGreenMiles
Published On: 5/6/2008 3:02:07 PM
This just in - a (very) minor earthquake just hit Northern Virginia. It was centered about a mile west of Annandale at 1:30pm. With a preliminary magnitude of 1.8, I'd be surprised if anyone even felt it.
UPDATE: Arlington County email alert - "The National Earthquake Information Center, via FEMA Operations, is reporting that Northern VA has experienced rumblings equivalent to an earthquake of magnitude 2 to 3. It remains unclear if this was an actual earthquake, or due to another cause."
UPDATE #2: And now a turn for the weird. WTOP reports "Ft. Belvoir officials told WTOP the rumblings were part of construction blasts at the base." But Ft. Belvoir is 20 miles away from where the quake was supposedly centered ...
UPDATE #3: WTOP takes back the Ft. Belvoir tie and calls it a microearthquake.
Comments
I felt it... (Lowell - 5/6/2008 3:07:17 PM)
...wasn't sure if it was a sonic boom or something, but it was freakin' weird.
I FELT IT..... (bladerunner - 5/6/2008 3:48:57 PM)
I was wondering what the heck that was. It sounds like a big truck outside dropping large industrial trash cans.
I'd been eagerly boxing up old files for shredding all day long when (Catzmaw - 5/6/2008 3:54:52 PM)
around 1:30 I heard what I thought was a huge truck pulling up to the building and raced to greet the liberator who was going to help free my office from its documentary prison. Nothin'! I couldn't figure out where the stupid truck went until the paralegal told me a little while ago about the earthquake. Good thing I didn't know what it was at the time because I've got this thing about the earth moving under my feet and it's not good, Carole King notwithstanding.
As for Ft. Belvoir, I'm way too far up the road for construction blasts to be heard. It had to be the earthjostles or whatever they were. Anybody ever see the terrific little TV movie "Tremors"? Next I'll be looking for ravenous worms to issue forth from the subway.
Done (TheGreenMiles - 5/6/2008 3:56:30 PM)
From now on, it shall be known as the Earthjostle of '08
Confession (HisRoc - 5/6/2008 4:16:07 PM)
I stopped in at a Quiznos shop near Annandale at 1:30 for a meatball sub. It was so good, the earth moved.
Sorry for all the ruckus.
;-}
The epicenter was witihin spitting distance of my condo (citizenindy - 5/6/2008 4:53:47 PM)
I'll let you know if I notice any dust particle rearrangement :-p
That's so weird (GeorgetownStudent - 5/6/2008 5:41:37 PM)
There was an earthquake a couple years back too around here. I think it was like 4 or 5 years ago. What's going on?
The same thing that's been going on for (Lowell - 5/6/2008 5:49:26 PM)
billions of years -- plate tectonics.
Stop Continental Drift! (snolan - 5/7/2008 6:54:10 AM)
Had a coworker and friend who sported a t-shirt with the slogan: "Stop Continental Drift Now!" pretty frequently, and apparently he was a fan of the "Continental Drifters" music band.
Waaayyy back in my youth I worked for the Geological Survey (Catzmaw - 5/7/2008 9:53:34 AM)
whose employees used to love to sport the bumper sticker "Reunite Gondwanaland".
Regular Event (HisRoc - 5/6/2008 6:13:12 PM)
It happens every few years when Gimmick Gilmore announces he's running for office again. Its George Mason turning over in his grave.
I felt it (railfanbob - 5/6/2008 7:57:12 PM)
Weird..I thought it was a big truck going by too. Sounds like that was typical.
Wow it's very close to my house! (Annie - 5/6/2008 9:57:25 PM)
I didn't feel it and I work near Ft. Belvoir, but then again my crazy building shakes whenever heavy trucks go down the street, so I get the shakes in my cube everyday. My parents didn't feel it either but at the time they were on the Pinecrest golf course.