3.6 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes D.C.

Residents in the Washington, DC were shaken up early this morning to 3.6 magnitude earthquake that was based in nearby Montgomery County. Authorities are still investigating the earthquake that started at 5:04 am, but it’s possible that it was linked to a natural gas leak at a maintenance depot in the Gaithersburg-Rockville area. Luckily there has been no reported damage and didn’t even disturb the morning traffic rush.

According to The Washington Post:

The earliest recorded earthquake in Maryland occurred in Annapolis on April 24, 1758 and lasted a full 30 seconds, according to a history posted on the USGS Web site. There have been other tremors reported periodically in the region through the years. None caused any significant damage, according to the Web site.

The confusion following Friday’s quake led to some misplaced theories on its cause. Dean Miletich of Frederick said he was taking out the trash when the quake hit. “When I came back into the garage, everything on the shelves was shaking,” he said. “It sounded like a deep rumble. When I came back inside, my wife had woken up and asked me, ‘What did you do?’”

Source.