Earthquake Felt Around The East Coast

MY9TV.COM - The east coast quake hit without warning this afternoon. It was centered in Virginia, forty miles east of Richmond. It was a 5.8 magnitude. Not big by west coast standards, but around here it's a big one! And it's tremors were felt in our area and beyond.

In Washington D.C., the National Cathedral suffered damage to one of it's spires. No one was hurt though.

In our area buildings began to sway and that sent people running for safety. A lot of them were thinking it could be 9/11 all over again. But the good news is things are now getting back to normal. We get the latest from Joel Waldman in Teterboro, New Jersey.

The Newark arrivals board shifted along with the shifting ground below the airport.

Experts say the most violent tremors from a 5.8 Virginia earthquake were just before 2 p.m. this afternoon. The tremors reached this terminal within 3 minutes and it seems just about everyone felt it.  Including the FAA control tower. Inspectors had to check the runway and before "the all clear" was given some were still unclear about exactly what had happened.

Those who monitor quakes for a living assured us it was an earthquake, but one that even surprised the experts.

One expert gave us his opinion,saying "It's not unusual to have quakes, but a 5.8 magnitude, we thought our seismograph was wrong"

And for those worried about more quakes coming, experts say quit trembling.

"It's not impossible to have earthquakes of the same size, but In NYC do not expect much of an after shock."
I'm Joel Waldman, The 10 O'Clock News.