Normally earthquakes range from 3-10 miles deep when they occur in this part of the country. Three aftershocks have been reported. One was a 2.8 at 2:46 p.m. The other was a 2.2 at 3:20 p.m. The third, a 4.2 aftershock was felt at 8:04 p.m.
More aftershocks can be expected in the next 24 hours. Withers estimated that aftershocks can be between 4-5 magnitude.
This is the largest earthquake to hit Virginia since 1897. It is believed that in 1897 seismologists estimated that a 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit Giles County.
The last earthquake reported in the region was in July of last year. It was 3.6 magnitude earthquake with a center near Gaithersburg, Md. It was felt by as many as 3 million people, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake was reported across the Baltimore area as well as in the District of Columbia, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
The Virginia Port Authority was conducting some "precautionary structural inspections" to ensure no damage was caused by the earthquake. Cargo operations were not interrupted.
Two Dominion Virginia Power-operated nuclear reactors at the North Anna Power Station in Louisa County were taken offline by reactor operators around the time of the earthquake.
The power plant is being run by four emergency diesel generators until the company and regulators complete inspections and analysis, said Karl R. Neddenien, a Dominion spokesman. The company does not expect to have issues meeting electricity demand as a result of the shutdown.
Both nuclear reactors at the company's Surry County Power Station continue to operate safely, Neddenien said. The company is conducting inspections at all of its power-generation stations.
Dominion's newest power station in Buckingham County also shut down in the aftermath of the earthquake, the company said.
The earthquake, Neddenien said, "had no significant impact on our electrical system, which includes wire, transmission lines and poles."
Virginia Natural Gas reported no service outages or interruptions as a result of the earthquake, said Duane Bourne, a spokesman for VNG parent AGL Resources Inc.
Newport News spokeswoman Kim Lee said City Hall and the Human Services building at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Mercury Boulevard will be closed the rest of the afternoon "for precautionary reasons" due to the height of the buildings.
She said inspectors will examine the buildings for any structural damage.
Meanwhile, Lee said City Center was briefly evacuated after the earthquake. When it became apparent that there were no damages, City Center employees went back in.
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