A 3.6-magnitude earthquake struck Maryland at 5:04 a.m. this morning, centered in the Rockville area.
The earthquake is the strongest to hit anywhere within 30 miles of D.C., according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), since that agency began keeping its records in 1974.
No injuries or damage have been reported yet. All utilities, including electric, water and gas are said to still be operational. While aftershocks are a concern, they are typically weaker than the initial earthquake, according to Randy Baldwin, a geophysicist with Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Information Center.
More than 11,000 people had felt the quake by mid-morning, according to the USGS website, with some as far as West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Baldwin said the Washington area has had small earthquakes in the past 15 years, noting a 2.3-magnitude shaker in 1996 and a 2.5-magnitude quake a year later
“The thing that makes [Friday’s] earthquake distinctive is that is was felt widely over the region,” he said.
With The Associated Press