5.8 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Washington, DC, President Barack Obama Playing Golf at the Time at Martha’s Vineyard (Update: 5.9 Earthquake)

A 5.8, Reuters is reporting a 6.2 magnitude earthquake, has rocked Washington, DC and the East Coast.  According to ABC News, the earthquake centered northwest of Richmond, VA, shook much of Washington, DC, and was felt as far north as Rhode Island and New York City. The epicenter of the earthquake is being reported to have been in Mineral, VA.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was 3.7 miles deep. Shaking was felt at the White House and all over the East Coast, as far south as Chapel Hill, N.C. Parts of the Pentagon, White House and Capitol were evacuated. The quake was in Mineral, Va., in Louisa County

You are never going to guess what the President was doing when the earthquake hit … PLAYING GOLF OF COURSE.

UPDATE I: FOX News reporting that JFK International Airport has been shut down. Federal buildings in DC, Pentagon and Capitol have been evacuated. Obviously, there is a fear of aftershocks so authorities are not going to want people to go back into buildings or underground transit.

The Pentagon has been evacuated, CNN’s Barbara Starr reports. “When the building began shaking rather violently, hundreds of people began streaming out,” she said, because many people thought that the building was under attack. Starr was standing in the Pentagon’s press office when the roof started to shake.

UPDATE II: Being reported that the quake was felt from New Hampshire to Atlanta.  Its now being called a 5.9 magnitude quake according to the USGS.

UPDATE III: Two nuclear power plants taken offline following quake. No reports of damage to the reactors, most likely a precautionary measure.

A nuclear power plant located in Louisa County, the epicenter of the earthquake in Virginia, has shut down.

The North Anna Power Station, operated by Dominion Power, has two reactors.  The plant declared an “unusual event” in the wake of the 5.9 magnitude quake, which is the lowest stage on the plant’s emergency scale.

UPDATE IV: Reagan National in Washington, DC is closed, flights are on hold.

I would say, if you do not need to be on your cell phones in the affected areas, please don’t. It would appear that there has been not that much structural damage and no reported deaths or serious injuries. Thank God, great news.

Brian in a Blue State