East Coast, Montgomery County, Feels Afternoon Earthquake

Feel the earthquake this afternoon? So did most of the East Coast. 

According to the United States Geological Survey, a 5.9 magnitude quake hit four miles southeast of Louisa, VA, at 1:51 p.m. today. Louisa sits approximately 85 miles southwest of Washington, DC. 

Shockwaves were felt as far north as New Hampshire, and as far south as North Carolina, ABC news reports. "

The quake was 3.7 miles deep," the report states. "The epicenter is very close to two Dominion Power nuclear power plants." 

Mark Shellenberger, a resident of Maple Glen, told Patch that he was on a conference call with associates ranging from Charlottesville, NC, to Albany, NY. 

"The guy in Richmond yelled first, then the person in Bethesda, MD, and then everyone else. It took 30 to 45 seconds for the Albany guys to feel it," said Shellenberger. 

Erin Gibson, editor of , located just outside the Washington, DC, metro area, reported that "several residents of the City Center Apartment in Manassas Park gathered in the hallways of the building during the shaking." 

There are no reports of major damages or injuries yet, but reports of the magnitude and chaos of the quake are beginning to surface. 

"People in the New York Times building on 42nd Street in Manhattan said they felt the entire building shift, and watched office furniture move," reported ABC. "As the tall buildings in New York swayed, people ran out into the street." 

Some infrastructure has also been compromised, including reports of lost cellular phone service. A Patch employee was unable to reach a friend in McLean, Virginia, as the calls failed to go through. 

SEPTA is also reporting that all trains will be traveling at 25 mph for the rest of the day as rails are checked for damages. 

A press release from PECO stated that there have been no disruptions to service reported. 

Jason Wilson of the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety, told Patch that although a high volume of calls have been received, there have yet to be any reports of damages. 

One person who did have something to report was Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence. 

"Wow Earthquake just shook the entire locker room!" said Pence from his Twitter account.