Did You Feel It? Earthquake Slightly Shakes the Lehigh Valley

At 1:51 this afternoon, an earthquake rumbled northwest of Richmond, VA, or 87 miles southwest of Washington, DC. It was felt in Northampton County, too.

The county Communications Center reported it had received "quite a number of calls" from people who felt the quake.

Robert Mateff, the county's emergency management services director, said that emergency management staff will continue to monitor the situation throughout the day.

In a press release, Mateff emphasized that it is important for people to remember that aftershocks are possible.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation crews are inspecting bridges in the state as a precaution.

“We have no reason to believe the Virginia earthquake caused major damage to any state roadways or bridges,” Scott Christie, PennDOT’s deputy secretary for highway administration, said in a prepared release. “But to err on the side of caution, we are assessing those bridges that could be susceptible to quake damage.” 

PennDOT will first inspect bridges that are at least 200 feet long or longer and at least 60 feet high. The inspections will continue through at least Wednesday.

Reactions

On Twitter, @Fireman5241 reported his fish tank water, retaining wall and house were creaking in Nazareth.

"I felt the earthquake, thought it was the mine blast but we felt it for about 45 seconds to a minute in Nazareth," the Tweet said.

In the Easton area, afternoon scanner reports indicate crews were looking at a possible gas leak on 23rd Street in Wilson, and there may have been a traffic accident related to the quake.

On Facebook, Chris Moren posted: "Tatamy felt it for sure. So did those of us here in Breinigsville, and my co-workers in Valley Forge and in Bethlehem felt it as well. Crazy for sure."

Silke Burry: "Felt it in Bethlehem..."

Jenny Roberts Barrett: "Saucon Valley Manor shook."

Claudia Rumsey posted: "Felt it in upper Nazareth ... my house was twisting."

The U.S. Geological Survey reported a preliminary magnitude 5.9 earthquake was felt across much of the Mid-Atlantic region.

Did you feel it?