5.9 magnitude earthquake hits Mineral, Va.

(By Tina Korbe, Hot Air) - The United States Geological Survey reports a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Mineral, Va., about a half hour ago, but the U.S. weather service has issued no tsunami threat. Earthquakes hit the East Coast on occasion, but a quake of this magnitude is unusual. The earthquake was felt up and down the coast, including in Washington D.C. and New York City.

Numerous bystanders and longtime residents evacuated from buildings in New York said they hadn’t felt shaking like this since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The same thought echoed in the corridors of the Pentagon, too.

With the August recess, D.C. has been relatively empty and quiet, but staffers in the U.S. Capitol and other buildings felt the quake and immediately exited their offices. All federal buildings in D.C. have been or are in the process of being evacuated. D.C. police officers, concerned about potential aftershocks, have warned residents and tourists to avoid the Metro. Some have even expressed concern the Washington monument might be tilting.