East Coast Rocked by Earthquake, Pentagon Evacuated

An earthquake epicentered in Virginia occurred Tuesday afternoon, with people in Washington, DC, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, Massachusetts and Toronto reporting they felt the tremors, as well.

Reports thus far indicate the quake registered a 5.9 on the Richter scale, and the USGS says it’s the most powerful quake to hit Virginia since 1897.

CNN’s Barbara Starr reports the Pentagon has been evacuated, and many people feared a bomb had gone off. “When the building began shaking rather violently, hundreds of people began streaming out,” she said.

Parts of Manhattan have been evacuated as well, and delays are being reported at JFK, Newark, and Philadelphia airports.

[CNN]