'It Really Shook': 2.6 Magnitude Earthquake Reported In Maryland, Epicenter Near Woodlawn
WOODLAWN, Md. (WJZ) -- A 2.6 magnitude earthquake was reported in Maryland Friday afternoon, according to the US Geological Survey.
The epicenter was one kilometer southeast of Woodlawn, Maryland.
USGS officials updated their website Friday afternoon to show that the earthquake occurred at 3:40 p.m. at 39.316°N 76.721°W.
It was at a depth of 2.5 kilometers.
Governor Larry Hogan said that the Maryland Emergency Management Agency is coordinating with both Baltimore City and Baltimore County, and that no major injuries or explosions have been reported.
Woodlawn resident Ruth Goode was walking home when she felt the tremor. She thought it was an explosion.
"I could feel it, the way it happened so suddenly I thought it was an explosion," said Goode. "And then as I started talking to people they said 'no, that was a tremor, it was like an earthquake.'"
Goode said she's thankful the tremors weren't something worse.
"It could've been worse, it really could've been," said Goode. "But it wasn't, so I thank god for that."
"I had the TV on while I was folding clothes, and then I just felt I rumble," said resident Linda Reich. "The air conditioner had come on, but it wasn't that. It was the house kind of shook for maybe three or four seconds, and it really shook.
Tremors were felt in parts of Baltimore -- including West Baltimore, Patterson Park, TV Hill and Woodberry -- and also Baltimore County where it was centered.
Dozens of callers reported feeling the tremor that only lasted a few seconds.
Richard Ortt, Director of the Maryland Geological Survey, spoke to WJZ about what residents can expect following the earthquake.
"We really don't expect any kind of damage," Ortt said. "Citizens that are reporting the earthquake say there was very light shaking and nothing more than that."
It is possible that there could be aftershocks over the next 24 hours, but Ortt said they will not be at a higher magnitude.
"There is possibility of aftershocks, however we would anticipate them to be smaller than the [quake] that happened this afternoon," Ortt said.
He said we probably won't feel them.
The last earthquake we felt as a region was in 2011. That was the one that did damage to the Washington Monument.
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