An earthquake measuring 5.8 magnitude on the Richter Scale (SR) reportedly rocked the East Coast of the United States (U.S.). The epicenter was not far from Washington.

United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake was centered Mineral, Virginia approximately 90 miles southwest of Washington. Unlike the U.S. West Coast, East Coast region is rarely hit by an earthquake.

The largest quake since 67 this year, shaking buildings and causing panic from Georgia up to Maine on Tuesday (23/08/2011) afternoon local time.

The quake also make citizens out of the office buildings in New York, as well as some employees at the White House, the U.S. capitol and the Pentagon was forced to evacuate.

Two nuclear power reactors North Anna, who was not far from the epicenter, automatically shut down the flow directly through the security system. While at the Pentagon rumble inside the building and the shocks are felt to make the workers came pouring out.

While the U.S. due to the earthquake capitol was temporarily closed. But not long after the building was reopened so workers can take things they left behind when he went to save themselves.

In Manhattan, the federal court building whose height reached 26 floors seem swayed due to earthquake shocks. Hundreds of people straight out when the earthquake occurred. Some people even think of new terrorist attacks to the region.

"I think we were hit again by the aircraft,
New York police chief Raymond Kelly was at the Manhattan Federal Court building when the incident took place. At that time he is preparing a safety meeting before the 10th anniversary of the attacks of 11 September 2001.

Until now there has been no reports of victims killed or injured in this earthquake. But the national cathedral in Washington who was reportedly a little stress fractures, multiple layers of stone from the cathedral tower reportedly damaged.

After the earthquake, seismological from Cornell University Rowena Lohman said there were two aftershocks after the first quake. But the aftershocks of this strength is relatively small, measuring 2.2 and 2.8 SR.