Many Chestertown residents experienced a significant earthquake for the first time in their lives yesterday. Long-time resident Sandy Hoon said, “I’ve never felt anything like it, I’ve never felt an earthquake before.”
Many residents who were inside thought their building had been hit by a truck, and several residents thought something had gone terribly wrong at Aberdeen Proving Ground, where the US Army tests and destroys munitions–often shaking the pictures on our walls here in Chestertown.
Telecommunications towers on the Eastern Shore went out of service–taking out phone and Internet service for about two hours, according to reports from local residents and business owners at Chestertown’s two major shopping centers. Merchants reported that some merchandise had spilled onto the floor, and staff at the Kent County Public Library had to tidy up a bit when some books had found the floor there.
The Maryland Transportation Authority warned of possible delays last night in order to perform much needed inspections on the Bay Bridge.
The epicenter of the quake was Richmond, Virginia and was felt as far north as New York City–many businesses and government offices in DC and New York were evacuated. Non-essential government employees were given leave for the remainder of the day
The quake was reported to have lasted from five to 20 seconds.
A meeting of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and local environmental groups at the Kent Library’s Yellow Building was interrupted by violent tremors that startled attendees to seek the outdoors. Moments later a Medivac helicopter was diverted to Chester River Hospital–unable to receive clearance to land at Johns Hopkins Hospital in East Baltimore. There were no evacuees on board needing immediate attention, according to a source at CRH who chose anonymity.
By the end of the day, only minor property damage had so far been reported, most notably, a crack in a chimney at the Hynson-Ringgold House on Water Street.
Ken Noble says
I studied Geology at the St. Lawrence University and the University of Colorado, but I was in my GMC pick up truck between Chestertown and Worton and the shock absorbers attenuated EVERYTHING. I never felt a thing, darn it. I do remember earthquakes when I was 5 living in Los Alametos, CA in 1962. I emailed some relatives telling them that the “s-waves” (surface waves) of this quake were likely transmitted up along the metamorphic piedmont belt east of the Appalachian front fold belt all the way to Nova Scotia. My 30 year old studies were gratified to read the same thing on the USGS website thirty minutes later.
My mom and dad were on the Bay Bridge and felt it sway!
At Shepherd’s Delight farm, my sons heard the old planter’s house creak and moan while they were eating lunch on the picnic tables on that lovely day. I just discovered then one of the three struts to our 90+ year old windmill nearly sheared off. I have some photos of the stabilazation effort and we could use the help of any welder a.s.a.p. before this hurricaine comes or she may be going over….
Ken Noble
Shepherd’s Delight
Tom Dignam says
I don’t know about the Piedmont belt, but I do know there was a lot of metamorphosing going on at Chestertown Marina. The only attenuating was provided by my buckling knees. And those S waves were doing there best at turning the marina parking lot into sand soup. The time lapse of the event was as breathtaking as the surrounding events. The shaking travel lift with a sailboat in it and utility poles all swaying like something out of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The ground wiggled like a bowl of jello, a fun house ride one thought could literally gobble you up. The addition of Irene will make for a remarkable week. KCN 100 years ago today……….