No injuries, damage reported as earthquake unnerves locals

From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Tue Aug 23, 2011, 11:13 PM EDT

CUMBERLAND — A 5.8 earthquake centered in Mineral, Va., unnerved residents and briefly shook buildings in Cumberland, Frostburg and McHenry and throughout the region Tuesday. No injuries or damage were reported locally.

Some buildings were evacuated as a safety precaution, including the courthouse on Washington Street and the Social Services Administration building in downtown Cumberland.

Kathy Rogers, spokeswoman for the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center, said security immediately began making rounds after the shaking was felt there.

“Everything is fine. The electricity stayed on and we are not having any problems,” she said. “I was at my desk and could feel the floor shaking for about 10 seconds. People are welcome to call us if they have concerns.”

The wall and windows facing South Mechanic Street on the second floor of the Times-News wobbled visibly during the afternoon temblor, bringing a roomful of reporters to their feet.

The incident prompted numerous calls to the newsroom from residents and businesses at Frostburg, Cumberland, Bean’s Cove and various other locations throughout the region.

At McHenry, a trooper at the Maryland State Police barrack said, “It felt like the wind was blowing but you knew it wasn’t the wind when you felt the floor shake.”

At Frostburg, the city police department felt the tremors. “We sure felt it but it was over before you realized it.”

A business at Frostburg reported the shaking there lasted about 25 seconds and shook office chairs.

Dick DeVore, an Allegany County emergency management spokesman, said that cell phone calls were not connecting for many users. “That would seem to be associated with the volume of calls being made rather than with any damage from the earthquake,” he said. “Text messages are working fine.”

Allegany County Board of Education officials began inspecting school buildings for structural damage shortly after the quake. Students were scheduled to return to classes today.

“All the buildings need to be checked for safety,” said Steve Wilson, supervisor of human resources, who was inside the Board of Education’s central office building during the earthquake Tuesday afternoon. Employees immediately evacuated, congregating on sidewalks along Washington Street.

“I thought a truck had hit the building,” Wilson said.

Coincidentally, BOE employees had reviewed evacuation procedures Tuesday morning as part of back-to-school preparations, said Bob Farrell, security coordinator.

“I’m glad we went over it,” he said.

At Northern High School in Garrett County, teachers reported that those on the second floor of the building felt the quake, but not those on the first floor.

Area emergency centers said they were flooded with calls with reports. CNN reported that the quake was felt from Toronto, Canada, down to Georgia. The earthquake also extended west to Detroit and Indianapolis.

Times-News staff writers Mike Sawyers, Jeff Alderton, Kristin Harty-Barkley and Emily Newman contributed to this report.

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