Earthquake shakes Rockville early Tuesday

No damage, injuries reported from 2.3 magnitude tremor

January 2, 2024 3:00 p.m.

A 2.3-magnitude earthquake hit Rockville after midnight on Tuesday with more than 1,400 people reported feeling it, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

At 12:51 a.m., an earthquake was reported between Gaithersburg and Rockville, and USGS’ intensity map showed that the shaking was weak and light, no damage was reported, and the intensity was low.

USGS asks residents to fill out a form reporting if they felt the earthquake and note if there was any damage.

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Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Pete Piringer said that there were no injuries or damage reported to emergency personnel.

In 2017, Montgomery County residents, especially those in Gaithersburg, Silver Spring and Olney, reported feeling the 4.1-magnitude earthquake that occurred in eastern Delaware. No injuries or damage were reported.

However, the earthquake that many residents remember was in 2011. The 5.8 magnitude earthquake in central Virginia was felt across the East Coast on Aug. 23, 2011. Many buildings sustained damage in that earthquake, most notably, the Washington Monument.

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