5.9 Earthquake Shakes Virginia

By Wendy Osher

Virginia Earthquake. USGS Map, 7:51 HST, August 23, 2011.

A large earthquake shook the Louisa, Virginia area of the mainland United States this morning.

The preliminary magnitude of the quake was measured at 5.9, and at a very shallow depth of 1 km, according to the USGS.

The earthquake occurred at 7:51 a.m. HST (1:51 p.m. near the epicenter), on Tuesday, August 23, 2011.

The tremor was located four miles SSE of Louisa, VA; four miles SW of Mineral, VA; 16 miles SE of Gordonsville, VA; 41 miles NW of Richmond, VA; and 83 miles SW of Washington, DC.