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PHOTOS & VIDEOS: 10 years ago, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit Virginia and was felt across the eastern U.S.

15 hrs ago

On August 23, 2011, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit Virginia. The epicenter was near the town of Mineral in Louisa County, but the quake was felt across more than a dozen U.S. states and several Canadian provinces.

Scientists said the Louisa quake may have been the most-felt in U.S. history.

Below are videos and photos from the day of the quake and its aftermath.

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The office at Main Street Supply Plumbing and Electrical in Mineral, Va. was chaotic after an earthquake wreaked havoc on the store Tuesday afternoon.

The Daily Progress/Sabrina Schaeffer

{This is what my workspace looks like all the time.}

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People crowd Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011, as they evacuate buildings after an earthquake his the in Washington area.

Charles Dharapak/The Associated Press

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FILE - In this Aug. 24, 2011, file photo, damage to the Washington National Cathedral is seen the day after a earthquake shook Washington and much of the East Coast. The unexpected jolt cracked the Washington Monument in spots and toppled delicate masonry high atop the National Cathedral. The shaking was felt far along the densely populated Eastern seaboard from Georgia to New England. While West Coast earthquake veterans scoffed at what they viewed as only a moderate temblor, last year’s quake has forever changed the way officials along the East Coast view emergency preparedness.

J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press

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FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2011, file photo, Dave Megerle, a member of Wiss, Janney, Elstner, Associates (WJE) "Difficult Access Team," attaches ropes to the top of the Washington Monument, on the National Mall, in Washington, from which four people will rappel down the sides to survey the extent of damage sustained to the monument from the Aug. 23 earthquake. Congress allocated $7.5 million late in 2011 to repair the damage to the monument caused by the Aug. 23, 2011, 5.8-magnitude earthquake. Philanthropist David Rubenstein tells The Associated Press he felt inspired to help after learning about cracks and chipped stonework high up the 555-foot obelisk and on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2012, will announce he is donating the final $7.5 million needed to repairs cracks atop the monument.

Evan Vucci/The Associated Press

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