美國東部發生5.8級地震

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake centered in central Virginia disrupted cell phone service and closed two nuclear reactors, numerous bridges and tunnels in East Coast cities on Tuesday afternoon。

AT&T, Verizon and Sprint reported no cell network damage from the quake, but the carriers said said call volumes were very heavy。

Many Washington-based Twitter users said they lost cell phone service after the quake struck. The companies suggested that customers turn to texting if their voice calls don't get through。

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck in Mineral, Va., about 80 miles southwest of Washington, at 1:51 p.m. It immediately lit up social networking sites as users shared stories about the quake。

The USGS said that the Tuesday quake was the largest in Virginia since a magnitude 5.9 hit Giles County in 1897.

Two nuclear reactors were taken offline at the North Anna facility near Mineral, but no damage was reported, according to WTOP radio in Washington. Officials at the plant, run by Dominion Virginia Power, could not be reached for comment。

CNN also reported that pinnacles fell off the National Cathedral in Washington, but no tourists or other people were injured。

A Computerworld reporter based in Harrisonburg, Va., 60 miles from the epicenter, said the quake felt like a truck or school bus had hit his townhouse building, while a Computerworld editor based in the Washington suburbs of Maryland said he felt his desk shake。

Airport control towers at John F. Kennedy Airport and Newark, N.J. were evacuated along with many government and office buildings in Washington, based on reports from CNN and other sources。

The NYNEX building in New York City was also evacuated, CNBC reported。相關中文報道：

據法新社消息，美國東部海岸在美國當地時間8月23日發生里氏5.9級地震，華盛頓市中心的建築物產生晃動，紐約亦有震感。

報道稱，地震發生後，美國國防部已經安排疏散五角大樓人員。

根據美國地質勘探局的消息，此次地震震中位於弗吉尼亞州里士滿附近地區，距離里士滿約54公里，距離華盛頓約139公里。

法新社稱，地震發生後，附近的大片地區都有震感，紐約還疏散了衆多建築物內的人員。