At 1:51 p.m. EDT on August 23, 2011, a 5.8 Magnitude earthquake at a depth of approximately 6 kilometers occurred 34 miles southwest of Fredericksburg, Virginia. The earthquake occurred as reverse faulting on a north or northeast-striking plane within a previously recognized seismic zone, the Central Virginia Seismic Zone. The tremor was felt as far away as New York City, Detroit, Michigan and Atlanta, Georgia. Aftershocks ranging to magnitude 4.5 have been recorded.

The earthquake shook the entire Washington, DC area, causing several roof collapses, dislodged masonry and transportation issues; there were only minor reported injuries and no deaths reported. The earthquake caused significant concern about the status of infrastructure elements, especially within major metropolitan areas. Within Washington, DC, the Metrorail system, MARC, VRE and AMTRAK all reduced the speed of trains while track conditions were assessed, all Interstates and major roadways, tunnels and bridges underwent inspections to ensure structural integrity prior to resuming normal operations.

Structural damage assessments were also conducted throughout the city on buildings, including at least nine government building that remained closed the day following the earthquake. Some damage was reported at the Washington National Cathedral, Reagan National Airport, the Pentagon, and Howard University. More