Earthquake Felt in Pikesville, Area

At about 1:55 p.m. today, the earth in Pikesville shook.

The floor began rocking, the walls shook, and everything on the walls was moving.

It lasted about 35 seconds, with some movements felt afterward as well.

A Virginia earthquake sent tremors up and down the east coast, including throughout Maryland.

The United States Geological Survey has more info on the magnitude 5.8 quake here.

Stay with Pikesville Patch for .

On Facebook, the editors of Severna Park Patch, Glen Burnie Patch both reported what they believed was an earthquake.

At 1:53 p.m., Pikesville Patch Blogger Ruth Young Tyler reports she felt tremors, as well.

Patch contributor and Guest Editor Jeff Seidel said:

"I was sitting at my desk trying to call a few people and looking up some notes on my computer, same as always.

"All of a sudden, I felt my chair start to shake. I thought that my cat had come into my office and was under me, but then the desk began to shake also.

"It shook for about 20-30 seconds at least, and it was shaking like crazy. In addition, I felt the floor shaking also. My daughter realized it also and was yelling to me asking, 'Dad, are we having an earthquake?'

"I told her honestly that I didn't know since I've never seen one. But boy, it sure felt like it," he said.

"Everything just kept shaking and shaking and shaking. It was very scary," Seidel said.

Chesca Stein, foreclosure prevention officer at CHAI—Comprehensive Housing Assistance, Inc., said "Our building is located about 1 ½ blocks north of Northern Parkway on Park Heights Avenue. Just about 10 minutes ago, we felt tremors in our building.

"I was the only one outside eating my lunch on our little porch. When I came in, everyone was in a tizzy over how the building shook and how I did not feel anything outside!

"Some people called their homes to ask if anyone else felt the tremors, and they all said yes!"

Pikesville Patch reader Becky Kent said on Facebook that she was in an office trailer at work. "Not good!" she commented.

And reader Paula Czeisler said she was at work "at an Army base :-)" when the quake happened.