July 16,2010 Earthquake in Washington D.C.

Earthquake in DC | DC Earthquake today | July 16,2010 Earthquake in Washington D.C.

Many people were shaken awake early Friday morning in the D.C. region — by an earthquake.

Preliminary reports from the USGS said it was a 3.6-magnitude earthquake at 5 a.m.

The epicenter was located near Gaithersburg, Md., but was felt across the entire region, including in the heart of the District.

The USGS categorized the quake as “minor.” However, the USGS said it was the largest recorded earthquake within 50 kilometers of D.C. since a database was created to track activity in 1974, according to NBC’s Jeff Rossen.

There have been no reports of damage or injuries. But it certainly got people out of bed early. To many it sounded like a large truck rumbling down the street or perhaps thunder.

Will there be more quakes or aftershocks?

“It’s possible to feel smaller aftershocks, and they are normally smaller than the origninal earthquake,” said a USGS representative. “But they should die out in a few days.”

The representative also said scientists don’t know what caused the quake, but this will them in the future.

“We all know the San Andres fault by name,” she said. “But over here, they don’t happen very often. So this one will help us (find the fault lines in this area).”