Earthquake

Earthquake's effects felt in Tri-State area Fire destroys home on George Street MSP and highway officials investigating I-70 accident Change of venue denied for man charged in Adenhart's death Middletown man convicted in road rage case

The Rev. Tim Leighton, left, president of the Hagerstown Area Religious Council, holds a check for $450 from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans of Washington County for earthquake victims in Haiti. Bob Bodnicki presented the check. The money was raised at the Jan. 24 Service of Prayer for Christian Unity and matched by Thrivent.

Vibrations from Tuesday's earthquake in central Virginia were felt along the East Coast thanks to the “old and cold” geology of the region, an expert said Wednesday. Gavin Hayes, a research seismologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colo., said the geology of the region allowed Tuesday's temblor to transmit over greater distances than have earthquakes of similar magnitude in other parts of the nation. However, the chances of Washington County feeling aftershocks from the 5.8-magnitude earthquake centered 123 miles south in Louisa County, Va., are slim because the USGS expects those to only be felt near the epicenter, he said.

Geologists have long known about California's vulnerability to the rumbling earth. But is Washington County sitting on top of a seismic time bomb? According to Alan Hedges, it's possible. But not probable. "Earthquakes can occur anywhere," Hedges said. "Rocks under the Earth's crust are constantly moving. But it's doubtful we could have the kind of earthquakes that occur in other parts of the world. This isn't a particularly active area. " Hedges is an amateur geologist who became fascinated with fossils and rocks about 10 years ago. "It's a hobby," he said -- one that has developed into more than a passing interest.

Former Hagerstown City Councilman Fred Kramer, his wife and his son were among those safe in Malaysia after Sunday's earthquake and tsunamis in the Indian Ocean, Richard Kramer said Tuesday. Richard Kramer said several people have asked in recent days about his brother, Andrew, who has lived in Malaysia for seven years. "He was high and dry," far from the affected areas, Richard Kramer said. Their parents, who were visiting Andrew Kramer and his family, also were safe, Richard Kramer said.

Hancock employees are in the 100 block of Washington Street on Wednesday morning repairing a 3/4-inch water line that burst, Town Manager David Smith said. Smith said he wasn't sure when the water line burst or if the incident was the result of Tuesday's earthquake. He said traffic wasn't being affected because of the work. The water line services a house at 113 Washington St., Smith said.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.4 jarred the southern Philippines on Saturday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said. No damages or casualties were immediately reported. No tsunami alert was issued, said the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, based in Hawaii. The quake hit the Moro Gulf off Mindanao Island at 7:15 a.m. the USGS said. It was centered some six miles under the Moro Gulf, the agency said, and was some 75 miles southwest of the city of Cotabato on Mindanao, and was about 566 miles southeast of Manila.

NEW YORK (AP) -- A magnitude-6.3 earthquake has rattled the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan late Friday night, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The 11:51 p.m. quake was deep, some 124.1 miles below the surface, the USGS said. No tsunami warnings were issued. The USGS said the quake hit some 45 miles southeast of Faizabad, Afghanistan, and 165 miles northeast of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan

Finance officials from the Group of Seven major industrialized countries have agreed on coordinated currency intervention to support Japan's economy following a devastating earthquake. It will mark the first time the G-7 countries have jointly intervened in currency markets since the fall of 2000. In a joint statement issued following emergency discussions, the G-7 officials said that the United States, Britain, Canada and the European Central Bank will join with Japan in a "concerted intervention" in currency markets Friday.

Students at St. Maria Goretti High School in Hagerstown are working to restore laughter to the children of earthquake-ravaged Haiti. During a Friday assembly, the students pledged to raise $1,000 to buy playground equipment for their adopted sister school in Dessalines, a village in the west central part of the country. The Rev. Marc-Edy Dessalines, a priest who oversees the St. Maria Goretti school in Haiti, attended the assembly. Dessalines by coincidence shares the same name of the town in which the school is located.