Clockwise from top left: Rusty Kirk and Dom Garuccio at Scream ‘N Dogs; Bonnie Shannon, New Martinsville’s Recorder; Janice Sobray, doctor at EZCare, New Martinsville; Kim Howell and Terry Keller at Chuck Ludewig Insurance; Tony Huggins, Director of Admissions and Marketing at NM Care & Rehab; and Dana Martin Office Clerk, Litman Excavating.

Local residents were among the millions on the east coast that felt the earthquake Tuesday afternoon that registered as a 5.8 magnitude by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The epicenter was near Mineral, Va., approximately 195 miles from New Martinsville or 180 miles from Hundred.

Dom Garuccio and Rusty Kirk at Scream ‘N Dogs said, “It scared us a little bit when the lamps started shaking and the building started to rattle and then it quit. They also said they never felt an earthquake before, but I’ll remember this one. It definitely got our attention.

Kim Howell and Terry Keller, employees at Charles Ludewig’s insurance office, said, “We just looked at each other and Chuck came running out of his office and told us to stay away from the windows because we are having an earthquake. It was different.

“The walls were shaking and the papers were moving. It was something that we will never forget.”

“We felt the building move, it was like I was still and everything else was moving,” said New Martinsville City Recorder Bonnie Shannon. “I thought one of the units on the roof was doing something and the police department (located on the second floor) called and said, ‘What are you people doing down there and I said I was going to call you and ask the same.'”

Dr. Janice Sobray and her staff at Easy Care in New Martinsville said that the files on the walls and the chairs in the waiting room were moving. Dr. Sobray went on to add, “I have never felt an earthquake, but will remember this one.

Dana Martin, office clerk at Litman excavating said, “I felt the desk was moving and the office walls were rolling. And I yelled, ‘We’re having an earthquake! Were having a earthquake!’ and the girls in the back room said the ceiling tiles were falling. I never felt anything like it before. I felt one a few years ago on Main Street on a Sunday early in the morning and it wasn’t anything like this.“

Tony Huggins, director of admissions and marketing at New Martinsville Care and Rehabilitation, said, “It was an awesome feeling. I saw things moving and papers falling off desks. I have never been in a earthquake, but I can say that now I have and lived to tell about it.”