The 5.9 magnitude earthquake that was centered in the small town of Mineral, Virginia earlier today has caused at least some disruptions in cell phone service. Verizon Wireless" Twitter page said, "There was some network congestion in the East after tremors." However it added that there didn"t seem to be any actual damage to the network itself. Sprint"s Twitter page has also posted word that customers, " ... may experience intermittent delay making/receiving calls after recent earthquake. This is a temporary mass calling event." It added in a later tweet that, "To contact loved ones following earthquake, please use text msgs rather than call."
T-Mobile"s Twitter page also stated that its wireless network, " ... is experiencing higher call volumes in all areas affected by the earthquake. We advise customers to use SMS or E-Mail." AT&T"s Twitter page has so far been silent about the status of its wireless network on the east coast following the earthquake. However Engadget reported that some AT&T customers in New York City had issues calling with both cell phones and with landlines just after the quake. Service does seem to have been restored, however.
The Washington Post reports that the earthquake was 87 miles southwest of Washington DC. Federal buildings in the city were evacuated and there are reports of damage to at least one building in the city itself. The quake was felt all along the east coast, from Georgia to Massachusetts. Geologists said that the area can expect some smaller aftershocks to be felt in the days following the main earthquake.