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Earth shattering webinar on Workforce Development. 5.8 Earthquake Felt in local DC/VA/MD.

August 23rd, Gilfus Education Group broadcasts earth shattering session on Workforce Development. 5.8 Webinar Earthquake Felt in local DC/VA/MD.

Gilfus Education Group Research Associates and hundreds of webinar attendees were rocked by a 5.8 earthquake as it passed through the DC/VA/MD. 100’s of attendees lost their audio connection when Gilfus Education Group leaders rushed out of the building. Many thought it might have been the topic we were discussing and some of the key solutions that were presented. “In jest we believe that this is a sign of the importance of eLearning as it pertains to Workforce Development issues.” said, Tom Winterstein, Gilfus Education Group.

During a key portion of the webinar an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.8 struck near Washington, D.C.. The U.S.Geological Survey said, the epicenter was in Virginia. The quake was felt in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York, and on Martha’s Vineyard where President Barack Obama is vacationing. Cell phone service has been disrupted in New York City where parts of Manhattan have been evacuated.

“Everybody was told to take the stairs,” Wolf Blitzer said, speaking live at 2 p.m. E.T. from CNN’s D.C. bureau.

The Pentagon has been evacuated, CNN’s Barbara Starr reports. “When the building began shaking rather violently, hundreds of people began streaming out,” she said, because many people thought that the building was under attack. Starr was standing in the Pentagon’s press office when the roof started to shake.

The quake has been upgraded to a 6.0.The quake was centered in Charlottesville. The White House has been evacuated. News related the the earthquake is below:

U.S. Geological Survey has confirmed an earthquake struck central Virginia at 1:53 p.m. It has been felt throughout the D.C. metro region. It measured 5.8 on Richter scale.

Minutes after the quake, the director of the U.S. Geological Survey, Marcia McNutt — who watched objects falling from the shelves in her office — cautioned that the shaking might not be over.

“What the concern is, of course, is that this is a foreshock. If it’s a foreshock, then the worse is yet to come.”

She said the energy from earthquakes on the East Coast does not attenuate as quickly as it does on the West Coast, and thus even a relatively modest tremor can shake a very broad.

“When something like this happen, everyone has to remember, more than half of the states in the U.S. are considered earthquake country. When something like this happens, remember what to do in the case of a seismic event. Duck, get under something sturdy like a desk or a doorway, get away from falling glass. Make sure that you are not in the way of falling objects like pictures, bookshelves, books, anything that’s not firmly connected the wall.”

The WorkForce Development Webinar will be rescheduled.

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