Massapequa Feels Tremors From Quake.

Massapequa got the shakes Tuesday afternoon after feeling the effects of a 5.8 magnitude earthquake centered in Virginia, but the only things frayed were some nerves.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake occured shortly before 2 p.m. near Mineral, Va., about 100 miles south of Washington, D.C.

But the tremors were felt throughout the Massapequas and in numerous areas around the Northeast.

Bonni Watson Pope of Massapequa Park said she was at her computer when the ground began to tremble.

"The chair was rolling and the computer table swaying," she wrote on Facebook. "Pots on the pot rack in the kitchen were clanging together. Wow!"

Jennifer Clark Croce of Biltmore Shores couldn't believe what she was feeling.

"I thought it was me until I looked up and saw the chandelier moving, she said."

While Massapequa resident John Lepre didn't notice the tremors, his wife certainly did.

 "I was in the shower," he said. "I come out, and my wife said that it sounded like someone was walking on the roof. I told her that nobody was walking on the roof, maybe it was birds, but she said no, it's not birds!"

 Lepre, who has relatives near where the earthquake originated from, made a frantic call to make sure they were okay.

 "I have in-laws in Culpeper, Virginia," he said. "They're on 25 acres there, a very big expanse. We called them, and they didn't feel anything."

North Massapequa resident Maureen Failla got quite the scare.

"It just felt like the house was moving back and forth," she said.

"I could actually see the house moving, and I thought it was my eyes playing tricks on me at first. But then I realized what was happening, and I almost grabbed my daughter and son to go outside...I didn't know what to do."

Michael Heckman, 14, was in his basement playing "Call of Duty" online when the quake hit.

"The basement felt like it was moving and the table vibrated a little bit," he said. "It lasted maybe 30 seconds, not even."

The tremors were also felt in both of Oyster Bay's Town Halls as well as Massapequa Park Village Hall.

Town spokeswoman Marta Kane said officials received a few calls after residents felt the shake, but no damage had been done.

"We sent our Public Safety officers to check things out," she said. "We've been given the all clear." 

Massapequa Park Village Administrator Peggy Caltabiano also said there were no reports of quake related damage.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano said there was no significant damage county-wide.

The earthquake caused some scary moments in Washington D.C. Tuesday as the U.S. Capitol was briefly evacuated.

Rep. Peter King, R-Seaford, was in his Massapequa Park office when the tremors struck, but he felt the incident can help government prepare for something more serious.

"We'll be doing after-action reports on everything -- the communications, evacuations, contingency plans, emergency response, everything," King, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee told the Huffington Post.

Although many had difficulty using cell phones in the hours after the quake, King said he was able to communicate with his staff.

Despite all the excitement, some people didn't notice a thing. Mary Douglas of Farmingdale fits in that category.

"I did not feel it," she said. "But I think I might have been far too busy working to feel the earthquake."