East Coast Earthquake Hits, Hurricane Irene May Be Next

On Tuesday, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit the East Coast. The East Coast earthquake’s epicenter was located in Mineral, Virginia. East Coast earthquakes are felt over a wider area than West Coast earthquakes, because the land is flatter.

On July 16th, 2010 an earthquake rocked the DC area, but the magnitude was significantly less than today’s East Coast earthquake. The East Coast Earthquake forced a number of US government building to evacuate as a safety precaution. The East Coast earthquake impacted the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast as Hurricane Irene churns towards the Carolina coast. Currently, Hurricane Irene is a Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. By the time Hurricane Irene makes landfall along the Carolina coastline or shoots up the East Coast, the tropical system may be a Category 3 or 4.

Tips for Homeowners as Hurricane Season Nears its Peak

Below are some tips for homeowners to keep themselves and their property safe as the hurricane season nears its peak.

- Protect windows and doors with storm shutters.

If your home is damaged in a hurricane or severe storm, contact an experienced insurance claims lawyer. Arkansas' Red Cross Teams Depart to Ready for Hurricane Irene

(KATV, Source: Red Cross) Little Rock - Seven American Red Cross feeding and supply trucks from Arkansas will join more than 70 additional Red Cross trucks positioned in North and South Carolina in advance of Hurricane Irene's anticipated path paralleling Highway 95 from Florida to New England over the next days. Winds from the storm, possibly as high as 150 miles per hour, has resulted in the deployment for expected disaster relief, as millions prepare for possible storms damage.

If needed, families can reconnect after the hurricane through the www.redcross.org/safeandwell site. Persons in the path of Hurricane Irene can download the free Red Cross shelter finder app in the Apple iTunes store.

On average, the Red Cross spends about $450 million on disaster relief every year. To support Red Cross disaster efforts, make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief by visiting www.arkansasredcross.org or www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS, texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation, or sending contributions to their local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.