Earthquake Shakes Eastern US

 　　A 5.8 magnitude earthquake has rocked much of the U.S. east coast, shaking buildings and sending panicked office workers into the streets in places like Washington.

　　The earthquake shook the region Tuesday afternoon.  The U.S. Geological Survey says the temblor was centered near Mineral, Virginia, or 135 kilometers southwest of Washington.  The quake was the strongest in Virginia since 1897.

　　Authorities evacuated¹ the U.S. Capitol building, the Pentagon, and other federal buildings, including VOA headquarters, which temporarily stopped normal broadcasting after the ground began shaking.  Washington's major museums also closed for the rest of the day.

　　Witnesses said about three spires² broke off the Washington National Cathedral, but there were no reports of injuries.

　　The quake was felt as far north as Boston, including in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, where President Barack Obama is vacationing.

　　Shaking was also felt as far west as Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania and as far south as Atlanta, Georgia.

　　Transportation systems in New York and other cities resumed operating after delays.

　　Federal officials say two nuclear reactors³ in Louisa County, Virginia, were automatically taken off line by safety systems.  Officials were going to the area to inspect the sites.

1 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

2 spires   

n.（教堂的） 塔尖，尖顶( spire的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Her masts leveled with the spires of churches. 船的桅杆和教堂的塔尖一样高。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• White church spires lift above green valleys. 教堂的白色尖顶耸立在绿色山谷中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 reactors   

起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 )； 反应装置； 原子炉； 核反应堆

参考例句：

• The TMI nuclear facility has two reactors. 三哩岛核设施有两个反应堆。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The earliest production reactors necessarily used normal uranium as fuel. 最早为生产用的反应堆，必须使用普通铀作为燃料。