UPDATE: Earthquake Hits East Coast, Impact Stretches to Boston Area

UPDATE: Bob James, the director of the Braintree Emergency Management Agency, said that the state emergency department has been in touch with all three nuclear power plants that affect Massachusetts and none of them have had any issues.

Also, James said that preliminary damage assessments are taking place in all the effected states, though there have been no reports of major damage so far.

"Due to overload of cell phone usage, there are reports of cell phone congestion," James wrote in an email. "We request that members of the public use email or text messages if possible to communicate for the next few hours, except in cases of emergency, so that emergency officials can continue to receive and respond to urgent calls. We encourage everyone in the affected areas to listen to the direction of their local officials."

Several Braintree Patch readers have commented on Facebook that they felt the tremors in the Boston area, while others have reported no effects at all.

Reader Holly Rose said that while out getting lunch in Downtown Crossing she didn't feel anything, but that when she returned to her office colleagues on the fifth floor said they had felt the building sway. Another, Alex J. Mercado, said he experienced the quake's movement in Newton.

Adam Ringius, who works for the commuter rail in Boston, said his building near South Station shook. He was on the eighth floor and reported that buildings were being evacuated.

And down in Myrtle Beach, SC, former Braintree resident Elaine Wheaton said she felt it.

How about you?

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The U.S. Geological Survey reported that an earthquake of 5.9 magnitude hit northwest of Richmond, Va. just before 2 p.m. today.

Its effects were felt as far as the Boston area and part of the Pentagon, White House and Capitol were evacuated, according to WCVB. No injuries have been reported so far.

Did you feel the earthquake in Braintree? If so, comment below or email joseph.markman@patch.com.