If an earthquake happens in DC and no one feels it

did it actually happen?

Apparently, yes: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/06/AR2008050601840.html

There was an earthquake in the DC metro area yesterday. It registered 1.8 on the Richter scale, which apparently means that it is virtually imperceptible. I likely would not have even known about our earthquake if Liz called to check in on me. I apparently get my local geological data from Atlanta, Ga.

After talking to Liz I called my brother to see if he had any knowledge of our seismic event and he was as in the dark as I. Since then I have polled a few fellow DC locals and no one had any idea that we had had an earthquake. It was such a non event that I actually had to do a key word search on the Washington post web site to find the article above.

Anyway, I think it is pretty odd that we had an earthquake in Annandale and perhaps even more odd that it is barely newsworthy. I mean just because giant buildings didn't collapse and scores of people weren't rattled about doesn't mean it isn't news. I mean if

"60-lb. pit bull found wedged in engine "

can be a cnn.com headline, I would think "Small Earthquake Shakes DC" could be too.

In case you were wondering, the last earthquake to hit DC did so in 2003. It measured 4.5 on the Richter scale and was equally unnoted by major news sources.