Maryland emergency management officials are holding a statewide earthquake drill Thursday, reminding residents they should be prepared for temblors like the one that shook the East Coast in August 2011.
In that case, a 5.8 magnitude quake centered in Virginia, many people did not know how to react.
"Instead of crouching under a desk or sturdy table, many people evacuated their homes or workplaces, unaware of the potential injury from falling debris," Maryland Emergency Management Agency officials said in a statement. "While this earthquake was not strong enough to cause significant damage to the outside of buildings in Maryland, an even slightly stronger tremor could have caused bricks and other exterior materials to become dangerous projectiles."