1 of 11. Marine One flies past the Washington Monument from the White House in Washington, May 18, 2011.
Credit: REUTERS/Jason Reed
WASHINGTON |
(Reuters) - The earthquake that shook much of the East Coast cracked one of the stones at the top of the Washington Monument, a National Park Service spokesman said on Wednesday.
The huge obelisk, a prime tourist attraction on the U.S. capital's central Mall, was evacuated soon after the quake was felt around 1:51 p.m. EDT on Tuesday.
The crack in one of the stones in the monument's pyramidium -- the pyramid shape at the very top -- was detected during an inspection by helicopter, spokesman Bill Line said.
Structural engineers are expected to make further assessments on Wednesday. The monument remains closed until further notice, Line said.
