Date: August 23, 2011
Washington, D.C. - The National Park Service (NPS) has temporarily closed the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial and the Old Post Office Tower as a precaution following today's earthquake in the D.C. area. The monuments and memorials were evacuated following the earthquake. No injuries to any visitors have been reported.
The NPS is evaluating the structures to ensure that they are structurally sound and safe for all visitors. The Washington Monument, because of its structural complexities, will remain closed until further notice. It is possible that the Lincoln Memorial and Jefferson Memorial could open as early as this evening after preliminary inspection. The Old Post Office Tower will open on Wednesday morning at 9 a.m.
The NPS has completed a preliminary inspection of the Washington Monument and has found it to be structurally sound. The Washington Monument grounds are being reopened except for the plaza and the Monument itself. The NPS will continue to inspect the interior of the Monument before any decisions are made about reopening it to the public.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the World War II Memorial, Vietnam Memorial and the Korean War Memorial remain open.
As always, safety remains the NPS' chief concern. The NPS will be evaluating all of the structures throughout the National Capital Region to determine structural integrity and to ensure visitor safety.
Tourmobile's twilight tour for August 23rd has been cancelled.
