A strong earthquake centered in Virginia was felt as far away as New York, Washington, D.C. and North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Georgia and Illinois Tuesday.

While the quake sent residents in those states running out of buildings and into the street, San Diegans joined those on social media telling the entire eastern seaboard to "Calm down!"

The quake, reported as a 5.9 magnitude temblor, struck near Richmond, Va. at 10:51 a.m. PT. The Associated Press reported residents ran out of buildings all along the eastern coast of the U.S.

According to MSNBC, the U.S. Capitol and Pentagon were evacuated several minutes after the quake was felt.

Buildings in Manhattan swayed including NBC's 30 Rockefeller.

The shaking was felt as far north as the Martha's Vineyard, Mass., golf course where President Barack Obama was just starting a round.

Two nuclear reactors at the North Anna Power Station in Louisa County, Va., were automatically taken off line by safety systems around the time of the earthquake officials said.

At Reagan National Airport outside Washington, ceiling tiles fell during a few seconds of shaking. Authorities announced it was an earthquake and all flights were put on hold.

Verizon reported so much activity that customers had difficulty using their mobile devices for about 20 minutes following the quake.

As of an hour after the quake struck, no serious injuries have been reported.

On Twitter and Facebook, West Coasters immediately jumped in and criticized, even ridiculed the reaction.

"Here comes the west coast earthquake snobbery," posted Nathan Daschle.

Yes, Nathan here it comes.

"Calm down guys if it aint over 6, it's not an earthquake!!!! Come visit us in So. Cal," San Diegan Kristen Wenzel-Simmons posted to NBCSanDiego's Facebook page.

Native San Diegan Jeff Johnson said, "Amateurs. California natives won't get out of bed for anything less than a 6.0."

"Come hang out in San Diego for a week, You'll get used to it in no time," posted Amber Freeman-Webster.

A Bay Area blog had an interesting take, "I get it East Coasters, you had an earthquake. In California we just call that Tuesday."

"If that happened in cali it wouldnt even be a news story... congressional pansies," said Jarrett Robinson of San Marcos, Calif.

"Hey us east coasters have never felt this before, it was weird. Like a train was going by. Just didn't realize what happened," Tammie Rammien-Horton of Norfolk, Va.

This tweet may put the whole thing in perspective:

"I don't know that SD can talk smack about East Coast earthquake reactions until we can drive competently in the rain," posted MetromixSD.

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