Structural concerns at Walden Elementary School prompts early dismissal following 4.8 magnitude earthquake
Students at Walden Elementary School on Orchard Street were taken out of the building right after the 4.8 magnitude quake and dismissed at 12:30 p.m. from Most Precious Blood Church.
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Friday’s earthquake prompted some schools to have early dismissal in Orange County due to concerns buildings could be damaged.
Students at Walden Elementary School on Orchard Street were taken out of the building right after the 4.8 magnitude quake and dismissed at 12:30 p.m. from Most Precious Blood Church.
The school was built in the 1920s and Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus tells News 12 that the district chose to close early for an engineer to come in as a precaution.
News 12 viewers have been sending in their videos of the quake showing their dogs barking during the event, along with their houses and things on walls shaking. In other videos you can hear a humming sound. Another one shows a mailbox falling.
Parents picking up their kids in Walden say they felt it, too.
“I was on the phone and I’m like ‘hold on, my house is shaking and I’m not sure what it is.’ it was rattling the house. I was like ‘oh my God, I think we just had an earthquake,’” says Kellie Hines.
Orange County activated its emergency operations center Friday afternoon and Neuhaus says he’s in contact with the governor and FEMA for updates.
