Washington: Engineers were expected to rappel down the sides of the Washington Monument later yesterday to check for cracks and other damage from the surprisingly strong earthquake that hit the US East Coast last month.
Numerous cracks and chips were found inside the iconic national landmark after the 5.8-magnitude quake on August 23 that rattled the capital and the region from the border with Canada to the Georgia seacoast.
The Washington Monument remains closed indefinitely to visitors because of the damage, and the National Park Service said on Monday that there is no timetable for reopening the tourist attraction.
Structurally sound
Dozens of pieces of stone fell in the interior of the monument during and after the quake, and park service officials said they need to make sure the obelisk is safe before the public is allowed back in. Security camera footage made public on Monday showed startled tourists scrambling after the quake violently shook the monument's 500-foot-high observation deck.
"The good news: The monument is structurally sound and is not going anywhere," said Bob Vogel, superintendent of the National Mall and memorial parks. Speaking at a news conference, he and other officials said they hoped to provide by mid-October a timetable for repairs.
The exterior inspection is expected to take five days. Once it is completed, the park service will begin winterising the monument — essentially plugging any cracks with caulk or other sealants to keep water out.
Scaffolding
A helicopter inspection the day of the quake revealed a 1.2-metre-long, inch-wide crack in the pyramidion, the part at the top where the monument begins narrowing to a point. Follow-up inspections detected several smaller cracks in the pyramidion. From some spots inside, it is possible to see through to the outside, and the monument took on water in recent storms, officials said.
Stephen Lorenzetti, deputy superintendent for planning for the National Mall and memorial parks, said the park service hopes to avoid erecting a scaffold around the monument like the one during 1998-2000 renovation.
