A video, which has been released yesterday by the National Park Service, shows the panicked scenes at the top floor of the Washington Monument when the quake hit on August 23.
Three security camera videos footages were taken 500 feet (150 meters) up and show how the US East Coast earthquake terrorized the tourists and shook pieces of the monument down from the top floor of the structure.
The panicked families could be seen scooping up their children and running down the stairs.
The security camera videos at Washington Monument during the quake showed that stairs are narrow and it was a single exit only.
The 5.8-magnitude earthquake on August 23 was centered 84 miles south west of D.C. in the town of Mineral, Virginia.
Due to the damages following the US East Coast earthquake, the Washington Monument will be close indefinitely to visitors while repair crews get to work, NBC Washington reports.
Four stones near the top of the 555-foot monument were cracked in the earthquake.
Few days after the earthquake hit, Hurricane Irene punished Washington Monument further with strong winds and extremely heavy rain.
That produced some flooding inside and caused more cracks.
The video captured at Washington Monument during the earthquake lasts one minute and 55 seconds and the shaking continues from start to finish.
The video shows that the National Park ranger sitting at the top suddenly bolted before the tourists. But the agency clarified her actions.
Agency said she followed protocol by guiding visitors to the emergency exit door on the 490 level, which opens inward, and then returned to the 500 level of Washington Monument to ensure that all visitors were out.
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