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DCPS Flags 13 Schools For Further Analysis After Earthquake

By: Kavitha Cardoza // August 24, 2011
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The scene at 17th and DeSales streets NW, near Dupont Circle, just after the 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit the D.C. region. The earthquake led DCPS to shut schools today to ensure the structural safety of school buildings.
Elliott Francis
The scene at 17th and DeSales streets NW, near Dupont Circle, just after the 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit the D.C. region. The earthquake led DCPS to shut schools today to ensure the structural safety of school buildings.

Literally overnight, D.C. Public Schools' leaders changed their minds and went from all schools being open today to a district-wide shutdown in the wake of yesterday's earthquake. School officials say they were dealing with information that kept coming in throughout the night.

As of this afternoon, 13 DCPS schools have been red flagged, meaning structural engineers will go back in this afternoon to assess damage.

Yesterday, schools were checked for gas leaks, burst pipes, electrical problems, and other obvious physical damage. Columbia Heights Educational Campus has the most serious structural damage, DCPS is now reporting.

School officials say the change was because reports kept coming in through the night. They were trying to balance not wanting to disrupt classes and working parents' schedules, but most importantly, the safety of students, officials say.

Engineers also wanted to look at damage during daylight.

Two children were injured during yesterday's earthquake. One sprained an ankle, and another had a tile fall on their head. Both are fine today.

Most schools, but probably not all, will open tomorrow.

There's no estimate as yet about what the repairs will cost the city.

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