RICHMOND, Va. — Nearly 600,000 Virginia residents are expected to participate in a multistate earthquake drill this week.

Gov. Bob McDonnell says many people didn’t know about earthquake safety when a magnitude-5.8 quake hit Louisa County on Aug. 23, 2011. The governor is encouraging all Virginians to participate in the Great SouthEast ShakeOut and learn about earthquake safety.

The drill is scheduled for 10:18 a.m. Thursday. Residents in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland and Washington, D.C., also will participate.

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