developments in libya, the question what comes next. jenna: the big question. well, "america live" comes next! jon: that's right, thank you for joining us. megyn: this is a fox news alert, we have got big breaking news in libya and a hurricane headed towards the eastern coast of the united states. the weather, first, if you're just joining us, we want to let you know what's happening in libya, the rebels claim to have captured qaddafi's compound in the capitol city of tripoli, after several hours of fierce resistance, thick black smoke and the sound of heavy explosions filling the air. qaddafi, however, still nowhere to be found. the people expected to run the new government there are talking, and in just the last few minutes saying they

want to put qaddafi on trial. it was a question about whether that was the goal or not. we'll have a live report from tripoli in moments, first, though, this alert: >> it's a weather alert a. monster storm is now on track to be the strongest hurricane to hit the united states in three years. and the federal emergency management agency is saying that the entire u.s. east coast should be alerted right now to hurricane irene, as it approaches from the south in the next few days. if it hits georgia directly, they're saying it would be the first time in 100 years georgia has seen that. welcome to "america live", everyone, i'll megyn kelly. the entire east coast is on alert as hurricane irene barrels towards the united states, mandatory evac yeas orders are underway for one barrier island off north carolina, with more sure to come. we are awaiting the latest storm update from the national hurricane center. according to the latest tracking informs, irene is now a cat two storm, packing 100-mile per hour winds, and could possibly hit the

carolinas on saturday, as a category three storm. fox news meteorologist janice dean is live in the weather center as she has been all day tracking this thing. j.d. >> reporter: megyn, we are awaiting that advisory at 2:00, that will give us the coordinates of the storm, if it is strength thing and -- strengthening and we are expecting a category three, as you mentioned, a major hurricane, and there is nothing in this storm's way. we have the bahamas, 700 islands that make up the bahamas, they are going to feel the wrath of a major hurricane with winds in excess of 110 miles per hour which could be devastating and as this storm continues to move on up towards the u.s. there's really no major land mass to tear this storm apart which is what you really hope for, you don't hope for folks to be in harm's way, but we need to lose its fuel source and that's not going to happen. we're dealing with waters, 84, 85 degrees, well above the threshold for a cot goer --o category three or to

sustain a major hurricane, hurricane warnings in effect for all of the bahamas as we head over the next two when--- 24-48 hours, storm surges, 9-13 feet for these folks. this could be obviously devastating again for this region. as we head towards the next several days, we look at this cone of uncertainty, still 4-5 days out, so let's take 24-48 hours in the past, when we were dealing with a storm that could hit south florida, that changed, now we're dealing with the carolinas, so let's go further out, category three storm in the next 24-48 hours, as we head out further in time, overnight friday and saturday, as a direct hit across north carolina, right here, then category one around the chesapeake bay. this could be obviously devastating, because so many people live in this area, megyn, we could be dealing with incredible rainfall, winds in excess of 50, 60 miles per hour and obviously, we are going to be following the very latest from the national hurricane

center, a new advisory at 2:00 and we'll have it for you. back to you. megyn: we'll be checking in with you often. i want to let our viewers know, this crossing under the urgent wires, authorities in north carolina -- i'm not sure how to pronounce it, okikoke island? other -- island, have issued a mandatory evacuation aerd for -- order for visitors, they want them to leave as hurricane irene approaches, a mandatory evacuation for this island off the north carolina coast. we're getting more details on it. they say that will affect all nonemergency personnel and go into effect thursday morning for the barrier islands. so visitors out earlier, nonemergency personnel, out thursday morning, more on that as we get it. hurricane irene's powerful wind and rain is pounding parts of the carribean, the island of turkenkasos is under a hurricane warning, folks in south gearing up for a potentially deadly and dangerous storm, gathering

supplies, reviewing emergency plans as a precaution. the last big hurricane to make landfall in the united states was hurricane ike, remember that, it pounded texas back in 2008. i think it was right smack dab in the republican national convention. take a look at this satellite image taken of -- taken of its approach in '08, it barreled near the coast of houston, bringing with it a wall of water and ferocious wind and rain that flooded large waters. the storm caused up to $52 billion in damage. trace gallagher in the west coast newsroom with perspective on this. >> reporter: you talk about what a major event this could be, megyn. you look at this area in the path that irene is following and back 160 years, only a handful of hurricanes have been very powerful, threatening this area, this way. go back to 1960, hurricane donna, this thing was coming that same path, it went across the state of florida, it chris crossed back across florida into the atlantic

and then it made its way, carving a destructive path, all the way up to new england. look at these old movie tone pictures, but the time this thing got to long island it was still a very powerful category one hurricane. 1989, hurricane hugo was a monster. a category five hurricane by the time it struck south carolina. it was a powerful cat four. it became the most damaging hurricane in u.s. history at that time. hugo was also one of the most powerful hurricanes ever to hit the united states. in 1992, everybody remembers the very first named storm of the season, it was hurricane andrew, it came ashore, southwest of miami, and in homestead, look at those pictures, they are still rebuilding some of those areas today. it was a category four when it hit, it was later upgraded to a category five hurricane, it became the costliest hurricane in u.s. history.

2004, florida got raked by charlie, kind of taking that same path t. crossed on the gulf coast of florida, it went back, hit captiva island as category four, it raked 14 cities across florida, by the time it got to orlando it was still a category two hurricane. and then you look at hurricane wilma, which is still among the most costly hurricanes in u.s. history, it was three months after katrina, and remember that guy right there? 135-mile per hour winds, that hurricane caused over $10 billion in damage in florida, and now -- >> megyn: you remember that one well, don't you? >> >> reporter: i remember it very well. that was a dummy right there in the middle of that hurricane. just avoid them, you stay inside, you don't go outside. that hurricane was just after katrina. megyn: you braved it without your protective eye goggles like harrigan used to use those. reporter harrigan is smarter than i am. he went to duke!

megyn: interesting look back. thank you. folks, if you want to know where irene is headed and the track changes, so you got to keep up to date on t. log on for fox -- to foxnews.com, the weather page, track the storm and get the latest. we'll have updates throughout the next two hours. alerting back now to libya, moments ago the u.s. state department saying there is no question that the qaddafi regime has nearly collapsed. we're getting video in the ras half -- last half hour of the rebels running through moammar qaddafi's compound. again, there's no word on where he is. that remains the big question. fox news producer tadek markowski is live from libya. >> reporter: about half an hour ago, the press corps here basically in tripoli, in qaddafi territory, there was a heavy exchange of gunfire outside the building. we are assuming those rebels who went and fought today and are making so much

ground are coming this way and trying to take this hotel. this is part of a bigger, wider government area. there's a presidential compound across that sustained bombing the other night when the major assault began, but it sounds like the qaddafi people who are still positioned around the hotel are exchanging gunfire with the rebels, headed this way now, and we understand they have probablyo they are probably about 400 meters away on a bridge that overlooks this area, so they're on high ground and looking to come this way now megyn: we heard reports of qaddafi going to the hotel where journalists stayed because they knew it was a place he was likely safe. this was a while back, not in the last couple of days since the most recent events have unfolded. is there a concern now and what are the journalists like yourself doing to maintain your safety to the extent you can tell us? >> i mean, the main thing right now is everyone is staying calm, we put out banners saying television and press, we're in one room

without windows and when the gunfire and the explosions get too heavy, we basically are like i am right now, speaking to you. as for qaddafi coming here, there's a strong rumor that because this hotel was primarily owned by the government, run by the government, we have them looking at our every move, for weeks and months, there's an underground tunnel complex, beneath this hotel, some kind of elaborate escape mechanism. that's obviously a compound that has a strong hold in tripoli. it's only a kilometer behind the hotel. one of these tunnels exist -- whether these tunnels exist or not, we don't know. certainly we got a visit from saif al islam, the heir apparent to the qaddafi regime, he claimed that they're winning, and by the sound of the things happening from out my window, i don't think that's particularly the description of events here. megyn: taadek, you are are

-- you are doing an incredible job of staying calm, i think our viewers may not comprehend what's going on. you're telling me they are shooting outside the hotel, plus 400 yards away on a bridge, that the journalists are hovered in a room windowless and you are on the floor. give us a description of exactly -- you are laying on the floor giving us this report to protect your own safety just in case something happens to that room, is that correct? >> reporter: that's right, megyn, basically, it's not been -- gunfire has been coming into the hotel, smashing big windows, the safest thing to do is to get low on the ground, basically under, you know, the balcony , close the curtains and basically keep as low a profile as you can. speaking from my room, it's one of the last places in the hotel and essentially, we're trying to stay calm, we are staying calm, a lot of people here are veterans in conflict, they've been

around fighting before. it's a question, really, the great unknown is how much, you know, fire for the people that left the hotel. the qaddafi loyalists haven't let us leave the hotel, we've been trapped here and the question is what are they going to do, are they going to retreat and try to fight it out. we don't know and that's why we're taking these precautions. megyn: tadek, stay safe. thank you very much for that update. so our viewers know, there are conflicting reports about qaddafi's whereabouts, one marks -- man, the head of the world federation spoke to qaddafi on tuesday by telephone and the libyan leader told him he's still in tripoli, however, there were conflicting reports suggest -- significant -- suggesting he moved outside the area, in small hotels, mosques, we don't know where he is, that's the bottom line, but they remain on the hunt for him and those loyal

to him are determined to protect his regime and you can hear our very own reporters are to some extent caught in the middle. more from libya as we get it. new controversy over the growing number of democrats that seem to think the tea party is public enemy number one. listen here: >> [inaudible] >> megyn: that's the real enemy, the tea party. coming up, the latest on the attack on the group and the fallout. will there be any. praeg news at a courthouse where prosecutors have dropped sexual assault charges that were on the front page of every newspaper against one of the world's most powerful bankers, his lawyers speak out loudly, next. >> and nobody and no clues -- no body and no clues, in the search for robin gardner missing in aruba for weeks now. we'll have the very latest on this case, upcoming.

megyn: fox news alert, new

numbers just out on the housing market, and they show very little sign of recovery. sales of new homes, down again in july for the fourth straight month, reaching an annual rate of 298,000. that is less than half of the 700,000 economists say we need to have a healthy market. these numbers put the united states on track to see the worst number in housing in half a century. that's quite a record, because we already hit that record last year, on pace to do it again this year. steve forbes, stu varney and more, next hour, to help us with what this means for you, your family, and this economy. another alert, the news is also breaking in new york city, where we are awaiting a news conference from prosecutors, a judge an hour ago dismissing the criminal sexual assault case against former international monetary fund chief dominic strauss-kahn, prosecutors say they could not prove these charges beyond a reasonable doubt because they say a string of lies

told by the accuser in the case, the "new york post" says the 33-year-old hotel maid fell to the floor in a tantrum yesterday after prosecutors told her of their plans to stop pursuing the case. reportedly crying, quote, "i wasn't under oath". julie banderas is live at the new york supreme court in manhattan, that's the trial court level here in new york and julie, that judge has just thrown the case out essentially. >> reporter: yeah, essentially he has, after months of he said, she said, inconclusive dna, and holes as you mentioned in the maid's story of the judge accepting the prosecutor's request to dismiss this case, dropping all seven charges against dominic strauss-kahn, including attempted rape and sexual assault, and all but stamping the passport of the imf chief who was scheduled or at least was until an emergency appeal was filed to take off on a plane, off for france today, so then he was returned back to his townhome as he awaits word.

within minutes after the ruling, strauss-kahn as you can see, escorted out of the courthouse. he had planned to fly back to france, the maid's attorney had filed an emergency appeal to appoint a special prosecutor to the case, so that it can continue, that appellate court likely to decide later today. upon hearing the news, take a look outside as protestors stood screaming all morning long on both sides of the street, holding signs, demonstrating their outrage with what they call an injustice. diolo's attorney saying a woman's right to get justice in a rape case hasin unjustly denied. >> the district attorney vance has abandoned an innocent woman and has denied an innocent woman a right to get justice in a rape case, and by doing so, he has also abandoned other

women who will be raped in the future. >> reporter: according to prosecutors, the accuser told inconsistent stories regarding the moments after the alleged attacks d. na did not prove the sex was forced and she later lied about being gang raped in her native ginnie to gain asylum in the united states, defense attorneys are saying they are grateful the d.a. listened to their concerns. >> unless you have been falsely accused of a very serious crime, that you did not commit, it is impossible for you to understand or grasp the full measure of really what dom -- the relief that dominic strauss-kahn feels today >> reporter: the legal troubles are not over yet, diallo has filed a civil lawsuit against him, seeking unspecified financial damages, also he faces attempted rape charges filed by a french journalist in france and politically that fallout continues.

as you remember, he was a contender for the socialist party to run for the next president of france against nicolas sarkozy, and that making that extremely difficult for his political career to move forward, megyn. megyn: j.b., thank you, julie banderas, everybody. libyan rebels saying they are now in control of moammar qaddafi's tripoli compound but who is in control of libya's weapons? the defense department is worried it could be christmas for terror groups if they get ahold of shoulder-mounted missiles like this, and there are reportedly thousands floating around libya. the fears, in five minutes. hurricane irene turning into a monster storm and heading towards the east coast of the united states, federal emergency management officials warning that nearly the entire east coast needs to pay attention, that is tens of millions of people who could be affected by this. we will have the latest on the storm's path. >> from anywhere from mid-august, through the end of september here in south florida, we've had a long

history of major hurricanes, anywhere, in that time period hitting, so this is the peak of the hurricane season that we're building into and it's not unusual.

>> megyn: fox news alert, we are getting incredible, incredible exclusive images from sky news, who is now inside the qaddafi compound in libya. let's listen to the reporter. >> >> reporter: i'm sure the attention will focus there very, very soon. here it is all about celebration and jubilation, trucks and people coming in all the time. we just heard -- it's interesting, there are people just running in, and then coming out. it's been really remarkable, a huge explosion again from inside, but now, it is definitely about celebration

rather than anything else and it's going to be soon -- even more celebration for what has been quite a remarkable day for this revolution, certainly for the rebels who have pretty much taken over tripoli completely. >> it wasn't a walk in the park. we've just gotten new pictures in from the fighting a bit earlier on this evening, you can see it on the right of your screen, i guess you walk into the middle of -- i guess you walked into the middle of that, stuart? >> yes. i'm sorry. i'm getting somewhat mobbed as you might imagine, you can see the picture. so yeah, we walked into a quite serious fight. it appears that the rebels were able to get inside, there was a fairly major fight, and really fierce

turf fights that didn't last long. >> [chanting] >> [gunfire] >> >> [interruption] >> megyn: stand by and wait for it, because this is extraordinary, our sister network sky news has gotten a reporter inside the qaddafi compound now, obviously having satellite picture difficulties. you can understand that. as soon as we get his picture back up we'll bring him back to you, but here's what's happening folks, the rebels had not seized the compound, and yet now today, they have, they have largely seized all of tripoli and the compound itself, where moammar qaddafi was staying and living. >> >> reporter: i'm sorry about the interruption. >> megyn: here i believe this is alex crawford, also inside the compound. let's take a listen to her. >> [gunfire]

>> and they are -- they were coming under attack and started running. we started to dismantle and run with them. but they clearly are under attack, if they're -- if there are any qaddafi forces left and there doesn't seem to be any sign of them because the gunfire is coming from the opposition fighters, in the buildings around the roads, where they were -- they had taken up positions, and were trying to shoot people or any of the fighters who came close, but now, this is very much in the control of the opposition fighters. i mean, they have free reign of the compound, they're wandering all over the place, and in and out of the compound. you can probably see it, it gives you a slightly bigger picture. the fire you can see to the right of the building is the tents where colonel qaddafi conducted his interviews, you can see the trees,

that's now being put on fire, as has, well, most of the tanks around here. it's going to take a bit of a while to show you. as we turn all the way around and show -- give them a 360-degree view of the area, turn very slowly around, you can see the area which they've taken over, which is the iconic thathe, and also to the left, that you can see all the areas that they have set on fire. just a shell, really, now. there's nothing there. just whatever didn't melt is still standing. everything else has gone. and this is right in the inside area of the compound. beyond that, there is -- well, there are playing fields that you can see in the distance, where the family used to play of an

afternoon. i can see lots of ground all around here, it's now filled with opposition fighters. and also, a lot of civilians who just want to come here and celebrate. >> [gunfire] >> >> [chanting an gunfire] >> megyn: if you're joining us, we are watching extraordinary images coming to us directly from the qaddafi compound, inside the qaddafi compound, in tripoli, libya. this area is now under rebel control, under the control of opposition fighters, who have made their way into the compound and taken it over. they have not, however, according to any reports, seized moammar qaddafi. there are conflicting reports about where he is and where he has been. earlier today, an ex-libyan envoy, somebody who is the former deputy ambassador to the united nations for libya, who had been loyal to qaddafi, came out and said

that qaddafi had been -- that his son had been in rebel custody, but escaped. where is qaddafi? we still don't know. we're trying to figure out exactly what the status is inside the compound. let's listen again to the sky news reporter on site: >> >> reporter: we're stationed for the past two months, i also know, because somebody with me did the journey himself, they were taken, brought on escorted trips with the qaddafi regime from the hotel, when they actually arrived at the compound, they used one of the tunnels, where there was shown people demonstrating in favor. i must admit, among the opposition fighters, journalists were taken to the compound and people lined the streets between the hotel and the compound, celebrating the car davi

regime, because it was pretty impossible to imagine that, given that all the roads around this area have been com an deed by opposition fighters and especiallies on the side of the opposition rather than the other way around. every street is filled with their own barricades, taking up weapons in built concrete posts to stop any advance against the qaddafi forces and now the compoundo toe seemed like they've breached more than one entrance to the compound. it is awash with people, as well as fighters, but awash with civilians as well who don't even have guns, who just want to be here, who are taking pictures of the moment which they consider to be histor -- historic, an historic turning point for the libyan people. megyn: look at these unbelievable pictures, that man literally falling to his knees and getting down to

pray. just to put it in perspective for you, this man has ruled this country with an iron fist for 42 years, one person who is inside that compound, taking time to speak to the press and calling it an explosion of joy to be inside of that compound, saying i lost friends and relatives, and now i can walk into qaddafi's house. many of my friends have died and now all of that, meant something. this according to the associated press who conducted this interview. again, we don't know where qaddafi is, his son had been reportedly captured by the rebel forces, now we are hearing according to one former official, loyal to qaddafi, that that son had indeed been in rebel custody but escaped. where is qaddafi? we don't know. conflicting reports earlier today from one loyalist saying he was still in tripoli, another one saying that he was on the outskirts of tripoli. we do not know, but we do care obviously where he is and whether he continues in his resolve to fight.

those loyal to car qaddafi, but also for journalists who find themselves emeshed, as you heard from tadek earlier. we will bring you what we get from inside the compound, these are images coming from us -- to us from sky news, but we want to bring you another important piece of the story, and that is the united states state department which is now saying as you've been see thank there's no question that qaddafi regime has nearly collapsed, and that the battle for control of libya is raising serious new questions about these weapons, these weapons which are known as man pats, the defense department warning that libya has a stockpile of these shoulder-mounted missiles and that stockpile is now open not just to rebel forces but perhaps to potential terrorists. "america live" has purchased freelance video showing the rebel groups with some of these surface to air missiles in libya. we're told this was shot back in june of this year.

now for some perspective of what we're seeing, national correspondent catherine herridge. >> reporter: that video is quite something. according to a defense official, the number of man pats, the shoulder-fired missiles in qaddafi's control is 90,000 chairman of the house committee says he's concerned some of the weapons might walk away into the wrong hands: >> it is the one country that has the highest number of these shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles in that whole region, in the continent of africa, in the middle east. it is staggering to the length of which qaddafi went to purchase and implement these particular weapons systems, and what makes us nervous is there is not a full accountability. megyn: this -- >> this is context, al-qaeda in africa used two shoulder-fired missiles to try to bring down an israeli passenger jet over kenya, that failed but led the homeland security department to consider technology that could be used to protect

commercial aircraft from similar attacks. former homeland secretary michael chertoff told fox yesterday the threat from the man pads cannot be easily dismissed. >> the more serious the air missiles that are out and about, the greater the likelihood some of them will leave the immediate vicinity and find themselves either in africa or in europe or in other parts of the middle east. >> reporter: and on libya's chemical weapons, some u.s. officials say the stockpile is small and relatively crude but congressman rodgers told fox he believes it's fairly sophisticated and that the u.s. government has not had recent assurances about who is in control of those weapons either, megyn. megyn: catherine herridge, thank you. >> you're welcome. back to libya as the story warrants, but first from the campaign trail, big polling news on the road to 2012 where the gop field appears to be gaining steam,

a brand new poll shows the four top republican contenders so far in a dead heat with the president, perry, ron paul, mitt romney, michele bachmann, neck and neck with the president, but former governor mitt romney leads the pack here. joining me, alan coomes and david webb, host of the david webb show and cofounder of the tea party 365. guys, now you've got all four of the republican frontrunners -- frontrunner rers beat -- frontrunners beating or tied with barack obama, mitt romney is ahead of him by a couple of points, rick perry, dead even, ron paul and michele bachmann, only a couple of points behind. alan, you say there's plenty of time. >> plenty of time. mig your gut reaction. >> my gut reaction, certainly the president is going to have a tough road to hoe, he should be concerned about it and it's not going to be a cake walk for reelection. we are still in the middle of august, the end of the summer, a year and a half

before the election and people have not had a chance to get fully the other candidates. megyn: they have yet to be -- >> fully introduced to the public. megyn: i want to go to you david but alan, one of the numbers that jumped out to me is michele bachmann, one in ten democrats say they would vote for her over barack obama. one in ten democrats and the democrats have painted her as the most extreme. >> they are democrats. there are certainly a lot of blue dog democrats who really basically are conservatives, who -- look, joe lieberman supported john mccain in the last election. megyn: 11 percent of democrats saying they would go for bachmann. >> you know, again, once they really get to know her and her positions, and who her mentors have been and what she really stands for, the president has a really big case to make, make a great case about foreign policy, the economy may well improve between now and next fall, we have a year and a half to go, so this is very preliminary. certainly not something he

should not be concerned about, a double negative, but we have a long way to go and people really don't know these candidates yet. they're not paying full attention. megyn: what do you make of it, david? >> they do know the president, they know he has a failed stimulus policy, that a number of his programs -- >> megyn: you're saying these are antiobama numbers, not pro bachmann -- >> we've seen the failure of the housing bailout, freddie and fannie, businesses hurt with banking. the fact is the president has not put forth a plan and the only plan he put forth was voted down by democrats, 97-nothing and what does he do? a ninth major speech on jobs after labor day, so the american people are looking at -- >> megyn: but he has been out there pounding the message that it's not his fault, it's luck and so on, but he's also been pointing to the house republicans, people like bachmann. >> he can point all he wants -- >> megyn: and look at these numbers for them,. >> he can claim all he

wants, it's not my economy, if i do this by term three, i'll be a one-year president. guess what, the american people are saying okay, anemic recovery at best, our growth, .9%, our lack of jobs growth, underemployment, 12 ministers in california, in other areas, higher black community, 17-20 percent, and teens, 40 percent. megyn: alan, what do you make of the fact that when you look at independents, so obviously, he's losing some of the democratic support, he's not gaining any republican support, so we look at independents which is a critical voting block, according to our brain room, the president has lost his approval rating with them was 49, eight months ago, now it's at 35. so he's fallen, precipitously over just the past eight months with the independents. >> here's one of the reasons i say the polls are something you should hang your head on, george bush had a 70 percent approval -- not george w. george h. w. -- >> megyn: i was going to say he won the reelection!

>> bush 41 had a 47 percent approval rating at this point in his presidency, ronald reagan went as low as 37 percent, so again, this was early in his first term and he had at this point in his presidency, 43 percent, so under 50 percent, you'd say he's a goner, but -- >> megyn: but the trends with the independents have been going in the wrong way, the day barack obama took office. >> independents may go either way by the time the election comes. >> here's the thing, trends are nice, polls are nice. let's look at what the american people are saying, whether it's from the tea party movement or across the board. they're looking at it and as independents, more critical voters, voters who analyze and tend to vote a little more to the right, this is the reality in politics. when it comes to their pocketbook, which is what they're looking at. they're looking at underemployment, they're looking at -- >> megyn: clearly they're not happy with the status quo. >> they decide the election. megyn: but if president obama continues on his current message of i am trying and these house republicans are blocking, might that be a turnoff to the eupbtds? >> it's a big turnoff to

independents because they want results. they're critical people, they analyze, they look at results. >> you know what? >> and if they don't see results they look at it from that point. >> and he can say look at results, the last time we had a republican in the white house. look at what these republicans have done until now, look at those results. >> alan -- >> and three years -- >> three years into the presidency, it's his presidency and that's the fact. >> mitt romney says obama is waiting too long, until september 6th, and he says i'm coming out with my jobs plan september 6th. >> he's not the president. >> he is -- >> megyn: hey guys, thank you both, thank you very much. got a weather alert. we're now minutes from new data on hurricane irene, its strength and track, we keep updating it. it's going so big that washington is warning it may have to postpone the dedication of the new martin luther king memorial, and that is all the way up in washington, folks. we'll talk to the national hurricane weather center after this break. talk about a scary catch, a father and son in a

tiny boat with a very big shark, taking them for a ride. oh, my goodness, would you look at that? the two men and the sea, just ahead.

mig fox news extreme weather alert for you now n. a few momentings the national hurricane weather center will issue its warning for irene, spoebgt dollars -- expected to be a cat four storm before it hits the united states. the big question now, where will it make landfall, the federal emergency management system is warning the entire east coast needs to be on alert and pay attention. bill reeves joins me live on the phone. bill, what is the latest? first they were saying a couple of days ago, florida it would hit, then they were saying the carolinas, now there's talk about georgia. what say you? >> >> reporter: well, i

have not been pinpointing places. we have a storm that's running parallel to the coastline. in several days to a week away. it's hard to convince people that the precision of the picture you see on tv doesn't relate to accuracy. you don't know that far out in time precisely where the center of the storm will go. the main thing i want people to take away is this is going to be a very large an area size hurricane, so that regardless of where the center goes, there's likely to be impacts from it all up the eastern seaboard, beginning thursday, as it hits the bahamas and continuing on through the weekend as it moves up the eastern seaboard. >> you're saying it's going to be a big storm, it's going to begin thursday and go through the weekend. right now, is there still a possibility this thing could hit the united states as a category three hurricane? >> there sure is. it's way too early to tell precisely whether the likelihood of where the center will go, it's anywhere from, say, the

northern coast to the carolinas, on up into the mid atlantic, in the 5-day forecast we have out now. megyn: i want our viewers to know, it's been more than a century since georgia has taken a direct hit from a category three storm to put that into perspective but tell us, bill, for the lay person, you're talking to your friends at a cocktail paerbt and they want you to explain what a category three storm is. >> the reason we call it major, once the winds keep moving up in speed, the potential for damage goes up more or less exponentially, so a 50-mile an hour storm that does a certain amount of damage, you get it to 100 miles, and it's much, much more, you get it up into the 120-mile an hour range, the category three and better, the wind damage can certainly be severe. more importantly, as far as our coastline in the u.s. is that wherever the storm

goes, the further it goes inland, tremendous storm surges can occur and that's where we have the potential for great loss of life. megyn: what happens there? >> well, the force of the wind on the water raises the elevation as it pushes it up over the barrier islands and into the bays and rivers along the coastline, and we have built in so close to the water's edge, people like to live along the beaches and river fronts and bays, that it floods the properties there, and it varyies what that thread is and we remind people every year, remember what your thread is so we can know and we will warn you to do the right thing. >> what might impact might you see -- impact might you see on the east coast? >> a little early to say, if the storm tracks kind of what we're looking at in the models now, the potential for a major hurricane still exists sometime later in the weekend, late saturday into monday time frame that we're

looking at now, in new england. but that's beyond the skill of a precise forecast to pinpoint at this time. megyn: and right now it's hovering over warm waters which is not good in terms of generating strength of a hurricane. >> our anticipations are that as the storm's center moves away from the effects of the island of hispanola later tonight and tomorrow, we'll see an increase in the size and intensity and reach the category three status, right over the bahama islands. megyn: if the thing hits the united states at cat two and not cat three, people still need to be concerned. >> makes almost no difference. it's not a big giant step function. we're talking about a very large storm, and incremental changes from the amount of wind, 113-mile an hour category two and 117-mile an hour category three, i don't think you would be able to tell the difference. so i wouldn't focus so much on the various categories. we're forecasting a very strong hurricane, running

close to the coast of the united states. the potential for considerable damage is real. megyn: take this one seriously. bill, thank you very much for the latest, we appreciate it, all the best to you, sir. >> quite welcome, thank you. megyn: fox news alert, incredible video from our sister network, sky news, which has been doing great reporting in libya, reporter alex crawford, inside qaddafi's compound, getting a one on one interview with a rebel who got his hands on some of qaddafi's personal items. here's her report from moments ago: >> >> reporter: you can't see it, but i'm next to mr. al wendy who has colonel qaddafi's hat on his head, colonel qaddafi's -- i don't know what you call this. but it's some sort of masoni c -- he used to throw that around and his necklace. where have you been. >> i've been in the mountains since four-months ago, i was fighting qaddafi

troops, and kicked around to other places and other parts of libya, and now this is the first day, from struggling against qaddafi troops, and i'm really proud for this moment. the libyans have waited for 42 years. i'm going to give this to my dad as a present, because he used to -- he has suffered a lot from qaddafi and qaddafi policy. >> reporter: tell me how you got the hat. where did you get it? >> it wasn't pretty hard. i just went to find his room, which is -- >> colonel qaddafi's bedroom? >> yeah, colonel qaddafi's bedroom and i was really -- i was like oh my god. i was like oh my god, but then this thing happened, i found this. i was like oh my goodness! but i'm happy now, i'm happy this day, and i'm happy for libyans. for these people who have suffered a lot.

and i really thank all the countries that have stood with us, that have given us the help here, the help, and -- >> megyn: i mean, you got to laugh, right? because in my ear, they're like we've got an interview with one of the rebels inside qaddafi's -- and then look, there's the hat, we saw the hat on him many times. he's so happy, he said, he walked right into qaddafi's bedroom and put on the hat and necklace and some other bushy thing that i didn't understand the description of. listen, a moment of levity in the midst of this chaos. we'll take it, right? let's get to back to another sky news reporter who's been inside the compound reporting on the exchange of gunfire there that's been going on. let's take a listen. >> -- offensive by the rebels and suddenly it collapsed. we ended up here inside this compound that's been so significant, a symbol of strength of qaddafi, this is where he held meetings with

the african union, said they were open to talk about democracy, but he had no intention of leaving, of course, and that he had said he would stay here and hold this to the very end. well, it is the very end now. there may still be pockets around, we know it's a huge compound, we understand there are linkages to other parts of the city, this will have to be looked at. but -- >> [gunfire] >> there's the gunfire, it's going to happen all night. we really -- we're almost at sunset now, so the -- people streaming out with weapons will be going home to eat, pray, and -- >> megyn: this is a fox news alert, we are getting reports from the d.c. bureau that an earthquake was felt in washington, d.c. that an earthquake was felt in washington, d.c. the reports are just coming in, that the attorney general had just been escorted out of the department of justice, his motorcade is leaving, they

felt it at the department of justice, they have felt it in our d.c. bureau, they have felt it in other locations in d.c. we're getting reports coming in about light fixures rattles, people evacuating, a shock wave has rocked the capitol, moved from the senate to the house side, north and south, no one knows what it is, the capitol is being evacuated. i want to get right to trace gallagher, who is monitoring this from our breaking news desk. trace, my e-mail is lighting up with reports from our d.c. colleagues. >> reporter: and the first thing they're going to do, megyn, is look at how shallow the earthquake was, the depth is important as far as the magnitude goes and they'll also look at the pip point accuracy, where was the actual location of the earthquake. the first website that producers will go on is the usgs website, that will give us an idea of exactly how strong this was, how shallow it was, and what kind of waves it delivered, was it a sharp earthquake like we get here often in southern california, or was it a long, rolling earthquake.

sometimes the rolling ones can be more dangerous, because they tend to last a little bit longer. the sharp ones, that would be reminiscent of the san francisco earthquake, it was a very sharp earthquake, very quick jolt, it did a great deal of damage, immediately after hitting, and you have the northridge earthquake down here in southern california which had more of those long s waves that tend to be more rolling. didn't do as much damage, but still, over time, it can be very, very destructive. so it will be important to find out exactly what the magnitude was and where this thing was located, megyn. megyn: trace, let me stand you by for a minute. i want to tell our viewers, here in the studio, new york city, we felt it as well. i don't know if it was to the statement extent they felt it in washington but we felt something here as well, there was some shaking and here within the building of fox news, there are reports. now this is just striking, crossing, an earthquake, a 5.8 magnitude has struck at mineral, virginia, at mineral, virginia, shaking

buildings along the east coast of the united states. again, reports of what's happening in washington, the pentagon is being evacuated. the u.s. capitol is being evacuated. we've heard that the attorney general has been removed, is leaving the motorcade from the department of justice. one can assume that others within the department of justice, also leaving. the tremor was felt from times square, which is where -- essentially where we're located here all the way to lower manhattan and beyond, obviously, since this thing hit, we're told right now, in virginia. five point eight magnitude. and evacuations are taking place across the d.c. bureau and beyond. now, we, you know -- hopefully we can get somebody out of our d.c. bureau which is being evacuated at this moment. i'm not getting reports of injuries. i am hearing, again, this is from one of our fox news employees, that in suburban maryland, dishes are falling off the shelfs, it was so powerful there. that's in maryland, not virginia, where they say this happened.

but here trying to -- we're trying to get firsthand accounts of those who have felt it, another report, feeling it in annapolis, maryland. we're trying to get information on exactly how often this happens, folks. i can tell you this from personal experience, i lived in d.c. for three years, and never heard of an earthquake happening there at the time. but obviously, it's a different story today. magnitude 5.8, looking for details now on -- they're saying this has been reviewed by a seismologist, so they have this kind of thing instantaneously to find out how bad it was and where it hit, where the epicenter was. what i'm hearing now is that the last time it happened was back in july of 2010, but that was a 3.6 magnitude, centered in rockville, maryland, which is also in the suburban d.c. area. now, the washington area has had small infrequent earthquakes over the years, including one that was 2.5 magnitude, in '97, that was another one that was 2.3

magnitude in '96. again, these are small. five point eight is considerably bigger than what we're hearing has now happened. again, new york city, also feeling this. this is getting reports from new york, it's not just those of us here in midtown manhattan who felt it but downtown feeling it as well and our own bret baier joins me live from washington on the phone to explain what he felt down there. bret, what do we know? >> reporter: hey megyn. we were in the office in the d.c. bureau, as you know, it's right up next to the capitol, right here union station, a big glass building. i was in my office. and i kind of felt a shudder , the building kind of went side to side, and thought it was nothing, and then it was a bigger side to side, and the whole building kind of was shaky. you look outside, the windows are shaking, there's not any damage on the building, but the fire alarm went off, we started getting

calls from capitol hill of our producers, not knowing what happened. originally thinking, you know, something hit the capitol or something. but then, word that it looked like an earthquake. everybody is evacuated, i'm standing outside our building with hundreds of people from our building, essentially waiting for authorities to kind of tell waiting for authorities to tell us what the deal is. there is no damage to the building. but it was something to feel the here in the middle of the nation's capital, the floor completely shake side to side. and everybody ran it of the building using the stairs. megyn: they are saying the epicenter was between charlottesville and richmond, virginia. that's a considerable distance away yet it's affecting not just washington, d.c., but as far north to new york city. now they are saying it was a

magnitude 6.0 earthquake. initially reported at 5.8 magnitude. this one updated to have been a 6.0 quake. view rurp and down around the capital city area major shake and no reports of damage. what we are hearing here in d.c., but i can tell you i'm standing in the middle of the street and the capital is evacuated. there are thousands of people streaming out of the capitol building even though most people aren't around here. most of congress is gone. but there is still folks work in and around the capital area. everybody is on the streets and the fire alarms are going off. we just got past details now -- virginia is saying significant shakes down there in the & alexandria area. you just reported 5.8 at the

epicenter. megyn: updated to 56.0. we are told the pentagon has been evacuated. the capital has been evacuated. would they evacuate the white house given the president is not there? what can we expect at the supreme court and the other federal buildings in washington, d.c. on screen right times square. new york city, times square feeling its. boston feeling this. the epicenter down in virginia in betwee between charlottesvild richmond, virginia. >> reporter: any federal building will be evacuated. even though the president's staff is in martha's vineyard, i can tell you police are streaming the streets. here come some authorities trying to get people to the side of the road. and people are just waiting to hear what is going on. i'll also say that this was a

pretty quick event. at least from our perspective. it only lasted a few seconds. but clearly everybody felt that throughout washington, d.c. megyn: we are hearing that the earthquake of 6.0 has hit the eastern coast. we are hearing different reports of rumbling up to 25 seconds. one report saying it came in about two wavers. this is from our capitol hill producer reporting what he felt. that there was shake for five seconds. then it intensified. then it shook the entire capital. the longest shake close to 30 seconds. chandeliers were swinging in the capitol building. some small art fell off the walls. no one can get through. the lines are down. no one has cell phone service or at least center few people are able to get through. one person who has gotten through to us is chris wallace. i want to tell our viewers we

are having continuing problems in terms of our service referring the usgs. and whether their web site is up remains in question. chris wallace tell us your accounts. >> reporter: i'm off today and i'm in my home which is in northwest washington, the diplomatic section of the city. interestingly enough they were paving the road outside our house. so we have been feeling minor vibrations all day. then suddenly about i don't know, 10, 15 minutes ago it was more and more and more, then got so intensity felt like the house was going to shake down. i have to say there is only minor damage in our house. a couple windows have been cracked. when you put a window up. some of them have been snapped. but have minor damage. i thought it was going on with the construction outside, the paving of our street.

so i went out to talk to the foreman, meanwhile i saw everyone in every house in our neighborhood came outside, they all thought it was the paving. then it turns out it's this earthquake. it was pretty intense in a residential house in northwest washington, it felt like the house was tumbling down. people always say how long did it last any stay maybe 15 seconds. but there was 10 or 15 seconds that was very intense. megyn: a lot of our viewers know larry sabato. he just tweeted out that he calls it the biggest earthquake ever felt in charlottesville, virginia. there is lots of glass and paper on the floor and other damage down there. just getting new reports of what different folks have felt. again this is rather extraordinary. we have had smaller territory quakes in particular in the washington, d.c. area over the

past few years. we have not had reports of significant damage. it is early, folks. this news just hit moments ago. i want to get to our producer who is in times square to report on what was felt and heard out there. ron? >> reporter: we are downtown covering the dominique strauss-kahn hearing. all of a sudden we felt the truck rattle and shake. it almost seemed like the subway car was coming underneath us. and we looked up and the districts attorney said don't worry bits. i have been in territory quakes in seattle. nobody panicked. then of course you looked outside and people were just running out of the court

buildings. we asked a couple people who were working inside the building. they said that security guard came by and said the building is shake, be everybody out. they just poured out into the streets. megyn: we'll have video were told of people running out of the buildings. can you describe how long you felt the shaking? >> it felt like 15 seconds. it was a very hard -- you know, shake that rattinged for 15 seconds. then it went away. it felt like a subway car maybe had been going down temperature street in front of the courthouse. megyn: ron, thank you. we are going to have that video of the folks running out of the press conference in moments. we are told that the president -- at least those covering the president did feel the shake in martha's vineyard as well where he is vacationing. he is not at the white house, although all federal buildings

we are told we can assume will be evacuated right now. we want to know for sure. we had confirmed the capital is being evacuated. we can assume the department of justice and the supreme court -- and other buildings. i want to get to ed henry traveling with the presidents in martha's vineyard for what was felt and seen there. ed? >> reporter: megyn, just as we started seeing all that play out. if i was my way upstairs four floors up in this hotel in martha's vineyard to do a live shot with you. i did not feel anything because i was on an elevator up to the roof of this hotel. but my producer downstairs on the main level felt situation and shaking of the hand here. light fixtures and what not in the work space for the media. people felt that and they have been through earthquakes saying its felt like an earthquake. ones they have been through before. here you are on martha's vineyard. this was pretty powerful. now, we are trying to get

information -- there is a small group of reporters with president obama right here on martha's vine yard. he's playing government and we are trying to see if he felt anything. obviously it appears everyone here is okay. there is no sense that there has been anything too dramatic here on martha's vineyard. but we did feel something. may dan. megyn: we are getting conflicting information on the size of this quake. we heard 5 dallas 8, then we heard 6.0. i'm hearing 5.8. in any he vinlt was around there. we heard jfk airport was shut down. we don't tha have that officially. but one of our producers i is saying jfk has shut down. the pilot just shut the engines down. and that they are stuck on the tarmac. you can bet it's not just that one plane.

we are going to try to get that below dyers on the phone so we can hear from him and try to reach out to the local airplane airports. and other means of travel. you can expect delays and cancellations to the extent any rail lines have been affected. and give up this type of event they have always like to make sure there is not any significant or potentially hazardousous damage before they allow people to proceed with travel. this is just an eyewitness account from one of our pentagon producer. the earthquake was felt in our chairs well inside the building. we snook our chairs. snook our chairs. my chair rolled under me. the building -- the pentagon made of reinforced concrete and things were falling off the shelves. people were running for the exits fearing a 9/11-style attack. can you imagine being inside the pentagon as we approach the 10-year mark since the 9/11

attack and feeling that sort of rumbling and not knowing what it is and seeing others around you running and things falling off the shelves, thank goodness it was an earthquake and only an earthquake you could say. black suburban vehicles racing at the river entrance to evacuate the v.i.p.s from the pentagon. leon panetta is in california, but there marine helicopters flying above the pentagon. the u.s. capitol is being evacuated. the pentagon as well. trying to get some of those reporters and producers on the phone for you. but again we are having service problems. people's cell phones are down and even land lines are down. it's been more of an effort than you might expect. i want to get back to trace gallagher for some per speckive. >> reporter: the u.s.g.s. saying this was a 5.9 magnitude. the depth of this thing was

about a little more than a half mile. so it's a very shallow earthquake which makes it more dangerous and 5.i.9 is a strong earthquake. we talked about history earlier. the 3.6 earthquake they had in maryland earlier. that the strongest earthquake we could find in that area in recent years. when you talk about going from 3.6 to 5.9, that's a monumental lift. earthquakes don't just go up incrementally. the difference between a 5.9 and 6.0 is significant. it's probably about 1,000 times stronger. so you get a 5.0 to a 6.0 you are talking about 1,000 time the strength of that earthquake. that's why this is such a big deal. it was felt clearly up and down the eastern sea board. i would be surprised if after

these crews go out the first responders, they don't find some fairly substantial damage somewhere around this earthquake. we are talking about maybe 9 or 10 miles away from the district of columbia from d.c. proper where it was felt primarily. but then you go all the way up the eastern seaboard and it's felt all the way up to martha's vineyard. we are talking about virginia which is not really located on a major tectonic plate. when you talk about these plates, picture some raft in a swimming pool. when one goes over the other it causcauses the earth to shake. megyn: the east coast of the united states feeling the aftereffects from what we are being told is a 5.8, 5.9 or 6.0

magnitude earthquake. there according to the u.s. d.c., they are reporting vi sarks twitter that they getting many calls but they had no initial reports of injuries. that coming from twitter from d.c. fire and emergency services. here in new york it was felt as well. buildings in new york city including the one that your humble corresponds yenlts is reporting from shook briefly. we have new tape coming in from downtown manhattan as reporters felt the tremor. watch this. >> for generations this standard has protected -- i have been through earthquakes in seattle.

>> calm down. calm down. megyn: that was the press conference being held in the dominique strauss-kahn case in which charges were officially dropped by the prosecutors. you can see the folks reacting as they felt the shaking as did we all in new york city. the federal buildings have been evacuated in washington, d.c. and here in new york. now we are getting reports that the government buildings here including city hall have been evacuated or are in the process. the lower downtown new york city federal courthouse was situation. hundreds of people were seen leaving the building there. and now we are getting reports from one of our fox edge reporters that j.f.k. airport has been shut down. he was on a plane when the quake hit. doug, are you with me by phone? >> reporter: we are next in line for takeoff.

the pilot had to stop and shut engines down. we are just told the tower has been evacuated and everything is at a standstill. we are actually on the way to martha's vineyard. the pilot initially speculated the delay may be because the president was on the move. but it's because of this earthquake. megyn: how long did you feel the shaking? >> reporter: it's difficult to say. you are about approach, the engines king. you feel the plane itself shaking. i'm not sure if we felt any of that shaking in and of itself. but the pilot did just say he saw the plane that was next in line for takeoff and it was wavered off. and that plane seemed to be rocking. he speculated -- it's tough to say if that was because the engines or that was because of the earthquake. >> what was the status of things now. reporter: we are still waiting here.

the pilots are allowing the cell phones back on and we can move around the aircraft. but we are at a complete standstill. it's kinds an extraordinary situation. they apparently evacuated the airport control tower. megyn: thank you for the update. we'll get back to you as the news warrant. you should check if you have any travel plans today with your local carrier with the carrier you intended to use as we are now confirming that according to our reporter on the ground, jfk airport has been shut down as you may hear is the case with many airports and rail stations in the area. jennifer griffin is live at the pentagon which has been evacuated. >> reporter: we have just been allowed back in the building. but when the quake hit, and we didn't not was an earthquake at the time. as we were running down the hallway the entire building was being evacuated i heard

colleagues who mad been here on 9/11 say that's how it felt on 9/11 when the building was struck by flight 77. there was a lot of fear in those initial moments because they didn't not was an earthquake. we first night was an earthquake because when my producer and i got outside he received a call from his baby sitter in virginia not far from here, and she was crying because the earthquake had been so strong at his home. but it was quite a scene as the entire pentagon evacuated. there are 30,000 people inside the pentagon, and there were black suburban vehicles racings up the ram as we left the river entrance at the entrance used about it chairman of the joint chiefs. the secretary of defense is in california right now. but they were trying to evacuate the members of the joint chiefs. megyn: what we are seeing on the screen as you speak. we are -- or aerials are of new york city. can you imagine being up at the

top of the empire state building in the top of another building you saw a bunch of folks up on the roof to which they have perhaps been evacuated. we cannot tell you for sure. but it has been felt and it has been felt significantly in new york city as well. keep in mind the timing. you can najt scare a lot of folks went through this close to 9/11 in d.c. and new york. in particular when they feel that sort of a tremor, a trembling which is highly unusual for the east coast in terms of this magnitude. not being told for sure whether it's a 6.0 or 5.9. but a 5 to 5.9 is considered moderate, a 6 is considered a strong earthquake. they are infrequent on the eastern part of the united states in the northeast. >> reporter: our chairs shook -- you can imagine how heavy the pentagon as a building is. for this building to be shaking in this way, this was a strong

tremor. ironically we were interviewing survivors of 9/11. they were describing how they crawled through the halls. there was a lot of fear in these hallways that this was another 9/11. megyn: you can understand that fear. thankfully i guess we are told this was an earthquake because so far we haven't had any reports of injuries or deaths obviously it's very early. but that at least coming from washington, d.c. fire service. no reports of injuries. that is closer to the epicenter of the quake than we are here in new york city. the latest information from the u.s. geological service is the quake was a 5.9. they say that it hit near mineral, virginia. we'll try to give you a map of where that is exactly so you can understand. but it's near charlottesville and richmond. 5.9 magnitude earthquake shaking outside of washington, d.c.

about a half hour ago. we are told that it was a 3.7 mile deep quake. that's what the u.s. g.s. is describing. 3.7 miles deep. j.f.k. has been shut down in new york city as we are assuming the other airports are considering or have. we'll try to get you the latest information on their status. we are getting information from you have and down the east coast of severe trembling. things falling off the shelves as people felt what has been described as a 25-second shaking event as the quake hit. it happened right as we were on air here with you at america live. i want you to know according to our brain room an average of 1,400 territory quakes with a magnitude greater than 5 hit the united states each year. an average of 150 earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 6 hit the united states each year. those of us who live on the east coast and have for our lives are

more used to hearing about this halhappening in california thane are hearing it happening in virginia, d.c. or new york. i can tell you that as a lifelong east coast. the capitol evacuated. the pentagon evacuated. the federal building being evacuated. buildings in the new york city region being evacuated. people literally running out of building and running out of press conferences as we have been watching. we are now going to go to peter mcgow who works in mineral, virginia and was near the epicenter of this quake. thank you for being with us by phone. tell us what you heard and saw. >> it started out as a low rumble and increased in intensity. it lasted about 20-25 seconds. the building i was in was shake and stuff fell off the shelves. pictures and stuff like that.

it was a lot of power. you could definitely feel it in the ground and we just evacuated the building. went outside into the parking lot and it ended. and there doesn't seem to be any major damage to the area. traffic lights and everything is working. power is on. so at the moment it looks like it was a good shake. megyn: have you ever felt that before down there? >> no, no. megyn: when you first felt it, did you know what it was? >> not at first. i thought somebody bumped into the builting with a truck. but then it continued and got stronger. megyn: describe what you saw in terms of the other people. >> about the first second or two we all looked up. we thought it was isolated through our building like something was going on. then as we looked to each other nothing was said. everybody just seemed to realize

this was not a local accident and somebody -- there was an earthquake. and we just all started heading and shouting to get out of the building. and everybody evacuated safely and quickly. it was still shaking. it fade and went away. megyn: there is a question about whether we can be facing aftershocks. the east coast does get earthquakes but usually they are small. and we on the east coast are not quite as prepared as our friend in california or elsewhere for this type of event. i imagine this one caught you by surprise. >> yes, it did. megyn: thank you very much. we are getting more information on area airports. take a look at these aerials at some of the tops of the

builtings in new york city. earlier we saw top of the rock in new york city, the folks on their roof tops. we saw the top of the empire state building. this is new video of folks on the streets in new york because many of the build versus been evacuated. we have reaction from one person who experienced it firsthand. take a listen. >> first off, 9/11. it happened here. earthquake in new york, you feel it like that, it's not the first thought. it could have been an earthquake, but not my first shot. >> reporter: you thought another 9/11. >> something like it. like another building went down. megyn: what a terribly frightening thing have to imagine for those affected. and obviously we are worried about damage to buildings. not just loss of life or injury. but damage to buildings which is common when you have an earthquake that is a 5.9

magnitude which now we are being told this is. we are being told the control towers at the airport have been evacuated therefore all flights are on hold. the port authority is saying that they need to be inspected. the control towers and related facility need to be inspected before flights can resume. they don't obviously want to leave anything to chance. so folks who are not on the east coast may very well be affected by what we are seeing right now here on the eastern coast of the united states. i see my colleague bret baier. are we going to bret next? he's in front of the camera outside the d.c. bureau, bret? >> reporter: we are right out. >> it the d.c. pure off. this green glass building. inside as you heard from folks we felt it for 25-30 seconds. the floor shaking beneath us.

and then everyone -- the alarm went off and everyone went down the stairs. if you take a look over here. there are hundreds of people out on the streets in d.c. outside the capital, outside all of the buildings. all these folks waiting to see what they can do as far as getting back in. we have just been told by the building management that we can go in right now and get our things and then 30 minutes from now they are going to shut down this building for right now. and because they are concerned about aftershocks and whatever else about the building structure. so we are work on special report obviously. we are going to have it outside here tonight. and we'll do the show from here. you can hear the fire trucks and ambulance right here passing by. i can tell you as i let this ambulance pass by. you can see the capitol in the

distance. capitol hill is for the most part empty continues congress is not in session. but there is some staff here. they came out of the building. you talked to our producers over there. there was a real worry this was something like the capital getting attacked. obviously we learned more about the 5.earthquake. there is more concern about the buildings, know we can't see structural damage. but they are just take precautions here. they are letting people get their things out of the building and year not going to be allowed back in. we'll do the show from out here tonight, and it should be an interesting two hours. who said august was not a big news month? megyn: there you were just wishing you had gone to martha's vineyard with the president. you would have missed all the excitement. we'll see more excitement from you at 6:00 p.m. eastern if we don't get back to you before that. i want to let our viewers know this. an interesting report coming in from one of our producers who is

at the department of justice -- who is at the pentagon saying that a d.c. police officer is warning folks -- the department of justice do not go back into the d.o.j. and warning folks not to go into the subway because they are concerned about aftershocks. trying to get information on whether that is the case in new york city which is a major means travel, the underground subway system. the concern of aftershocks. we have not felt any. that doesn't mean they haven't happened or will not happen. no first-handle accounts of that. one extraordinary comment from this d.c. police officer to our producer, this is just a one-liner. but he told our producer they are concerned that the washington monument may be tilting. they are concerned that the monument may be tilting. that's all i have. a one-line event. now i'm getting word from mike tobin that we are now having

evacuations as far north as canada just across the border from detroit. that city hall was evacuated due to this quake. so this is a widespread event in terms of where it is being felt and who is feeling it. now i want to get to john rundle who is a seismologist at u.c. davis. my apologies. harley benz. my apologies for the name. i appreciate you being here. tell us about the 5.9 magnitude quake. >> we just had a magnitude 5.9 earthquake in central virginia. north of -- an area known for seismic activity but not this large. the largest one in this area in many, many years has been in the magnitude 4 range.

megyn: yet 5.9 more extraordinary? >> certainly much bigger than we have seen in the past. megyn: what can people expect in the wake of a 5.9 magnitude quake? what kinds of damage stan injuries typically if any? >> certainly to unreinforced masonry and brick structures we can see falling chimneys. structural damage to buildings. an earthquake this size on the eastern seaboard should be widely felt throughout much of the eastern united states and canada. megyn: can you expand on that in terms of beyond the buildings, do you typically see what minor scratch injuries, head bumps in. >> in terms of injury, people -- injuries will pry barely be from

collapsed structures which i haven't heard of any reports on or following -- falling obts could be brick from your chimney or things falling off the shelves and other things like that. megyn: can you explain the different reports we have been getting on 5 dallas 8 magnitude. 5.9 seems to be where we settinged. . megyn: the latest we heard is 5.9. how significant is the difference between 5.or 5.8. >> not a lot in this area. 5.8 to 5.9, it will be widely felt and can do dmajt local area around northern virginia. megyn: we were talking about now the folk out west are a little bit more prepared. this is video from downtown new

york from folks outside of the buildings that have been evacuated there. folks out west are more prepared for this type of events than we are here on the east coast. to what extent as far as you know are our buildings shored up and prepared for a mag used to this size? -- for a magnitude of this size? a magnitude earthquake of 5.9? >> in the western u.s. we have lots of newer structures built to seismic safety codes. on the east coast in this part of virginia we have a lot of unreinforced brick and masonry-type structures which are vulnerable to strong ground shaking. that's the biggest difference in terms of structures that can be damaged or hurt people.

megyn: the u.s.g.s. is saying this was a 5.9 magnitude earthquake. folks in new york and d.c. are walk around not knowing what to do after being evacuated. we want to update one thing. we are told j.f.k. airport has shut down. lla guardia has not been evacuated. it's open for business. you are seeing video from a press conference about the dominic traws kahn case that was dismissed today. the shots we are seeing are of people not knowing what to do. they have been kicked out of their buildings. they are not being allowed to go

back in:in our d.c. bureau folks are being told to get out. they are allowed to collect their belongings, they are not allowed to stay in the building. here you are seeing a shot of the g.w. bridge in manhattan where we are obviously going to listen for information about whether there has been any structural damage. though you heard the earthquake experts saying normally it would be buildings where chimneys have fallen. thing not built to withstand this type of quake. while 5 dallas .9 is big, theree been bigger quakes. so we are hoping for the best on that account. catherine herridge has new information from washington, d.c. >> reporter: i was in the office along with the rest of our colleagues when we felt the quake, we didn't know what it was and we rushed to the windows. it felt like there was an

explosion outside of the windows. shortly after that trish turner called in saying there had been some type of event and people were being evacuate from the capitol complex. name at north capital and to set the scene for you. as you look at all the building at this intersection. they all have their flash emergency lights on and the police have told me the phone lines in washington, d.c. are jammed right now and the -- and they are relying on radio communication. they told me the capitol hill building was cleared quickly because there are not a lot of people in there with the recess. they had no reports of anyone being trapped or left behind. the thing that's strike being this situation is there is not a lot of information right now partly because of communication problems we are all facing in terms of which buildings are letting people back in. some buildings as you mentioned,

the d.o.j. are not letting anyone in and no one is being allowed into the capital building as well. i think the communications problem is one of the big issues going forward. even the capitol hill police are relying on their radios. and no cell phone communication right now. megyn: we'll get back to you more men terribly. i want to get to doug who is with the fox edge who gave us a report by phone moment ago talking about lou they stopped his plane as it was about to take off given the earthquake. now we are getting shot from doug inside the plane. you will be able to see doug and we'll be able to hear this audio. this is rather extraordinary. give us the latest from the scene there. >> reporter: we are still on the edge of the runway waiting to take off. the entire airport has been shut down. the most recent update is the

port authority here in new york was actually out inspecting the runway trying to make sure there had not been any damage there. but there are one would imagine a number of planes in our situation on the tarmac waiting to take off. there is not much we can do but wait it out. there are a lot of people who walk around the planes with cell phones and computers while we await for the situation to get resolved. megyn: it's an interesting piece of technology that gives us a look on basically the runway at jfk airport. just because we can see you, what is the mood among -- let's listen -- >> everyone turn off their phones and sit back down.

keep in mind d.c. is a lot closer to the epicenter of this quake which was mineral, virginia to the southwest of washington, d.c. these are live pictures from outside of our d.c. bureau. folks are milling about basically all the buildings in d.c. a huge percentage of them are federal buildings. so folks have been evacuated from the buildings and are waiting to find out if they are allowed to go back inside. and what the rest of the workday will look like for them. one of the things people are waiting to hear about is whether there will be any aftershocks or

whether they need to worry about aftershocks. joining me for more on that is john rundel. he's a seismologist at u.c. davis. can you put a 5.9 earthquake in perspective. >> in california it would do damage, but not severe damage because our building are well constructed. but if you remember the earthquake that occurredn on february 22 in christchurch, new zealand. it killed several hundred people and damages thousands of building there mainly because of groundly questioground -- of grd liquefaction. it's probable that didn't happen in washington though there could be significant cracks in buildings such as at washington

monument engineers will want to look carefully at. the white house, the capitol building. all these things that were built before people worried about earthquakes in the d.c. area. it will be several days, weeks, maybe before the engineers, civil engineers can give you a total thumbs up on the lack of damage. megyn: i want to asko you about something hitting our you are gentle cue. two nuclear reactors are been taken offline near the quake site in virginia. would you imagine that's strand card procedure? >> it's standard procedure. i don't think anyone has to worry about what happened in japan. what happened with the tsunami is the cooling pumps were flooded. the seawalls were not big enough to withstand the 30-meter

tsunami that occurred. so sit am not the same situation you saw in japan. megyn: are the quakes we feel here on the east coast -- do they have less energy than those on the west? >> the determination of a 5.is - of a 5.9 is the difference in the energy released. the rocks are thicker and colder on the east coast than the west coast so they transport vibrations more efficiently. so that's why you are seeing the reactions all the he way up to canada where that wouldn't happen in california. megyn: we are hearing the state that felt this quake so farm include virginia, north carolina, rhode island, pennsylvania, new york, d.c., ohio, and we heard reports that one building was being evacuated in canada where it has been felt

as well. canada some point above detroit. >> if people want to figure out what the shaking might be or might have been at their sight we have a web site where they can go and use some of those tools and perhaps gain some more information about the event. megyn: openhazards.com. aftershocks, do you need to worry? >> you do. we don't have much experience with earthquakes on the east coast unlike the west coast. it's highly likely this is not a foreshah dove something bigger but people should be prepared notless. megyn: if we were face an aftershoict would occur from the same fault in virginia? >> it could, yes. megyn: what is the likelihood much it reaching around the 6.0

mark? >> usually the largest aftershock is one richter unit less than the main shock. so you would expect a 5 or 4.8. but there is a 5% chance in the west coast -- this would be a foreshorveg something larger. we -- this would be a foreshock of something larger. we can sort of assume that. megyn: we can assume what? >> we can assume it's not a foreshock of something bigger. megyn: getting an aerial shot of the george washington bridge that doesn't look that unusual. traffic jammed on one side and flowing freely on the other. that's one of the things they have to consider when they consider what may have been damaged and what needs to be inspected before they can see rall wait what is safe and what is not here in new york city and down in washington, d.c. again we have had no reports of significant damages to

buildings. no reports of injuries yet. but we are hearing some reports coming in. for example, of flooding, some flooding on certain floors at the pentagon and people being told to stay in their oferlss. we are hearing something about some damage inside of the capitol, inside the u.s. capitol that they are being evacuated due to tremors being felt. and we heard of perhaps a small fire in one of the capitol buildings, though we are awaiting for direct confirmation of that. it sounds like something small. if i didn't mention. new jersey is one of the states that felt the quake. i want to get to trish turner who is our capitol hill producer. she's live on the phone at the capital building. what are we hearing as to the actual damage. >> i'm standing next to capital police officers.

rare radios is the only way they have to communicate. we understand there is some sort of smoke in one of the office buildings we call the dirksen senate office building. a number of members have their offers there. i witnesses a fire truck heading down. blanlss are -- ambulances are everywhere. but all the streets are close. for now we are hearing possible damage in one of the house buildings, and smoke in the dirksen building. nothing inside the capitol yet. but i'll be surprised if there is not. that's where i was and it was really scary. megyn: what is the state of things as you look around you. >> we are all stand out on the lawn across from the capitol. the capitol police say they are do an accountability survey. they are trying to make sure everyone they know that was here

is present and accounted for. and that includes -- they were supposed to have a pro forma session today. senator chris koons from delaware was supposed to be here for that. he's literally stand out on the lawn with us and we are across the street from the capitol. a lot of people standing around. and we are trying to figure out what's going on. megyn: we are being told that all of the national mall monuments and memorials are being closed and evacuated after at quake, according to one of our producers one capitol hill police officer says there is concern the washington monument may be tilting. have you heard anything along those lines? >> i heard there was possible damage. that, too, was from a capital police officer. i think year in that period where you get all kinds of reports. i was from the pentagon in the

basement for 9/11. i can tell you so many misreports in the first half-hour or i should say several hours. lots of confusing inaccurate reports. but i will say i heard what you have from a capital police officer not far from me that there might have been some damage. it was really shaking hard. i'll be surprised if there isn't more damage. megyn: it many interesting. up here in new york it was much less of an event at least i suppose those of us here felt it. but that remains to be scene as we get more eyewitness accounts. now we are getting reports of damage at union station right across from i think what you are seeing right here. i think we are seeing the top of union station which is right across from the fox d.c. bureau. chunks of the ceiling fell to the ground near the shops on the first floor of union station. an eyewitness saw cracking. two-foot holes. the people inside the station

were panicking. many people believed a train hit the wall. union station has been evacuated. again, folks, put it in perspective. think about those who felt it on the eastern coast of the united states. folks in washington, at the pentagon, the capital, the white house. the financial district in new york. feeling so close to the 10-year mark since the 9/11 attacks. their buildings shake. it's not like california where we often get earthquakes with. in d.c. and new york we tend to lead to a different conclusion. we have been hit by a 5.9 magnitude quake. no reports of significant building damage yet. what we heard so far is mostly about minor damage, but damage

nonetheless. we have seen aerial shots people on the top of the empire state building. walking around the building perhaps wondering what to do. people on the streets of new york and washington, d.c. wondering where to go. some who work in building such as the one that houses fox news d.c. being allowed to go back in mow men tearily to collect their belongings. others in larger building suffering from minor flooding. small fires, perhaps not as lucky. there is some concern about the safety of the subway system in the d.c. area. we have not heard that here in new york. but we heard one report in d.c. about that concern. some concerns in j.f.k. airport about the control towers there being evacuated and halting flight traffic temporarily. though our fox edge reporter seemed to be able to take off. that is how it would appear from his report he delivered on this program. we are look at the capitol dome.

on the left is the mall in front of the washington monument. you can't really see the monument. we are told from one d.c. cop told one of our producers and then a different cop told another one of our producers there was some concern the monument may be tilting. that is unconfirmed. it is fluid. things are just breaking. bear with us on this. we are also being told that two nuclear reactors close to the epicenter of the quake in virginia have been taken offline but there have been no reports of damage to those nuclear reactors. 5.9 magnitude quake typically includes property damage. in particular to older buildings that have not been shored up for such events. >> reporter: the u.s.g.s. downgraded this back to 5.8 magnitude and they are saying the depth has changed.

first was 3 1/2 miles, then they upgraded to less than a mile, thousand they are saying 3 1/2 miles deep and it was a 5.8 magnitude. that's the latest from the u.s. g.s. an important point made about it seismologist about how these earthquakes are dispersed. because you had this quake down in virginia it was felt up in buffalo, new york and new york city because the rocks they have on the east coast transmit energy much more efficiently. that's why you had this thing felt over such a vast area. the good news is because it was so spread out, you didn't have that significant jolting in one specific area that you would have on the west coast. that's the extent of it. but the georgia bad knew is you get much -- but the bad news is you get much more after jolt.

they downgrade this to 5.8 magnitude. 3 1/2 miles bloat surface of the earth which is still -- below the surface of the earth. one would expect they are check the subways carefully in new york and d.c. because those are points of interest. they don't have the building codes on the east coast they have on the west coast which is why they are being very diligent i'm sure at the airports and transportation hubs up and down the eastern seaboard to find out what happened to them. my guess is in all the major cities up and count eastern seaboard tonight will be a travel nightmare when it comes to rush hour. megyn: this just crossed into my email which is that the new york city subway city is unaffected for the mta as of now.

it has not been affected. so that's good news for folks trying to get around by subway in new york city. i do want to report this. this is a major piece of this story. a communication service is extremely spotty and has proven to be problematic. verizon wireless and at&t says their networks are congested. the verizon wireless spokesperson says there is no damage to the company's equipment, it's just vol. there has been a crush of phone calls. customers may also be experiencing delays. that's not a huge surprised though it makes it difficult to reach our family and friends. we have had no reports of injuries here on this broadcast or at fox news or on the wires which is good news. no injuries immediately reported and in a quake this size, offen times there would not be.

there may be perhaps just property damage. that is what we are hoping. and we are hoping it is not significant damage at that. just getting new u.s. g.s. numbers. new numbers have not been updated on line but they are 5.8 magnitude with a depth of 3.7 miles. earlier the quake 5.9 in magnitude. we are told that the fbi down in washington, d.c. is conducting what is called accountability checks trying to figure out who is there and who is accounted for. the perimeter is closed off around the capitol around washington, d.c. the capitol has been evacuated as has the pentagon and the federal buildings. folks in d.c. are being told not to go back into those federal buildings and not to go down into the d.c. subway system. they are trying to confirm the extent of the damage there. we are told the la guardia

control towers have not been evacuated. we understand that airport is open. it's conflicted about j.f.k. it was shut down earlier. that seems to have been changed. this earthquake was felt up and count east coast from martha's vineyard where the president is even down in georgia we are hearing this was heard to some extent and in new york city including times square just a couple weeks before 9/11. david lee miller is outside of our new york headquarters. let's get to him for the latest there. >> reporter: we were in the heart of times square and business as usual. most of know and the tourist unfazed by the aftershocks that hit the city. most people i'm i have talked about seemed more concerned about buying broadway tickets for this evening. by spoke to a couple of people in one of the office towers.

they did save they did feel some shaking. most of the buildings here are not vac waited. but for most peoplist's business as usual. one office worker said he felt dizzy. he didn't understand what was happening. of course, it was the building shake. the surface street here -- the situation in the highrise is different. the building did sway. but from times square my vantage point it does likes none of the buildings in the immediate area have been evacuated. i did talk to a police officer who seemed to feel that the aftershocks were more strongly felt downtown in lower manhattan. megyn: i want to clarify the lower third we have is outdated. the earthquake has been felt up and down the east coast as far south as georgia, connecticut, new jersey, new york, d.c.,

virginia. maryland and so on. we'll update that list of states. again not completely sure what the status is of the airport.. reagan national outside of washington, a different story. we are told flights were put on hold there. ceiling tiles fell to the floor after a few seconds of shake. the authorities announcing it was an earthquake and putting the flights on hold in reagan national. also at union station which is the train station in washington, d.c. reports ceiling tiles falling, beam running, people scared. panic was the word used to describe there. the pentagon, low rumbling buildings the pentagon was shake. people running into the corridors there of the pentagon. annals the shaking continued, reports of people hearing shouts of evacuate, evacuate. can you imagine what that was like for folks inside of the pentagon again at this point. at any point, really.

but at this point in particular give up the date. we are told these communication problems continue. it sounds like there are more evacuations going on in d.c. than here in new york. the shot we had of times square looked like people were congregating and milling about. but it didn't look much different than it usually looks in times square. it seems far from panic. just getting this in from amtrak which says service has been disrupted. that they are operating with speed restrictions between washington and baltimore. and this earthquake now being downgraded to 5.8. initially we had been told it was a 6.0. 5.9. now the u.s.g.s. is saying it was a 5.8 magnitude earthquake. new york city mayor michael bloomberg w