WASHINGTON (AP) — Structural engineers are expected to begin rappelling down the Washington Monument to check on damage caused by last month's earthquake.
Carol Johnson, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service, said Wednesday that a team was inside the monument and preparing to begin the work.
It rained heavily in Washington on Wednesday and it was not immediately clear when rappelling would begin.
The inspection of the monument’s exterior was delayed a day because of lightning.
A team worked for several hours Tuesday setting up equipment and creating a protective barrier around the monument’s lightning rods.
The engineers will be looking for cracks, chips and other damage caused by the 5.8-magnitude quake that shook the U.S. capital Aug. 23.
