Washington Monument: Engineers to rappel down cracked Washington Monument

Engineers plan to rappel down the 555-foot Washington Monument to assess damage from a rare earthquake and storms that struck the U.S. capital last month.
The National Park Service said four engineers will inspect the well-known obelisk on Tuesday. The Washington landmark has been closed to the public since the Aug. 23 quake.
"It's structurally sound and not going anywhere," said Bob Vogel, Superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks, standing below the monument Monday.
The monument, finished in 1884, sustained cracks more than an inch wide during the 5.8-magnitude earthquake, with water from Hurricane Irene and summer storms seeping in and causing damage, according to the park service.
Engineers will rappel on all four faces of the monument from two ropes each, anchored from a safety hatch near the top of the structure.
The NPS anticipates the monument's overall assessment will finish in mid-October.
"The Washington Monument is a national treasure," said Vogel. "We want to get this right."