A 4.8-magnitude earthquake struck the vicinity of New York City on Friday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake caused buildings up and down the East Coast to shake, surprising residents in an area not accustomed to significant seismic activity.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located in Tewksbury, central New Jersey, approximately 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of New York City. It occurred just after 10:20 a.m. ET (1420 GMT) at a depth of 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles), as reported by the USGS.
A small but noticeable aftershock, measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale, occurred at 5:59 p.m., according to the USGS.
Although no major damage was reported, engineering teams were dispatched to inspect roads and bridges.
Governor Kathy Hochul of New York described the earthquake as one of the most significant to hit the East Coast in the last century during a news conference.
Mayor Eric Adams of New York City stated that there were no reported injuries but advised residents to take cover under furniture, in doorways, or next to interior walls if they felt aftershocks.
Reports of rumbling and shaking were received from people as far as Baltimore to Boston, with some individuals running outside to identify the source.
Charita Walcott, a resident of the Bronx borough of New York, described the earthquake as a violent rumble lasting about 30 seconds.
James Pittinger, mayor of Lebanon, New Jersey, near the epicenter, reported no injuries or significant damage but noted that people were unsettled by the experience.
U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy regarding the earthquake, and the White House announced that assistance would be provided if needed.
At the United Nations headquarters in midtown Manhattan, the CEO of Save the Children abruptly stopped addressing the Security Council on the Israel-Gaza conflict as cameras began to shake.
Flights were temporarily halted at area airports following the earthquake but had resumed by 12:30 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Some delays were expected.
Friday’s tremor was the most significant felt in the city since a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in Virginia in 2011, which prompted evacuations of City Hall and other buildings and caused damage in Washington.
It’s important to note that earthquake magnitudes are measured on a logarithmic scale, meaning the energy released by a quake increases exponentially with each whole number. For example, the 1989 earthquake that disrupted baseball’s World Series in San Francisco measured 6.9 magnitude, making it over 1,000 times more powerful than Friday’s quake.
Earthquakes in the eastern U.S. are felt over a broader area compared to those in the western U.S. due to differences in bedrock. The older and harder bedrock in the East transfers seismic energy more easily, while the younger, fault-rich rocks in the West absorb more energy.
