The U.S. Geological Survey initially measured the earthquake at 4.8 magnitude.
On Friday morning, there was an earthquake on the East Coast of the United States, according to officials. Geological Survey, causing buildings to shake and nerves to fray from Maryland to Maine.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake measured 4.8 magnitude and was centered near Whitehouse Station in New Jersey. It occurred shortly before 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
There were no immediate reports of major damage. Local and regional officials from the cities hit by the earthquake said inspections have begun to ensure that buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure were not damaged.
The earthquake was the strongest recorded in the Northeastern United States in over a decade, according to records from the U.S. Geological Survey.
James Pettinger, the mayor of Lebanon, New Jersey, described the earthquake as “the craziest thing I’ve ever witnessed.” In an interview with NBC News, he said he had not received reports of any major damage so far, but added that the shaking caused his dog to flee for cover and objects to fall off shelves.
Kathy Hochul, the Governor of New York, mentioned that people across the state could feel the earthquake.
She wrote on X, saying, “Hey everyone, just wanted to let you know that my team is currently checking in on how things are going and making sure nothing got messed up. We’ll keep everyone in the loop as the day goes on.”
New York City Deputy Mayor Fabian Levy said there were no reports of major effects in the city following the earthquake.
Sure thing! Flights were temporarily halted at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, as stated on the Federal Aviation Administration website.
The Port Authority Transit Corp, which operates a rapid transit line between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, suspended service following the earthquake.
PATCO said in an update on X: “Work crews will be inspecting the line for safety out of extreme caution.” “Once the inspection is complete, service will resume. There is no timeline. Updates to follow.”
The New York City Transit Authority said there was no impact on its services, but crews will be inspecting train lines. New Jersey Transit warned passengers of a 20-minute delay due to bridge inspections following the earthquake.
Although earthquakes aren’t common in the Northeastern United States, Buffalo, New York experienced a surprising shake-up in February 2023 when a 3.8 magnitude earthquake struck. It was the most powerful earthquake the region had felt in four decades.
Back in 2017, there was this pretty surprising 4.1 magnitude earthquake that shook up the whole tri-state area. It all centered near Little Creek in Delaware, as per the folks at the U.S. Geological Survey. But even before that, in 2011, there was this even bigger quake, a whopping 5.8 magnitude one, that rattled central Virginia. It was so intense that folks all along the East Coast felt it, and it caused quite a stir. Loads of people had to clear out of buildings in places like New York, Washington, and other cities.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said in a post on X that the state has activated its emergency operations center and asked the public not to call 911 unless they are facing an emergency.