Northeast Shook by Earthquake

Residents in New York City and neighboring New Jersey felt the earth move under their feet as an earthquake hit Northeast U.S. Friday morning. No injuries or damage has been reported.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit about 10:30 a.m. and could be felt from Maryland to Maine.

Its epicenter was near Lebanon, New Jersey, NBC News reported.

According to USGS records, this earthquake was the strongest recorded in the Northeast in more than a decade.

“There were no immediate reports of major destruction or any fatalities,” according to NBC News. “Local and regional officials from cities in the earthquake zone said inspections had been launched to ensure that buildings, bridges and other infrastructure were not damaged.”

USGS said the quake might have been felt by more than 42 million people, Politico reported.

Lebanon Mayor James Pittinger called the earthquake “the craziest thing I’ve ever experienced.” 

In an interview with MSNBC, he said he had not received reports of any significant damage, but did say the earthquake caused items to fall from his shelves.

“While a 4.8-magnitude temblor is not considered a major earthquake, even minor shaking can cause damage on the East Coast,” Politico reported. The East Coast “does not take similar precautions as other earthquake hot spots around the world.”

New York City’s emergency notification system said in a social media post more than 30 minutes after the quake that it had no reports of damage or injuries in the city. The Fire Department of New York said on social media about an hour after the quake that it was “responding to calls and evaluating structural stability” but that there are “no major incidents at this time.”

People in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Connecticut and other areas of the Northeast reported feeling the quake. Tremors lasting were felt over 200 miles away near the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border, per the outlet.

The White House said in a statement that President Joe Biden had been briefed on the earthquake and was “in touch with federal, state, and local officials as we learn more.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the quake was felt throughout the state. 

“My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day,” Hochul said.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said no major injuries or impacts to infrastructure were reported, and that “people in the city should ‘go about their normal day,’” NBC News reported.

Ground stops were issued temporarily at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s website.

The Port Authority Transit Corp., which operates a rapid transit route between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, suspended service in the aftermath of the quake, per the outlet.

Earthquakes are less common on the East Coast because the area does not lie on a boundary of tectonic plates. However, earthquakes in this region can still pack a punch since its rocks are better at spreading earthquake energy across far distances, Politico reported.

“If we had the same magnitude quake in California, it probably wouldn’t be felt nearly as far away,” said USGS geophysicist Paul Caruso.

Since earthquakes are not common in the Northeast, many people were confused and confused, leading to posts on X.