An earthquake shook the densely populated New York City metropolitan area Friday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said, with residents reporting they felt rumbling across the Eastern Seaboard. The agency reported a quake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8, centered near Lebanon, New Jersey. The Fire Department of New York said there were no initial reports of damage.
Quick Read
- Earthquake in NYC Area: A 4.8 magnitude earthquake centered near Lebanon, New Jersey, was felt across the New York City metropolitan region and along the Eastern Seaboard.
- No Immediate Damage: The Fire Department of New York reported no initial damage following the quake.
- Community Reactions: In Manhattan, the earthquake caused a brief intensification of city noise, with increased honking in midtown and some buildings in Brooklyn experiencing shaking and loud booming sounds.
- Widespread Impact: Reports of the quake’s effects came from as far as Baltimore and Philadelphia, indicating a broad area of impact.
- State Response: Governor Kathy Hochul announced that her team was evaluating the situation for any impacts or potential damage caused by the earthquake.
- Manhattan Reaction: The earthquake caused a temporary increase in noise levels in midtown Manhattan, with drivers honking more amid the trembling streets. In Brooklyn, residents reported hearing booming sounds and feeling their buildings shake.
- Calm Amidst Confusion: An experienced Californian residing in Manhattan’s East Village helped soothe anxious neighbors unfamiliar with earthquakes.
- Wider Impact: Reports of the earthquake’s effects came from Baltimore, Philadelphia, Connecticut, and other East Coast locations not typically affected by such seismic events.
- Official Response: Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the earthquake was felt statewide and that assessments were underway to determine any resulting impacts or damages.
- Historical Context: The event brought back memories of the 2011 earthquake, the most potent East Coast tremor since World War II, which caused significant damage and led to evacuations in Washington, D.C., and stirred anxieties in New York close to the 9/11 attacks’ 10th anniversary.
The Associated Press has the story:
Earthquake shakes New York City area with magnitude of 4.7, officials say
Newslooks- NEW YORK (AP) —
An earthquake shook the densely populated New York City metropolitan area Friday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said, with residents reporting they felt rumbling across the Eastern Seaboard. The agency reported a quake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8, centered near Lebanon, New Jersey. The Fire Department of New York said there were no initial reports of damage.
In midtown Manhattan, the usual cacophony of traffic grew louder as motorists blared their horns on momentarily shuddering streets. Some Brooklyn residents heard a booming sound and their building shaking. In an apartment house in Manhattan’s East Village, a resident from more earthquake-prone California calmed nervous neighbors.
People in Baltimore, Philadelphia and other areas also reported feeling the ground shake.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul posted on X 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.
In midtown Manhattan, the usual cacophony of traffic grew louder as motorists blared their horns on momentarily shuddering streets. Some Brooklyn residents heard a booming sound and their building shaking. In an apartment house in Manhattan’s East Village, a resident from more earthquake-prone California calmed nervous neighbors.
People in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Connecticut and other areas of the East Coast unaccustomed to earthquakes also reported feeling the ground shake.
The shaking stirred memories of the Aug. 23, 2011, earthquake that jolted tens of millions of people from Georgia to Canada. Registering magnitude 5.8, it was the strongest quake to hit the East Coast since World War II. The epicenter was in Virginia.
That earthquake left cracks in the Washington Monument, spurred the evacuation of the White House and Capitol and rattled New Yorkers three weeks before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
