A rare 4.8 magnitude earthquake centered near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, rattled the greater New York City area on Friday morning.
The earthquake occurred at 10:23 a.m. EDT, according to the United States Geological Survey, and shook other Northeastern cities, including as far south as Philadelphia and as far north as Boston.
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) addressed the earthquake and said that the state is “assessing impacts” of the tremor.
A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit west of Manhattan and has been felt throughout New York.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) April 5, 2024
My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day.
“A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit west of Manhattan and has been felt throughout New York,” Hochul said in a post on X. “My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day.”
Hochul said later at a press briefing that there were no reports of major damage to buildings, but agencies are in the early phases of evaluating the damage.
Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) said he activated the State Emergency Operations Center in the aftermath of the quake. New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s (D-NY) office said it had not seen any reports of major effects but warned of potential aftershocks.
In case of an aftershock, drop to the floor, cover your head and neck, and take additional cover under a solid piece of furniture, next to an interior wall, or in a doorway.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) April 5, 2024
We will be updating the public very soon with additional updates.
“While we do not have any reports of major impacts at this time, we’re still assessing the impact,” the mayor’s office said in a post on X. “In case of an aftershock, drop to the floor, cover your head and neck, and take additional cover under a solid piece of furniture, next to an interior wall, or in a doorway.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the earthquake.
The President has been briefed on the earthquake, which had an epicenter in New Jersey, and he is in touch with his team who are monitoring potential impacts. The White House is in touch with federal, state, and local officials as we learn more.
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) April 5, 2024
“The President has been briefed on the earthquake, which had an epicenter in New Jersey, and he is in touch with his team who are monitoring potential impacts. The White House is in touch with federal, state, and local officials as we learn more,” Jean-Pierre said in a post on X.
Officials at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey instituted a ground stop until 11:30 a.m. EDT to inspect for damage. The Federal Aviation Administration also warned there could be effects at Philadelphia International Airport and at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
A 4.8 magnitude earthquake in New Jersey may impact some air traffic facilities in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Air traffic operations are resuming as quickly as possible. For real-time air traffic updates please see: https://t.co/smgdqJN3td.
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) April 5, 2024
“A 4.8 magnitude earthquake in New Jersey may impact some air traffic facilities in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Air traffic operations are resuming as quickly as possible,” the FAA posted on X.
Amtrak, NJ Transit, and other transit agencies also announced delays to inspect the tracks.
The quake, while significant due to its rarity, is not considered a strong earthquake but rather a light tremor. Several residents of the affected areas took to social media to report that they felt the quake, with some mocking the reaction to the tremor’s minor effects and damage. Posts mocking the earthquake included those of tipped over trash cans and chairs, as opposed to severe damage.
Video from @mncasasnovas shows the moment a 4.8-magnitude earthquake hit New Jersey. Updates here: https://t.co/DmY70abO6v pic.twitter.com/dpeBpIopBm
— FOX 5 NY (@fox5ny) April 5, 2024
Videos of the earthquake from New York and New Jersey showed shaking but little visible damage to structures.
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While the earthquake in the New York City area appears to have had little to no damage, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake that shook Taiwan earlier this week caused significant damage to several buildings on the island.
Earthquakes on the East Coast of the U.S. are rarer than on the West Coast and other places around the world. The most recent high-profile earthquake on the East Coast occurred in Virginia in 2011, with a 5.8 magnitude quake that rattled Washington, D.C. For the New York City-Philadelphia-Wilmington area, the USGS says that moderately damaging earthquakes occur roughly twice a century.
