4.8 magnitude earthquake rattles New Jersey, New York, Connecticut
People from Massachusetts down through New York City, New Jersey, and Connecticut all the way to Philadelphia reported feeling shaking for as long as 30 seconds.
Earthquake specialist Dr. Wendy Bohon talks with AccuWeather about the probability of stronger earthquakes in the Northeast and what to do if they happen.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 4.8 earthquake struck near Lebanon, New Jersey. The earthquake struck at 10:23 am EDT. and its epicenter was about 3.1 miles northeast of Lebanon, New Jersey, at a depth of just over half a mile. Lebanon is about 48 miles west of New York City.
Since 2000, there have only been three other earthquakes matching or exceeding today's magnitude of 4.8 in the eastern U.S. (not including earthquakes in Canada and the Atlantic Ocean). The Ramapo Fault runs through Pennsylvania into New Jersey and New York.
People from Massachusetts down through New York City, New Jersey, and Connecticut all the way to Philadelphia reported feeling shaking for as long as 30 seconds, many of them taking to X to share their experience.
An earthquake was felt across multiple states in the Northeast as security cameras and phones recorded first reactions to the event.
New York City resident and employee Catherine Gulotta said her building was shaking and she immediately ran to her bathroom for safety. Other New Yorkers are reporting on X that their buildings were being evacuated as a safety precaution.
The FDNY posted on X that there are no initial reports of damage or injuries.
There were initial delays at regional airports, including Newark, JFK and LaGuardia, as they initiated a 'ground stop' while they inspected buildings and runways. New Jersey Transit rail services reported delays of at least 20 minutes due to bridge inspections after the quake. Amtrak also inspected tracks and restricted train speeds, saying lines throughout the Northeast may be impacted until all inspections are completed.
How does today's earthquake compare with past earthquakes?
This is the strongest in the East since the 2020 North Carolina earthquake, according to the USGS, and the strongest in the Northeast region since a 5.3 quake in northern New York State in 2002. The largest earthquake in New York City history was a 5.2 magnitude in 1884.
In New Jersey, this is the strongest earthquake in nearly 250 years and 3rd strongest on record for the state in 280 years of record-keeping (1737-2017). The only 2 stronger ones: a 5.2 mag in 1737 and 5.3 mag in 1783, according to the governor's office.
Northern New Jersey is situated above the Ramapo Fault, the longest fault in the Northeast. According to the New Jersey Monthly, "It begins in Pennsylvania and moves into New Jersey, trending northeast through Hunterdon, Somerset, Morris, Passaic, and Bergen counties before terminating in New York’s Westchester County, not far from the Indian Point Energy Center, a nuclear power plant. And though scientists dispute how active this roughly 200 million-year-old fault really is, many earthquakes in the state’s surprisingly varied seismic history are believed to have occurred on or near it."
This is a developing story and AccuWeather will continue to bring you updates.
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