What has been described as a rare magnitude 4.8 earthquake yesterday, rattled New Jersey on Friday, shaking buildings in Manhattan and sending tremors across the Northeast United States, a region unfamiliar with much seismic activity.
The U.S. Geological Survey was quoted as saying that the quake was felt across New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, adding that It struck about 40 miles southwest of Manhattan at 10:23 a.m. Eastern time.
Its epicenter was less than 1 mile northwest of the unincorporated community of Oldwick, N.J. Weak shaking was felt from Washington, D.C., to Maine, including in Boston, Philadelphia and Albany, N.Y.
Although there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, people reported feeling buildings sway in New York City. At 11:02 a.m., they received a beeping emergency alert on their phones urging them to stay indoors and call 911 if injured.
At busy intersections, people’s cellphones shrieked as a series of the same alerts warned of aftershocks. In midtown Manhattan, convenience store proprietor Arun Kumar, 50, said he thought the rattling was a heavy truck passing nearby.
“But it felt a little weird, a little different, you know?” he said.
Read also: British farmers demand basic income to tackle post-Brexit struggles
The Federal Aviation Administration initially warned that the quake could disrupt air traffic facilities in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Three hours after the quake, Newark Liberty International Airport’s “air train” service, which carries passengers between the airport train station and the terminals, remained suspended for inspections.
Reacting from the White House, President Joe Biden said that he had since spoken with New Jersey governor. Phil Murphy.
“He thinks everything is under control,” Biden said of the governor. “He’s not too concerned.”
The USGS said that there was “a low likelihood of casualties and damage” from the quake. According to the agency, strong shaking was felt at the epicenter, as defined by the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. That’s enough to be felt by everyone, but cause only slight damage.
About 7½ hours after the initial earthquake, a magnitude 4.0 aftershock struck roughly 12 miles away from the initial epicenter, the USGS reported. Shaking again was reportedly felt throughout the New York area.
Story was adapted from Los Angels Times.
