Earthquake Rattles U.S. East Coast

An earthquake shook the East Coast of the United States on Friday. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) first reported it as a 4.8-magnitude quake. Later, there was a smaller aftershock measuring 4.0 on the magnitude scale. The earthquake caused buildings to shake from Maryland to Maine. The USGS located its center near Lebanon, New Jersey. It happened a little before 10:30 a.m. ET. The aftershock hit around 6 p.m. ET.

This morning earthquake was the strongest recorded in the Northeast in over ten years. However, there were no immediate reports of major destruction or any fatalities. Local officials launched inspections to check buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure for damage. The Mayor of Lebanon, New Jersey, James Pittinger, described the earthquake as the craziest thing he ever experienced. While there were reports of minor damages, no significant harm was reported so far.

Although a 4.8-magnitude quake isn’t seen as major, it can still cause damage on the East Coast, where safety measures against earthquakes are less compared to other regions. The quake was felt across New York State, but Governor Kathy Hochul assured that they were assessing any impacts or damage. Mayor Eric Adams of New York City confirmed no major injuries or infrastructure impacts.

The earthquake caused temporary flight disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport. Train services were also suspended temporarily for inspection. While earthquakes in the northeast U.S. are rare, they do happen occasionally. New Jersey’s Governor, Phil Murphy, activated the emergency operations center and asked the public to use 911 only for emergencies.

A professor from Princeton University explained that the earthquake occurred on a shallow fault system in New Jersey and lasted about 35 seconds. East Coast earthquakes can be felt from a great distance due to the region’s older, denser rocks.

The earthquake happened within a fault zone known as the Ramapo system, which contains old faults and cracks from ancient times. These faults slowly gather stress and sometimes cause earthquakes. This was one of the largest earthquakes in New Jersey in recent history. Some videos captured the moment of the earthquake, showing its impact across the region.

The earthquake came just two days after a powerful quake hit Taiwan, but experts say they aren’t related due to the large distance between the two events.