4.8 magnitude earthquake rattles New Jersey and New York, as officials warn of possible aftershocks


An earthquake rattled the northeastern United States on Friday morning.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the 4.8 magnitude quake was centered 7 kilometers north of Whitehouse Station, N.J., about 50 miles west of New York City, at a depth of 4.7 kilometers.

It could be felt as far as south as Washington, D.C., and as far north as Boston.

🚨 What was impacted?

There were no initial reports of damage or injuries.

Ground stops were issued at numerous airports including Newark, JFK and BWI Airport in Maryland. New Jersey Transit said rail service was subjected to up to 20-minute delays in both directions “due to bridge inspections” following the earthquake.

There were no immediate service disruptions to Amtrak or the NYC subway system.

🫨 What people felt

An aerial view of New York City. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Many New York City residents took to social media to report feeling their apartments shaking.

Anne-Marie Greene, an anchor for CBS News, said that “it felt like a subway train was passing through the studio.”

“That was my 2nd Manhattan earthquake & longer than any earthquake I’ve experienced in LA,” MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell wrote on X.

📢 What officials are saying

The White House said President Biden had been briefed on the earthquake and that the administration was in touch with federal, state and local officials.

At a press briefing, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said there were no reports of damage, and that his team was still assessing the impact.

The city sent an emergency alert at 11:02 a.m. — about 40 after the earthquake struck. A second alert warned NYC residents of potential aftershocks.

At an earlier briefing, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said that her team was continuing to assess critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges, for any potential damage.

Hochul said she had been in touch with the White House, and that a representative with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security who had reached out told her that he felt the earthquake in Baltimore.

“It’s been a fairly unsettling day to say the least,” Hochul said.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said that his office activated the state’s emergency operations center to assess any potential damage.

“Please do not call 911 unless you have an actual emergency,” Murphy added.

🔎 How common are earthquakes in the northeast?

“Earthquakes are uncommon but not unheard of along the Atlantic Coast,” the U.S. Geographical Survey explained in a post on X.

According to the U.S.G.S., Friday’s 4.8 magnitude earthquake was the strongest to hit New Jersey in nearly 250 years.

It came two days after a 7.4 magnitude rocked Taiwan, leaving at least 10 people dead, nearly 1,000 injured and hundreds of others trapped.

This is a breaking news story. Please refresh this page for updates.



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