A 4.0-magnitude aftershock hits New Jersey after a 4.8-magnitude earthquake hits the northeast of the country

An earthquake rocked the northeastern United States on Friday morning, and a strong aftershock occurred in the early evening, about eight hours later.

According to the US Geological Survey, the initial magnitude 4.8 quake was centered 7 kilometers north of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, about 50 miles west of New York City, and at a depth of 4.7 kilometers. The quake could be felt as far south as Washington, D.C., and as far north as Boston.

The USGS reported that the aftershock, felt just after 6 p.m. ET, measured 4.0 and was centered near Gladstone, New Jersey.

🚨 What services are affected?

Ground stops were issued at several airports, including Newark, JFK, and Baltimore/Washington (in Maryland), while crews assessed any potential structural damage. New Jersey Transit said rail service experienced delays of up to 20 minutes in both directions “due to bridge inspections” in the wake of the quake.

But there was no interruption in service for Amtrak or the New York City subway system.

🫨What people felt

A map showing the location of Friday's earthquake. (US Geological Survey)

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

Did we just have an earthquake?! New York City

— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) April 5, 2024

“It felt like a subway train was passing through the studio,” CBS News anchor Anne Marie Green said.

“This was the second Manhattan earthquake and longer than any I have experienced in Los Angeles,” MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell wrote on X.

I'm fine

— Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) April 5, 2024

📢What officials say

A screen on the New York Stock Exchange displays a news alert about an earthquake in New York City on Friday. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

The White House said President Biden has been briefed on the earthquake and that the administration is in contact with federal, state and local officials.

At a press conference, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said there were no reports of damage and that his team was still assessing the impact. Adams said the likelihood of aftershocks is low, but New Yorkers should stay alert and follow safety precautions.

The city mayor added: “We are prepared for the unexpected.” “This is New York City.”

The city sent out an emergency alert at 11:02 a.m., about 40 minutes after the quake struck. A second warning warned New York City residents of possible aftershocks.

In an earlier press conference, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said her team was continuing to evaluate critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges, for any potential damage.

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

“It was a somewhat unsettling day, to say the least,” Hochul said.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said his office has 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.

Speaking to reporters as he left the White House on his way to Baltimore to meet with first responders and families of victims of last week's bridge collapse, Biden said he spoke with Murphy about the earthquake.

“He thinks he has everything under control,” Biden said. “He's not too worried about it, Governor of New Jersey, so it's fine.”

🔎 How common are earthquakes in the Northeast?

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

Earthquakes are uncommon but not unheard of along the Atlantic coast, an area one study called the “passive-aggressive margin” b/c there is no active plate boundary between the Atlantic and North American Plate, but there are stresses. Did you feel the New Jersey earthquake? https://t.co/ADcDLsTp8b

— USGS Quakes (@USGS_Quakes) April 5, 2024

According to the Geological Survey, Friday's 4.8-magnitude earthquake was the strongest to hit New Jersey in nearly 250 years.

But Scott Brandenberg, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at UCLA's School of Engineering, told Yahoo News that Friday's quake may not indicate that long-term seismic activity is on the rise in the region.

The earthquake came two days after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan, killing at least nine people, injuring nearly a thousand others and trapping hundreds of others.

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