What governments say – NBC Boston

The shaking felt by residents of Massachusetts and the Northeast Friday from the New Jersey earthquake may have been a wake-up call for some people.

Can earthquakes hit Boston?

Sure it can, and it has happened in the past, but experts say it's very rare.

“This is a once-in-20-years earthquake here in the northeastern part of the country,” said John Ebel, a professor at Boston College and a senior researcher at the Weston Observatory, adding that it is a reminder that “we live in an earthquake-prone area.” “Earthquakes, and sometimes we are exposed to a large and devastating earthquake, as happened in the past.”

In fact, the largest earthquake to hit Boston in recorded history is believed to be a 6.2 magnitude quake that struck Cape Ann in 1755. It smashed Faneuil Hall's famous weather vane, which is shaped like a grasshopper and can still be seen, from the top of the building.

“The earthquake lasted more than a minute, and caused severe damage to parts of the city that were built on the fill,” according to an account from the city of Boston.

The earthquake that struck the northeastern state of New Jersey was felt on Friday morning. Some people also reported feeling it in Massachusetts.

Friday's quake was much less powerful — a 4.8 magnitude quake is 125 times weaker, in terms of energy released — and much farther away — the epicenter is at Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, about 230 miles from Boston. Earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 6 on the Richter scale, such as the one that occurred in 1755, can cause a lot of damage, while earthquakes with a magnitude of less than 5.5 cause only minor damage.

However, Friday's quake was significant for the Northeast, Ebel emphasized.

“I looked at it and said, 'Oh my God, 4.8. New Jersey, wow. That's a big earthquake,'” he said, calling it an “exciting, crazy” day.

Weston Observatory/Boston College Shaking from an earthquake on Friday, April 5, 2024, as observed on a seismogram at Weston Observatory in Massachusetts.

The governments of Boston and Massachusetts classify earthquakes as natural hazards that they plan to address, along with all sorts of other potential threats, from floods and storms to wildfires and droughts.

In their 2021 city risk assessment, they noted that Boston had 18,919 unreinforced buildings, including housing, schools and fire stations. These buildings are known to be vulnerable to damage from earthquakes, and can collapse, although newer buildings are built to an earthquake code.

“We're actually getting safer and more secure all the time,” Ebel said. “When I see new buildings going up on the Boston College campus, I see the seismic measures that have been put into those buildings, which I think is great.”

Under the state's hazard mitigation plan, damaging earthquakes are considered a low-frequency event; The probability of a magnitude 5 earthquake hitting New England is only about 10-15% over a decade.

Read more here, starting on page 116.

Did you know that South Carolina experienced a devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake in 1886?

The last major earthquake felt in Massachusetts was a 5.8 magnitude quake that struck Mineral, Virginia, in 2011, according to the state's most recent hazard mitigation plan, which also cites a statistic about how rare a magnitude 5 quake is in New England. The plan also notes that the parts of the state most at risk of damage from earthquakes are Greater Boston, Cape Cod and the Connecticut River Valley, because of their softer soil.

Get updates on what's happening in Boston to your inbox. Subscribe to our Headlines newsletter.

“Softer soils amplify and amplify ground vibration relative to nearby underlying rock, which can increase building damage and losses,” the report says. “Liquefaction poses an additional risk in areas with water-saturated sand, silt, or gravel soils that lose strength if An earthquake occurred. .

Read more here, starting on page 5.1-57.

If an earthquake strikes Massachusetts, the state shares these tips on what to do:

If you are indoors

stay inside. Do not step into the doorway, as this does not protect you from falling or flying objects, and you may not be able to remain standing. Drop, cover, and hold. Get down on the ground so the earthquake doesn't knock you down. Cover your head and neck with your arms to protect you from falling debris. If possible, crawl under a sturdy desk, table, or other piece of furniture for added protection. Stay away from glass, windows, doors, exterior walls, and any other objects that may fall. Grab onto anything sturdy you can until the shaking stops.

If you are out

Stay away from buildings, streets, and utility wires.

If you are in a vehicle

Go to the side of the road and stay inside until the earthquake ends. Do not stop under bridges or power lines.

And if earthquakes seem to be felt much further into the Northeast than in California, where they are more common, there's a good reason for that: The rocks beneath the eastern part of the country transmit seismic vibrations better than the ground beneath them. West Coast.

Janti Soeripto, head of Save the Children, was speaking before the United Nations Security Council about humanitarian aid in Gaza in the face of a 4.7-magnitude earthquake that occurred on Friday morning.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos