NEW YORK – A strong earthquake rattled New York City and the surrounding area Friday morning.
It happened at approximately 10:20 a.m.
The quake – which the USGS has said was either 4.7 or 4.8 – was centered near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, 40 miles west of New York City, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
So far, there have been no reports of damage.
USGS
The impact was felt throughout the Tri-State Area, including upstate in Syracuse, as well as in Philadelphia and as far away as Baltimore. Reports of buildings shaking and rattling came in from New Jersey to Long Island.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Adams have been briefed on the quake.
“We’re taking this extremely seriously and here’s why. There’s always the possibility of aftershocks. We have not felt a magnitude of this earthquake since about 2011,” Hochul said. “It’s been an unsettling day, to say the least.”
Hochul said she has started a damage assessment across the state, and spoke with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, since the quake’s epicenter was located there.
“My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day,” Hochul wrote on X.
Adams was expected to hold a briefing soon. You can watch that live on CBS News New York.
Murphy said New Jersey has activated its Emergency Operations Center, and urged residents to not call 911 unless they are experiencing an actual emergency.
Traffic, transit and airport impacts of the quake
The quake caused temporary ground stops at John F. Kennedy and Newark Liberty International Airport. There were delays as well as LaGuardia as crews check for damage to the airports and runways
The MTA said it is inspecting all New York City-area bridges and tunnels. Officials also said subway tunnels were being checked. No damage has been reported at this point.
Amtrak and MTA service remained on their full schedule, Hochul said.
“I was laying in my bed, and my whole apartment building started shaking. I started freaking out,” one New York City resident told CBS New York’s Elijah Westbrook.
Cracks in walls were visible in an apartment in Berkeley Heights, N.J.
The Empire State Building had bit of fun after the quake.
“I AM FINE,” the building posted on X.
More history of earthquakes in New York
It’s not the first time the East Coast and New York City have been hit with a quake. A 5.0 quake was measured in New York City in 1884.
There’s a major fault lin New Jersey called the Ramapo Fault, which stems from the Appalachian mountains, and there are at least five smaller fault lines under Manhattan island.
The quake comes just a few months after the USGS warned nearly 75% of the United States could face damaging quakes in the next 100 years.
In 2011, a 5.8 quake struck in Virginia and rattled the entire East Coast.
Check back soon for more on this developing story.