A magnitude 4.8 earthquake occurs in New York, New Jersey
Fox Weather’s Adam Klotz has more on the New Jersey earthquake. Professor John Ebell of the Weston Observatory discusses the possibility of aftershocks and explains why magnitude estimates fluctuated in the minutes after the initial quake.
Residents of New Jersey and New York felt the Earth moving Friday morning as the U.S. Geological Survey reported a small earthquake.
The quake measured at least 4.8 on the Richter scale, according to the USGS. Measurements may change as the earthquake investigation progresses.
“Our region just experienced a preliminary magnitude 4.7 earthquake with an epicenter near Readington in Hunterdon County,” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said in a statement. “We have activated the State Emergency Operations Center. Please do not call 911 unless there is an actual emergency.”
“A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck New Jersey and was felt in parts of Pennsylvania,” Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement. “My team and @PEMAHQ are actively monitoring the situation and communicating with counties if there are any impacts. We will keep Pennsylvanians updated.”
Taiwan Earthquake: Death toll reaches 12, rescue operations continue
Aerial view of New York City. (FOX News Photo/Joshua Commins)
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a similar statement, saying her team will “keep the public updated throughout the day.”
New York City emergency services announced that residents will receive a cellphone alert Friday morning.
Several people on social media commented that they felt the ground shake in Manhattan and surrounding areas. Some people reported feeling tremors in Connecticut and as far north as Vermont.
Lara Walsh, of Norwalk, Conn., said her shelves rattled and her house shook. “The Rowayton Paddle Tennis Team group chat exploded with everyone asking, ‘What was that?’ and coming to the conclusion that it was definitely an earthquake,” Walsh told Fox News Digital.
“We heard a loud noise so we thought the furnace had exploded. Some people thought it was a plane overhead,” Walsh said.
The New York City Fire Department said there were no initial reports of damage.
This is a developing story and will be updated. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
