A rare 4.8 magnitude earthquake centered near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, rattled the greater New York City area on Friday morning.
The earthquake occurred at 10:23 a.m. EDT, according to the United States Geological Survey, and shook other Northeastern cities, including as far south as Philadelphia and as far north as Boston.
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) addressed the earthquake and said that the state is “assessing impacts” of the tremor.
A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit west of Manhattan and has been felt throughout New York.
My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) April 5, 2024
“A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit west of Manhattan and has been felt throughout New York,” Hochul said in a post on X. “My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day.”
Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) said he has activated the State Emergency Operations Center in the aftermath of the quake. New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s (D-NY) office said it has not seen any reports of major effects, but warned of potential aftershocks.
In case of an aftershock, drop to the floor, cover your head and neck, and take additional cover under a solid piece of furniture, next to an interior wall, or in a doorway.
We will be updating the public very soon with additional updates.
— NYC Mayor’s Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) April 5, 2024
“While we do not have any reports of major impacts at this time, we’re still assessing the impact,” the mayor’s office said in a post on X. “In case of an aftershock, drop to the floor, cover your head and neck, and take additional cover under a solid piece of furniture, next to an interior wall, or in a doorway.”
Officials at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport instituted a ground stop until 11:30 a.m. EDT to inspect for damage. The FAA also warned there could be effects at Philadelphia International Airport and at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
A 4.8 magnitude earthquake in New Jersey may impact some air traffic facilities in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Air traffic operations are resuming as quickly as possible. For real-time air traffic updates please see: https://t.co/smgdqJN3td.
— The FAA
(@FAANews) April 5, 2024
“A 4.8 magnitude earthquake in New Jersey may impact some air traffic facilities in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Air traffic operations are resuming as quickly as possible,” the FAA posted on X.
Amtrak, NJ Transit, and other transit agencies announced also delays to inspect tracks.
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Earthquakes on the East Coast of the U.S. are rarer than on the West Coast and other places around the world. The most recent high-profile earthquake on the East Coast occurred in Virginia in 2011, with a 5.8 magnitude quake that rattled Washington, D.C. For the New York City-Philadelphia-Wilmington area, the USGS says that moderately damaging earthquakes occur roughly twice a century.
This is a developing story and will be updated.