Did you feel that shake?
At around 10:30 a.m. on April 5, a reported 4.8 magnitude earthquake originated in New Jersey, causing shaking to erupt throughout New York City.
According to Weather.com, USGS reportedly gave the temblor a preliminary rating of 4.7 magnitude. The earthquake was centered about 3 miles northeast of Lebanon, New Jersey, but could be felt throughout the tri-state area, with some folks reporting continuous shaking for up to 10 seconds.
“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,” said Governor Kathy Hochul on Twitter.
Brooklynites were rattled by the quake — many taking to X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) to ask, “did everyone feel that?”
ok brooklyn was that an earthquake or is the world ending
— Jeanmarie Evelly (@JeanmarieEvelly) April 5, 2024
Locals said they were “shook” by the quake.
“I was in Optimum, my daughter felt the apartment shake in the Spring Creek Towers,” Esther Rodriguez told Brooklyn Paper.
One Brooklyn Paper reporter with roots on the West Coast said her “California instinct” kicked in.
“I hit the ground and dove under my table so fast,” Isabel Song Beer said.
Police brass said the department was briefed on the earthquake and that, as of 11 a.m., there were no reports of structural damage or service disruptions to public transit.
“Was briefed by my team in regard to the earthquake. There are no current reports of any structural damage and/or service disruptions to the NYC Transit system as a result,” said NYPD Chief of Transit Michael M. Kemper posted on X. That said, our team is continuing to survey all lines & stations and we will keep you updated.”
Cellphone service was interrupted, most likely due to too many calls going through at once. Alerts went out to most cellphone users about 20 minutes after the tremor hit, as many New Yorkers pointed out on social media.
Those who felt the earthquake are encouraged to submit a report here. New York City Emergency Management is also urging New Yorkers to 911 if they are in danger, and to report any non-emergency issues related to the earthquake to 311.
If you are in danger, please dial 911. To report non-emergency issues please call 311. Communicate your status so others know you’re okay. Text messages are more likely to go through when phone lines are busy. Check on your neighbors if safe to do so.
Please follow @NotifyNYC. https://t.co/ZX7yBXi0CC
— NYC Emergency Management (@nycemergencymgt) April 5, 2024
Zach Iscol, Commissioner of New York City Emergency Management, told reporters that Notify NYC getting the message out in 20 minutes is “pretty fast,” with NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban there was an uptick in 911 and 311 around 10:30 a.m. and that has since calmed down to normal levels.
Mayor Eric Adams reported no major infrastructure damage or injuries related to the earthquake, and encouraged New Yorkers to go about their day as usual. The mayor also told New Yorkers to drop to the floor and cover backs and necks if there are aftershocks.
The earthquake happened several hours before the Yankees’ home opener in the Bronx; the game remains on schedule.
Earthquakes and NYC
It’s the second time this year that New York City was rattled by an earthquake. In January, a 1.7 tremor hit near Roosevelt Island – knocking out generators there.
The tremor also occurred just three days before the total solar eclipse across North America, during which New York City will see 90% of the sun blocked during the afternoon of Monday, April 8.
Earthquakes in New York are quite few and far between. The last quake to rattle the city’s metropolitan area occurred last May, when a 2.3 magnitude tremor hit Westchester County.
According to Cornell University, earthquakes around the Empire State generally occur in areas well north of New York City, with the strongest having taken place in the Adirondack Mountains.
Moving fault lines below the surface cause earthquakes. New York City sits atop several fault lines that are not as notoriously active as in places like California. As NY1 pointed out in a 2018 report, four of the city’s fault lines traverse parts of Manhattan and the Bronx: the 125th Street Fault in Harlem, the Dyckman Street Fault in Inwood, the Mosholu Parkway Fault in the Bronx; and the East River Fault.
Friday’s earthquake was the strongest tremor to impact New York since August 2011, when a quake in Virginia sent shockwaves hundreds of miles north to New York, and up and down the Eastern Seaboard. That event caused little reported damage, but rattled plenty of New Yorkers, forcing brief evacuations of City Hall and the New York Stock Exchange.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Additional reporting by Robert Pozarycki, Barbara Russo and Lloyd Mitchell
