Did you feel that?
At around 10:30 a.m. on April 5, reports surfaced of a 4.8 magnitude earthquake originating in New Jersey, causing noticeable tremors throughout New York City. The USGS initially rated it at 4.7 magnitude. The epicenter was about 3 miles northeast of Lebanon, New Jersey, but the effects were felt across the tri-state area, with some experiencing shaking for about 10 seconds.
This marks the second earthquake to shake New York City this year. In January, a 1.7 tremor occurred near Roosevelt Island, causing disruptions to generators in the area. This event coincides with the approaching total solar eclipse across North America, during which New York City is expected to witness 90% of the sun being blocked on April 8th.
Earthquakes in New York are rare occurrences. The last significant quake in the metropolitan area happened on Friday, May 19, 2023 with a 2.3 magnitude tremor hitting Westchester County at 01:53 am . Friday’s earthquake was the most powerful to affect New York since August 2011, when a tremor in Virginia sent shockwaves hundreds of miles northward to New York and along the Eastern Seaboard.
