New York, New Jersey Shaken by 4.8 Magnitude Earthquake

Early Friday morning, an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude ranging between 4.7 and 4.8 struck the New York City area, with its epicenter near Lebanon, New Jersey. The tremors were felt across the region, with reports coming from Staten Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, as well as distant locations like Baltimore, Philadelphia, Toms River, N.J., Pennsylvania, and Boston. Despite the widespread reach of the quake, the Fire Department of New York has not reported any immediate damage.

The earthquake, which lasted approximately a minute and a half, was also felt in the suburbs and caused significant shaking of buildings and skyscrapers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. The Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre placed the epicenter close to North Plainfield, New Jersey, and reported a 5.5 magnitude, although this figure is higher than other sources. Social media users throughout the East Coast reported their experiences of the event.

Governor Kathy Hochul and her team are actively assessing the situation for any possible impacts or damage caused by the earthquake. Updates are expected to be provided to the public as assessments continue. Despite the unusual occurrence and the rattling sensation felt by many, there have been no reports of injuries due to the earthquake.