A magnitude 4.8 earthquake hit New Jersey on Friday, with reports of shaking stemming throughout the region and into New York.
The exact epicenter of the quake is believed to be north-northeast of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, according to preliminary reports from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Social media was quick to erupt with reports of shaking, felt throughout the New York City area, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and surrounding region, according to The Associated Press. Some residents reported hearing booming sounds as the quake struck.
“We’ve been having work done on the streets around my house for weeks, so I thought it was that at first. When I started getting texts from family and friends, I realized that was an earthquake. My house definitely shook,” said Daily Caller managing editor Eric Lieberman, who is based in Philadelphia.
If you just felt a little shake, it wasn’t just you. An earthquake was reported in northern New Jersey. Check out https://t.co/SLS4py7hLQ for the latest info. pic.twitter.com/eVbMrJScui
— NWS Burlington (@NWSBurlington) April 5, 2024
I just photos of the destruction out in Long Island.
Magnitude 4.8 #earthquake pic.twitter.com/cNdwAj88s3
— Nick Yoder (@NickYoder86) April 5, 2024
We survived the NYC earthquake.
We will rebuild pic.twitter.com/8Zwvlz2Jg5
— Brandon Trusso (@brandontrusso) April 5, 2024
New York Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a statement on social media following the tremor, saying her “team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day.” New Jersey Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy had not issued a statement regarding the quake at the time of writing. (RELATED: New York City Hit With Earthquake Originally Mistaken As Explosion)
USGS estimates the quake hit at an extremely shallow depth of just 4.7 kilometers. No reports of serious damage or injuries have emerged thus far. No tsunami risk has been issued at this time.
This is an evolving story. Please check back later for updates.