Rare 4.8 magnitude quake rattles Northeast

An aftershock of a preliminary magnitude 4.0 has struck just southwest of Gladstone, New Jersey, according to the United States Geological Survey.

It happened at about 5:59 p.m. ET, USGS said.

The aftershock comes nearly 8 hours after the main shock of 4.8 magnitude this morning. There have been at least 10 aftershocks, though most were in the 1.8 to 2.2 magnitude range.

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake rattled buildings across parts of the US Northeast on Friday morning, according to the US Geological Survey, with tremors felt from Washington, DC to New York City and to Maine.

It was the third-largest earthquake recorded in the area in the last five decades and the strongest in New Jersey in more than 240 years, the USGS said. But with authorities reporting little or no damage, and minimal travel disruptions, people soon resumed their everyday lives.

Here’s what to know:

Amtrak trains are back to operating at normal speeds after an earthquake in New Jersey on Friday, the company said.

It said it started inspecting its tracks shortly after 11 a.m. ET, and put speed restrictions in place throughout the region. Amtrak said it has now completed those inspections.

“As of 3:30 PM ET, All inspections have been completed and service has been restored to normal speed. Residual delays should be expected,” Amtrak posted on X.

There have been at least six aftershocks in the hours following the New Jersey earthquake Friday morning, according to United States Geological Survey data. 

The initial earthquake was felt in northern New Jersey just before 10:30 a.m. ET, and the aftershocks were all recorded in the immediate area of the earthquake, USGS said.

According to USGS, the largest of the six aftershocks was 2.2 magnitude, recorded just after 1:30 p.m. ET.

Here’s a timeline (all times are ET):

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a social media post that “aftershocks of these size are normal and are not expected to cause further damage.”

The governor said there have been no reports of injuries or damage.

When an earthquake rattled buildings across the Northeast Friday morning, stunned residents described initially thinking a passing tractor-trailer or freight train was passing them before they realized it was something more.

There were reports of the 4.8 magnitude quake being felt from Philadelphia to New York City, according to the US Geological Survey.

See how some people reacted:

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00:50 - Source: cnn

Three neighboring homes in Newark, New Jersey, have been evacuated after residents reported structural damage following this morning’s earthquake, according to the local public safety director. 

Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé told CNN no injuries have been reported after firefighters responded to reports of damage at the homes in an area more than 30 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter. 

He said 10 families were relocated from the buildings, including 25 adults and three children.

Fragé added that all Newark city buildings, including City Hall and recreation centers, are closed. He said the city is inspecting buildings for any potential damage and power outages. 

Also in New Jersey’s Essex County, in Montclair, officials believe the earthquake caused a water main break, according to an update from the Office of Emergency Management for the Township of Montclair. The OEM said the water bureau is working to repair the line. 

The Montclair OEM said authorities have conducted a damage assessment of the township and there are no signs of damage to the infrastructure and all schools and municipal properties report no damage.

The rare 4.8 earthquake that struck northern New Jersey Friday was the third-strongest to strike the state, according to CNN analysis of US Geological Survey data.

The Friday morning earthquake also marked the strongest since 1783, more than 240 years ago. Two 5.1 magnitude temblors are the only stronger quakes in the state — one in 1755 and another in 1783. Both happened before New Jersey became a state in December 1787, but happened in the geographic area that now comprises the state’s boundaries.

The quake is the third-strongest to hit the Northeast in 50 years and the 10th-strongest of all time in the region, USGS data shows.

Earthquakes in New Jersey and the region are rare. There have only been 24 earthquakes of 2.5 magnitude or greater in New Jersey since 1700.

All aspects of the New York City transit system are operating safely following this morning’s earthquake, the Metropolitan Transport Authority, which runs the city’s subway and other forms of public transit, said.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said every part of the transit system operated safely during the earthquake, as well.

He said initial facility inspections have been completed, including inspections of the seven bridges the MTA operate.

“I want to emphasize those were designed to withstand much stronger seismic impact than we experienced today,” he added.

According to the MTA website, MTA Bridges and Tunnels (B&T) serves more than 900,000 vehicles on an average day. In 2019, it carried more traffic than any bridge and tunnel authority in the nation — more than 329 million vehicles, the MTA says. 

Lieber said MTA frontline staff have been directed to report any abnormalities in the system, but he said nothing had been flagged so far. 

There is a low likelihood of aftershocks following Friday’s 4.8 magnitude earthquake that rattled several Northeast cities, New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zachary Iscol said. 

Iscol, however, urged New Yorkers to remain vigilant.

“If you are outside during an aftershock, please move to an open area, away from buildings, trees and power lines. If you are driving, pull over to a safe location,” he said at a news conference Friday alongside New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Iscol said there were no major impacts or safety events related to the earthquake, and added that New Yorkers can call 311 to report any damage. 

The quake, he said, triggered the activation of the city’s emergency response teams and prompted officials to issue guidance to the public. 

“We activated our protocols for this earthquake, we immediately began coordinating with all city, state, federal and our utility partners. Public notifications were sent out both by Notify NYC and our wireless emergency alert system,” he said.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul gave some earthquake safety tips following Friday’s 4.8 earthquake that struck the area, noting people in the Northeast are not used to dealing with quakes.

“If there is an aftershock, people are encouraged to drop and cover and to hold, drop to the floor, cover your neck, and hold onto something that is sturdy,” she said.

There are no reports of damaged buildings at this time, but Hochul urged New Yorkers to take caution around buildings, especially high rises, if there are any aftershocks.

Hochul added, “If you hear shifting or any noises, unusual noises, leave your home, go outside.”

She urged New Yorkers to inspect their homes for damage, including checking all walls, doors, floors and windows and inspecting waterlines and gas lines.

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake that rattled buildings across parts of the Northeast Friday morning was the third largest earthquake recorded in the area in the last 50 years, according to data from the US Geological Survey.

The largest, a 5.3 magnitude quake, happened in Au Sable Forks, New York, in 2002.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said there were no reports of major damage to infrastructure, and no reports of injuries, following the earthquake in neighboring New Jersey Friday morning.

Shaking was felt widely throughout the city, where many residents are unaccustomed to even relatively mild quakes.

“New Yorkers should go about their normal day,” Adams said at a news briefing. “First responders are working to make sure the city is safe.”

Adams said there are no concerns for school buildings following the earthquake and the safest place for students is to remain at school.

“At this point we do not have any reports of major impacts to our infrastructure or injuries,” Adams said. “But of course, we are still assessing the situation and will continue to update the public.”

The mayor thanked first responders and warned residents to be prepared for the possibility of aftershocks.

President Joe Biden spoke with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy about Friday’s earthquake, according to the White House.

“The President said his Administration is in touch with state and local officials and will provide assistance if needed,” the White House added.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is in touch with the New York governor’s office, according to a Homeland Security spokesperson.

Earlier Friday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre posted on social media that the president had been briefed on the earthquake and was monitoring “potential impacts.”  

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also said his department is monitoring the aftermath.

The epicenter of the 4.8 magnitude earthquake was just northeast of Lebanon, New Jersey, less than 50 miles west of New York City, according to the USGS.

This post has been updated with comments from the Department of Homeland Security.

New York officials say there has only been a single report of a gas line leak so far in the wake of the quake that hit in the area, but so far there’s no “major” infrastructure impact.

New York’s Director of State Operations Kathryn Garcia said the quake was “significantly bigger” than “ones that are typically felt in the state of New York or occur and actually are not felt.”

“While highly unusual in the state of New York, we do actually have fault lines,” Garcia said.

The state is tracking whether there are any increases in hospitalizations or vehicle accidents, none of which have been reported at this time.

There was one gas leak reported in Rockland County, which is north of New York City and on the west side of the Hudson River, but other than that, there doesn’t “seem yet to be a major infrastructure impact,” New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Jackie Bray added.

Flights are now arriving and departing from Newark Liberty International Airport, in the New York City area after being paused due to the Friday morning quake, officials said.

The air traffic control tower was evacuated, and controllers moved to a nearby location. That evacuation and the Port Authority’s runway inspections caused flights to be held for a short time earlier in the day.  

The Federal Aviation Administration says flights may be delayed 45 minutes into Newark. The ground stop is holding planes that haven’t yet left for Newark from departing.  

Earlier Friday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the full ground stop at Newark Airport.

Meanwhile, Hochul said Amtrak, the rail company with train service throughout the Northeast, and the MTA, which runs New York’s public transportation including the subway system, were both on “full schedule” with “no disruption at this time.”

Amtrak had said earlier that it initiated some speed restrictions while it inspected its tracks.

New Jersey Transit, meanwhile, has reported some disruptions.

CNN’s Greg Wallace contributed reporting to this post.

Shaking from a preliminary 4.8 magnitude earthquake centered in northern New Jersey was felt by millions of people across hundreds of miles of the Northeast on Friday, from the Washington, DC, region to New England — a phenomenon made more likely by a few factors, including the geology of the region itself, according to the US Geological Survey.

The quake was shallow, occurring just 5 km beneath the Earth’s surface. This is on the extreme end of what the USGS considers a shallow earthquake: 0 to 70 km deep. The energy released by an earthquake is blunted by distance, so a shallower quake of the same magnitude as a deeper one will produce much more intense shaking at the surface.

The unique characteristics of the rocks that make up the Earth’s crust and mantle in the eastern US also play a role in how far the most intense waves of seismic energy can travel. Rocks here are much older, denser and harder — compressed by time — than they are in the West, according to the USGS. This makes them more efficient conduits of the seismic energy released by an earthquake, allowing it to travel in a more potent form over longer distances. 

Buildings are also older in the Northeast and therefore may not be designed to the latest earthquake code, the USGS notes. This is particularly a concern for shorter buildings like houses. Earthquakes tend to shake in a faster back-and-forth motion in the East compared to the West, which puts smaller buildings more at risk for damage, the USGS notes.

This morning’s earthquake in New Jersey was briefly felt at the United Nations headquarters in New York, during a briefing on the war in the Middle East. 

A meeting of the UN Security Council came to a brief pause as the CEO of a humanitarian organization briefed officials on the situation in Gaza.

A video feed from inside the headquarters started to shake as Save the Children US president and chief executive Janti Soeripto addressed the council, and officials can be seen looking around the building and at one another in response to the tremor.

Shaking from Monday’s earthquake was felt as far north as Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont and as far south as the Washington, DC, region, according to reports submitted to the US Geological Survey. 

About 9,000 people felt “strong shaking” near the epicenter in New Jersey, which is described by USGS as “felt by all” and can move heavy furniture and cause slight damage.

Close to 300,000 people felt “moderate shaking,” which could be strong enough to break windows or cause dishes to fall. 

More than 23 million people felt “light shaking” which is felt by most people and can cause cars to rock noticeably and cause a sensation like a truck striking a building. 

New York City public schools are continuing to operate following this morning’s earthquake, and there is “no need for parents to report to schools,” officials posted on X.

There is “no indication” that the city’s public schools were compromised, officials added.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it “experienced strong vibrations” following Friday’s 4.8 magnitude quake and warned of potential aftershocks.

“Aftershocks may be felt throughout the remainder of the day today,” the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in a statement.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said her administration is taking Friday’s 4.8 magnitude earthquake “very seriously.”

“We’re taking this extremely seriously,” Hochul said at a news briefing Friday. “And here’s why, there is always the possibility of aftershocks.”

There are no “life-threatening situations” following the 4.8 magnitude earthquake felt across New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul said at a news conference.

Still, the governor asked emergency teams across the state to be “on guard” for reports of dangerous situations.

Hochul added that teams will be reviewing “all potentially vulnerable infrastructure” throughout the state following the earthquake, saying, “that is critically important in the aftermath of an event like this.”

Did you feel that?

It wasn’t just folks in Western New Jersey who were texting “what was that?” messages in the mid-morning Friday. People as far away as Maryland and Upstate New York reported feeling an earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey. A former CNN editor in Vermont said glasses fell off her shelf.

How is that possible, considering it was just a mild 4.8 magnitude earthquake, not enough to cause any significant damage?

The rock formations that make up America’s East Coast are considerably older than those on the West Coast — hundreds of millions of years older, according to the USGS. That makes them much denser.

Imagine putting your left hand down on a piece of slate and knocking on it with your right hand. You’d feel that. That’s like how the East Coast is formed.

But now imagine putting your hand down on a pebble driveway and knocking — not so much. That’s the West Coast. So even though earthquakes tend to be much stronger in the western part of the country, they’re not felt nearly as far away as weaker quakes in the East.

Train service is being slowed after the 4.8 magnitude earthquake that rattled the Northeast this morning.

Amtrak said started inspecting its tracks shortly after 11 a.m. ET, and put speed restrictions in place throughout the region until those inspections were complete.

New Jersey Transit said there would be up to 20-minute delays in both directions due to bridge inspections after the quake.

Newark Light Rail service was suspended system-wide, according to NJ Transit. The River Line Light Rail service, meanwhile, was suspended in both directions between the Waterfront Entertainment Center and Trenton due to track inspections.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is holding a news briefing at the State Capitol following this morning’s earthquake.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other city administration officials will hold a separate news briefing to discuss the impacts of the earthquake at 12 p.m. ET, according to his spokesperson.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said her team will be assessing any impact and any damage that may have resulted from the earthquake that struck New Jersey on Friday.

On X, Hochul said, “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.” and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day.”

Hochul will hold a press briefing soon on the earthquake at the State Capitol, according to a notification from her office.

Philadelphia Police have asked people to only call 911 if they are reporting an emergency, following Friday’s 4.8 magnitude earthquake in New Jersey.

Philadelphia Gov. Josh Shapiro added in a tweet that the earthquake was felt in parts of Pennsylvania.

“My team and @PEMAHQ are actively monitoring the situation and in contact with counties on any damage. We will keep Pennsylvanians updated,” he said.

President Joe Biden has been briefed on Friday’s earthquake, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. 

Jean-Pierre posted on social media that the president is “in touch with his team who are monitoring potential impacts.” She added that the White House is in “touch with federal, state, and local officials as we learn more.”

There are no reports of damage to New York City’s transit system following this morning’s earthquake, New York City Police Department Chief of Transit Michael M. Kemper said.

Kemper said he has been briefed by his team regarding the earthquake felt across parts of the Northeast.

“There are no current reports of any structural damage and/or service disruptions to the NYC Transit system as a result,” he said. “That said, our team is continuing to survey all lines & stations and we will keep you updated.”

The New York City Fire Department said there are no major incidents it is responding to at this time, in the aftermath of the New Jersey earthquake.

An FDNY spokesperson told CNN that around 10:30 a.m. ET, FDNY received reports of shaking buildings.

“We are responding to calls and evaluating structural stability. There are no major incidents at this time. We will continue to monitor,” the spokesperson added.

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake in the Northeast is impacting air travel.  

The Federal Aviation Administration said flights to the New York Kennedy, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Newark airports were being held.  

The air traffic control tower at Newark Liberty airport is being evacuated, a controller said in a radio transmission after the earthquake. That meant the flights were being held while controllers moved to an alternate location.  

“Nobody’s going to go anywhere for the time being,” a controller said over the radio frequency.  

The runways were in the process of being inspected for damage. Shortly after the earthquake, controllers at LaGuardia were still clearing flights for departure there.  

Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Jeannie Shiffer calls the earthquake’s impact on air travel a “rapidly evolving situation.”

FAA will have to inspect runways at New York’s JFK and Newark airports before operations can resume.

There are no reports of damage in New York’s Rockland County following this morning’s earthquake, according to a statement from the county’s executive Ed Day.

Day urged residents to remain calm and said the quake was felt in Albany, through the Lower Hudson Valley, and in New York City.

“So far there are no reports of any damage, but the County is still assessing the impact and working with Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory research center and the State of New York to gather more information and will publicize as appropriate,” he said.

“As aftershocks are common following earthquakes, residents are advised to stay alert and be prepared for any further seismic activity,” Day added.

A preliminary 4.8 magnitude earthquake rattled parts of New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, according to the data from the US Geological Survey.

The epicenter, which occurred at 10:23 a.m. ET, was just northeast of Lebanon, New Jersey, less than 50 miles west of New York City.

The light quake was shallow, just below the surface at a depth of 5 kilometers, which made it easier for residents in affected areas to feel the shaking.

The light shaking would be unlikely to cause damage, according initial data indications from the USGS. Initial reports indicated a 4.8 magnitude quake, but that was revised to 4.7 before being adjusted back to 4.8. This could change again as more data is reviewed.