A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck the northeastern United States on Friday morning.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake was felt from Boston to Baltimore at 10:23 a.m. ET.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage in New York City, where the tremors were felt for more than 30 seconds, but the quake triggered numerous delays and temporary closures of transportation infrastructure in the region.
The quake’s epicenter was discovered about 45 miles west of New York City and 40 miles east of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in an area north of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, according to the USGS.
Earthquakes of Friday’s magnitude are relatively rare in the northeastern United States, and the intensity and duration of Friday’s quake spooked people across the region. The quake was the third strongest in nearly 75 years in the New York metropolitan area.
“Everyone @NYSE just gave each other a big look,” CNBC’s Carl Quintanilla tweeted at the New York Stock Exchange in Lower Manhattan after the shakes occurred.
“I’m fine,” the Empire State Building’s X account tweeted.
According to the National Tsunami Warning Center, there is no risk of a tsunami on the east coast following the quake.
A magnitude 2.0 aftershock struck northern New Jersey at 11:20 a.m. ET.
According to the USGS, there is a 46 percent chance of another earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater next week.
The Federal Aviation Administration is inspecting the runways of three major airports in New York City and Newark, New Jersey. As of 11:34 a.m. ET, a ground stop remained in effect at Newark Liberty International Airport, halting flights to that airport at the departure airport.
United Airlineswhich dominates Newark Airport, said in a statement that two United flights were diverted from Newark because of the ground stop there and there were some minor delays to flights to New York’s JFK and LaGuardia airports.
The airline offered travelers who had booked a flight the opportunity to change their flights to Newark, LaGuardia or Philadelphia without paying any fees or a fare difference if they cannot travel until next Thursday.
New Jersey Transit said its commuter rail service could experience systemwide delays of up to 20 minutes.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the Hudson River crossings, said the Holland Tunnel, which connects Lower Manhattan to New Jersey, was temporarily closed for traffic controls.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a tweet: “My team is assessing the impacts and any damage that may have occurred and we will keep the public updated throughout the day.”
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the earthquake and is in contact with his staff who are monitoring possible impacts, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
The New York City emergency center issued an alert on cell phones around 11:46 a.m. ET, warning that “aftershocks may be felt,” but adding, “New York residents can continue their usual activities.”
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2024-04-05 16:34:39
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