The United States Geological Survey has confirmed that an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.7 struck approximately five kilometers North East of Lebanon in New Jersey.
The earthquake struck at approximately 10:20am ET today (5 April), causing the ground to shake both in New Jersey and in New York State.
X/@nymetrowx
New York Metro Weather was also quick to confirm the quake in a post on X, writing: “YES THAT WAS AN EARTHQUAKE. Waiting for further information.”
The account then shared an update to say ‘no tsunami risk is anticipated’ as a result of the earthquake.
“anybody else just felt the earthquake rn???? IN NEW YORK???,” one confused X user posted.
Another wrote: “DID ANYONE IN NEW YORK JUST FEEL AM [sic] EARTHQUAKE WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT.”
One X user from New Jersey added: “I was on a Zoom call, we felt it from NJ, to NY, down to Balitmore.”
Further information on the earthquake is still coming to light at the time of writing (5 April), but the New York Fire Department has said there are no initial reports of damage.
X/@InfernoOmni
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul shared a post on X to say her team is ‘assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred’.
“We will update the public throughout the day,” she wrote.
In the wake of the ground-shaking event, New York Metro Weather admitted it hadn’t seen it coming when it shared its weather update earlier today.
“Another gradual improvement (look at us go),” the account wrote earlier. “High temperatures in the mid 50s with partly sunny skies. Isolated showers are possible this afternoon and blustery west winds will continue. The vibes are…getting there.”
Following the earthquake, it wrote: “I forgot to include scattered earthquakes in today’s weather rating. My bad.”
The office for New York mayor Eric Adams has reiterated on X that there area no ‘reports of major impacts at this time’, but it also shared advice for residents in the affected areas in case the states are hit with an aftershock.
“In case of an aftershock, drop to the floor, cover your head and neck, and take additional cover under a solid piece of furniture, next to an interior wall, or in a doorway,” the Mayor’s office wrote.