New York rocked by magnitude 4.8 earthquake

The US’ largest city has been rocked by a rare earthquake that was felt by millions as far away as Baltimore and Boston.

The US’ largest city New York has been rocked by a “very rare” earthquake that was felt as far away as Baltimore and Boston.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said a 4.8 magnitude earthquake occurred 4.8km below the town of Lebanon in New Jersey, about 80km west of Manhattan’s Times Square.

It hit at around 10.23am on Friday, local time (2.23am Saturday AEDT), and was felt for around one minute.

USGS data suggests the earthquake was the third strongest in the vicinity of New York in 70 years. While it was far smaller than the recent Taiwan quake a quirk of geology meant it was strongly felt by millions of people.

A 2.0 magnitude aftershock was felt at Bedminster, New Jersey, where Donald Trump has a golf course and home.

So far no injuries or building collapses have been reported.

The centre of the quake was in New Jersey between New York and Philadelphia. Picture: USES.

‘Are we having an earthquake?’

Monique Horton, who works at the luxury Balmain store on Manhattan’s Madison Ave said the whole office she was in shook.

“I was just freaked out. Scary, really scary. I’m a New Yorker, my whole life, 36 years, never seen anything like it.,” she told the New York Post.

The incident happened during a number of morning live TV shows with presenters in New York, not used to earthquakes, shocked by the event.

On the MLB Network, which covers baseball, the camera could shook as a discussion took place.

MLB Network presenters react to the earthquake live on air including one who did the signs of the cross. Picture: MLB Network.

“Are we having an earthquake?” one of the presenters said. “Seriously, I think we’re having an earthquake”.

One of the interviewees then did a sign of the cross.

“Let’s go to a break … because I’m leaving,” a presenter said.

All phones received an emergency warning.

New Yorkers felt the earthquake at 10.30am local time. Photo – iStock

Over on Fox News, the cameras also visibly shook as host Stuart Varney was conducting an interview.

But while it was obvious something was happening, Varney didn’t break his stride continuing to talk.

A similar station occurred at the United Nations General Assembly, which is in New York, where a debate only came to a stop for a few seconds as the building rattled.

Stuart Varney did not flinch on Fox News as the quake rattled the studio.

‘What the f*** was that’

The event was more pronounced for musician Jared Demel who may have been close to the epicentre.

On Twitter/X he uploaded a video of him playing guitar when a huge bang could be heard, like an explosion, stopping him in is tracks.

“What the f*** was that,” he said, verbalising what everyone in New York and New Jersey was thinking at that precise moment.

Musician Jared Demel was recording as the quake hit New Jersey. Picture: Twitter/X.

Earthquake alert issued 30 mins after quake

All flights at New Jersey’s Newark Airport – which serves New York but was close to the epicentre – came to a stop which also occurred at New York’s JFK international gateway while runway checks took place.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that there were no reports so far of “major impacts to critical infrastructure or injuries”.

“Earthquakes don’t happen every day in New York,” the mayor said. “We’re ready for the unexpected; this is New York City.”

But city authorities have been criticised after it took more than 30 minutes for an emergency alert, advising people to “remain indoors and call 911 if injured,” to reach mobile phones.

The White House said President Joe Biden, who is in Baltimore visiting the site of last week’s fatal bridge collision, had been briefed.

“He is in touch with his team who are monitoring potential impacts. The White House is in touch with federal, state, and local officials as we learn more”.

An earthquake intensity map showed the large area its was felt. Picture: USGS.

Why quake felt so strong

A 4.8 magnitude quake is strong enough to be felt by humans and have some structural effects. It has the force of an average tornado. But it was much smaller than the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that hit Taiwan last week and killed 9.

While the quake itself was moderate, the geology of the US east coast meant the shockwaves were felt over a vast area. Reports of shaking came in from Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston and Rhode Island, as far as 435km from the epicentre.

“Earthquakes on the US east coast are felt four to five times further than a similar-strength quake on the West Coast,” USGS seismologist Paul Earle told the New York Post.

“The rock is harder, and seismic waves travel further before they attenuate, so more people will feel it than if it was a similar earthquake in California”.

Earthquakes ‘very rare’ in New York

New York does not lie on a major fault line which in the US are concentrated on the west coast such as California, Washington and Alaska as well as Hawaii.

A presenter on Fox News said an earthquake that affects the city – indeed the east coast of the US – is “very rare”.

It’s been reported that the last time New York had an earthquake was in 2011

The USGS’ Jessica Jobe said an may have become “reactivated”.

“Although there are no known active faults in the area, there are dozens of older inactive faults that formed millions of years ago.

“Under the current stresses from tectonic plates moving those faults can be intermittently reactivated.”

One of New York’s most famous landmarks, the Empire State Building, took the incident in its stride tweeting out “I AM FINE”.