2024 New Jersey earthquake
On April 5, 2024, at 10:23 EDT (14:23 UTC), a magnitude 4.8 earthquake happened in New Jersey, United States, with the epicenter in Tewksbury Township.[1] It was felt in the New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.. No big damage reported in New York and New Jersey.[2][3] There were many aftershocks after the earthquake.[4] It was the biggest earthquake to hit New Jersey since 1783,[5] and the biggest to hit New York City since an 5.0 magnitude earthquake on 10 August 1884.[6][3]
 John Taylor's Grist Mill damage | |
  | |
| UTC time | 2024-04-05 14:23:20 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 637118462 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 5 April 2024 |
| Local time | 10:23 EDT |
| Magnitude | 4.8 Mwr |
| Depth | 4.7 km (2.9 mi) |
| Epicenter | 40°41′20″N 74°45′14″W / 40.689°N 74.754°W |
| Areas affected | New Jersey, New York |
| Max. intensity | VI (Strong) |
| Aftershocks | Mw 3.7 |
| Casualties | None |
Tectonic setting
changeThe fault that maked the earthquake is still not known, but it might be either the Ramapo Fault,[7] or the Flemington Fault in New Jersey. These faults formed a long time ago and could still makes earthquakes today.[8][9][1] The Whitehouse Station, New Jersey area had previously an earthquake on 14 March 2024.[10]
Earthquake
change
The earthquake had a magnitude of 4.8 and a depth of 2.9 miles (4.7 km). Its epicenter was in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey. Peoples were felt all across the Northeastern United States from Maine in the north to Washington, D.C., and Norfolk, Virginia, in the south.[3][11] As of 1 May, over 159 aftershocks happened,[12][13] the strongest of which had a magnitude of 3.7 and took place about 4 miles (6 km) from Gladstone around 17:59 EDT.[2][14][4]
Impact
changeMany buildings in New York City, Philadelphia, and Long Island were shaken.[15][11] The USGS said that the earthquake was felt by about 42 million people.[11] The earthquake happened, while the Security Council was meeting at the United Nations Headquarters.[16][15] During a performance at the New York Philharmonic, cell phones went off with an alert about the earthquake at 11:02 EDT, which was sent about 40 minutes after the earthquakes were felt.[2][17][18] Gas leaks happened in Rockland County, New York,[2] and an administrative building in Morristown, New Jersey. In Huntington, New York,[19] a vehicle was damaged after falling into a sinkhole shortly after the earthquake.[20]
Four three-story houses on Seventh Avenue in Newark, New Jersey, were damaged by the earthquake. Twenty-eight peoples were evacuated, but no injuries were reported. Three of the houses were very damaged.[2][5] The upper portion of the 264-year old Col. John Taylor's Grist Mill collapsed into a road.[16] The earthquake is also maked water main breaks in Essex County and Morris County.[21][22]
Aftermath
changeThe government said that it would help if needed. Flights stopped at Newark, Philadelphia, and JFK airports.[2] Flights into Baltimore/Washington, LaGuardia, and Teterboro were delayed.[2] The control tower at Newark was evacuated. Some government buildings closed. Five flights were sent to Lehigh Valley Airport.[16]
The first alert to NYC peoples came 26 minutes after the earthquake. A wider alert came even later, 40 minutes after.[23] Officials defended the delay, saying they needed time to confirm the earthquake. PATCO Speedline stopped for checks as a precaution. Amtrak slowed down for inspections in the Northeast. NJ Transit trains delayed for up to 20 minutes for track checks.[24] AirTrain Newark closed for inspection but flights continued.[23]
The Holland Tunnel closed for inspection from 11:00 to 11:15 EDT.[15] The Lincoln Tunnel also closed, causing traffic in Weehawken. After the earthquake, a custom T-shirt shop in Manhattan began printing a joke reading "I survived the NYC earthquake April 5, 2024". The store put it on the shop window, a pedestrian took a photo of it, was shared on social media, and sold hundreds of shirts.[25][26]
Related pages
changeReferences
change- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "M 4.8 - 2024 Whitehouse Station, New Jersey Earthquake". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "Live Updates: 4.8 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles New York City and Northeast". The New York Times. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Shapiro, Emily (5 April 2024). "New Jersey, New York City rocked by rare 4.8 magnitude earthquake: Live updates". ABC News. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Meko, Hurubie (5 April 2024). "What appeared to be an aftershock was felt throughout New Jersey and New York City Friday afternoon at around 6 p.m." The New York Times. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Chow, Denise (5 April 2024). "Earthquake hits U.S. East Coast, shaking buildings from Philadelphia to Boston". NBC News. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ↑ Holliday Smith, Rachel; Homenuk, John (5 April 2024). "What to Know About NYC's Biggest Earthquake in 140 Years". The City. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ↑ Bush, Evan (5 April 2024). "New Jersey earthquake calls attention to ancient, potentially unmapped fault lines". NBC News. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ↑ Kleeman, Katrin (10 September 2018). "29 November 1783: The Night the US East Coast Was Awoken by 'a Small Shock of an Earthquake". Environmental History Now. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ↑ Bradley, Kyle; Hubbard, Judith A. (5 April 2024). "M4.8 New Jersey earthquake shakes Northeastern United States". Earthquake Insights. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ↑ "M 2.2 - 5 km NNE of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Magnitude 4.8 earthquake shakes Long Island and New York City areas". Newsday. Associated Press. 5 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ↑ Staff • •, NBC New York (11 April 2024). "More than 50 aftershocks detected so far, more possible, as USGS deploys 'kits' to study New Jersey shaking". NBC New York. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ↑ "N.J. shaken by 2.6 magnitude aftershock, 159th since April quake". New York Daily News. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ↑ "M 3.8 - 7 km SW of Gladstone, New Jersey". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Harte, Julia; Ax, Joseph (5 April 2024). "Magnitude 4.8 earthquake hits New York City region, USGS says". Reuters. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "US East Coast earthquake rattles millions, but region escapes sweeping damage". Associated Press. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ↑ "Earthquake shakes New York City, New Jersey: Live updates". AP News. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ↑ "Yes, New York City Had an Earthquake Today". Curbed. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ↑ Westhoven, William (5 April 2024). "Morris County shuts administration building in Morristown after earthquake causes gas leak". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ↑ "Police: Jeep falls into sinkhole following earthquake in Huntington". News 12 - Long Island. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- ↑ Sanchez, Ray (6 April 2024). ""Aftershocks rattle Northeast after rare 4.8 magnitude earthquake hits region"". Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ↑ "UPDATE: Aftershocks continue following 4.8 magnitude earthquake; part of Randolph out of water". Roxbury Register. New Jersey Hills Media Group. 6 April 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Fitzsimmons, Emma G. (5 April 2024). "Why did New York City's earthquake alert take so long?". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ↑ Way, Katie (5 April 2024). "NYC Pregames Solar Eclipse With a 4.8 Magnitude Earthquake". Hell Gate. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ↑ Fuller, Thomas (5 April 2024). "Earthquake Rattles New York and New Jersey, but Does Little Damage". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ↑ Williams, Jennifer (5 April 2024). "Upper West Side shop cashes in on viral earthquake t-shirt". Fox 5 New York. Retrieved 16 June 2024.