Earthquake hits US east coast - shaking buildings in New York

Sky News
Updated ·2-min read

An earthquake struck the east coast of the United States on Friday, causing buildings to shake in New York City.

Officials reported a quake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8, centred near Lebanon, New Jersey.

It struck just before 10.30am local time.

There were no initial reports of damage, the Fire Department of New York confirmed.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre initially measured the quake at a magnitude of 5.5.

New York governor Kathy Hochul said the quake was "felt throughout" the state, with the United States Geological Survey estimating 42 million people may have experienced it.

Ms Hochul added: "My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day."

She warned residents to be wary of any aftershocks - smaller quakes following the main one - and listed some safety tips, including steering clear of any potentially damaged buildings, particularly tower blocks.

"If you hear shifting or any noises, leave your home," Ms Hochul said, telling people to check their houses for any signs of damage.

Airlines flying into New York could expect delays of up to 45 minutes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.

The agency added air traffic facilities in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Baltimore may be affected because of the incident, adding operations were "resuming as quickly as possible".

New Jersey Transit Rail alerted passengers to delays of up to 20 minutes as inspections of a bridge took place.

Residents reported the tremor in the city, including prominent US astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson who said it "lasted 20 seconds" in a post on X.

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At the United Nations headquarters in New York, the shaking interrupted the US chief of Save The Children, Janti Soeripto, as she briefed an emergency Security Council session on the threat of famine in Gaza and the Israeli airstrikes that killed aid workers there.

Charita Walcott, a resident in the Bronx borough of New York, said the earthquake felt "like a violent rumble", adding: "It was kind of like being in a drum circle, that vibration."

Earthquakes hitting the northeastern part of the US are rare, though the New York city of Buffalo experienced a 3.8-magnitude tremor last February - the strongest recorded in the area in 40 years.

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