A 4.0-magnitude aftershock hits New Jersey after a 4.8-magnitude earthquake hits the Northeast

An earthquake struck the northeastern United States on Friday morning, followed by powerful aftershocks about eight hours later in the evening.

The initial magnitude 4.8 earthquake was centered 7 kilometers north of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, and about 50 miles west of New York City, with a focal depth of 4.7 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The impact is being felt as far south as Washington, D.C., and as far north as Boston.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the aftershock had a magnitude of 4.0 and was centered near Gladstone, New Jersey, just after 6 p.m. ET

🚨 What services are affected?

Many airports, including Newark, JFK and Baltimore/Washington (in Maryland), issued ground holds while crews assessed any potential structural damage. The New Jersey Department of Transportation said rail service was delayed for up to 20 minutes in both directions after the earthquake “due to bridge inspections.”

But there were no disruptions to service on Amtrak or the New York City subway system.

🫨 People’s feelings

Many New York City residents reported on social media that they felt their apartments shaking.

“It felt like a subway train going through the studio,” CBS News anchor Anne Marie Green said.

MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell wrote on X: “This is my second earthquake in Manhattan and longer than any I’ve experienced in Los Angeles.”

📢 What did the officials say?

The White House said President Biden was informed of the earthquake and the administration was in contact with federal, state and local officials.

New York Mayor Eric Adams told a news conference that there were no reports of damage and that his team was still assessing the impact. Adams said the chance of aftershocks is low, but New Yorkers should remain vigilant and take safety precautions.

“We are prepared for the unexpected,” the mayor added. “This is New York City.”

The city issued an emergency alert at 11:02 a.m., about 40 minutes after the quake struck. A second alert warned New York City residents of possible aftershocks.

At an earlier news conference, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said her team was continuing to assess any potential damage to critical infrastructure such as roads and bridges.

Hochul said she had been in contact with the White House and was contacted by a representative from the Department of Homeland Security who told her he felt an earthquake had occurred in Baltimore.

“It was a pretty disturbing day, to say the least,” Hochul said.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said his office activated the state’s emergency operations center to assess any potential damage.

“Unless there is an actual emergency, please do not call 911,” Murphy added.

Biden told reporters as he left the White House for Baltimore to meet with first responders and families of victims of last week’s bridge collapse that he had spoken with Murphy about the earthquake.

“He thinks everything is under control,” Biden said. “The governor of New Jersey, he doesn’t care too much about it, so it’s all good.”

🔎 How common are Tohoku earthquakes?

“Earthquakes along the Atlantic coast are uncommon, but not unheard of,” the U.S. Geological Survey explained in a post on X.

Friday’s 4.8-magnitude quake was New Jersey’s strongest earthquake in nearly 250 years, according to the Geological Survey.

But Scott Brandenberger, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, told Yahoo News that Friday’s earthquake may not indicate an increase in long-term seismic activity in the area.

Two days ago, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan, killing at least nine people, injuring nearly 1,000, and stranding hundreds.