4.8-magnitude earthquake in New York shakes U.S. East Coast

[New Sancai Compilation and First Release] The United States Geological Survey said that a 4.8-magnitude earthquake occurred near New York City on the morning of April 5. Buildings on the East Coast of the United States shook up and down, surprising residents in an area that rarely experiences significant seismic activity.

The earthquake's epicenter was in Tewksbury, New Jersey, about 40 miles west of New York City. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck around 10:20 a.m. ET at a depth of 2.9 miles.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a small but significant aftershock with a magnitude of 4.0 occurred at 5:59 p.m.

"This is one of the largest earthquakes on the East Coast in the last century," New York Governor Kathy Hochul said at a news conference.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said there were no reports of injuries but urged residents to take cover under furniture, doorways or interior walls if they felt aftershocks. "New Yorkers should have a normal day," he told a news conference.

People from Baltimore to Boston reported feeling rumbling and shaking, with some running outside to try to find the source.

James Pittinger, the mayor of Lebanon, New Jersey, near the epicenter of the quake, said there were no reports of casualties or major damage, but people were feeling uneasy.

"As I was sitting in my home office, things started falling off the walls and shelves," Pittinger said. "It was a crazy experience."

The White House said in a statement that President Joe Biden spoke with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy about the earthquake and that the government would provide assistance if needed.

Flights at local airports were suspended following the earthquake, but resumed at 12:30 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Residual delays are expected.

Friday's quake was the strongest felt in the city since a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Virginia in 2011, prompting the evacuation of City Hall and other buildings and causing damage to Washington.

Earthquake magnitude is measured on a logarithmic scale, meaning that for each whole number, the amount of energy released by an earthquake increases by more than 30 times.

A 1989 earthquake that disrupted baseball's World Series and rocked San Francisco was measured at 6.9 magnitude, which was more than 1,000 times stronger than Friday's quake.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, earthquakes in the eastern United States are much more widespread because the bedrock is older and harder and can more easily transmit seismic energy. Rocks in the western United States are younger and contain more faults that absorb seismic energy.

(Compiled by: Wang Jimin)

(Editor: Jiang Qiming)

(Source of the article: Compiled and published by New Sancai)