New York hit with 4.8 magnitude earthquake: What to know

The New York City area was shaken by a 4.8 magnitude earthquake Friday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The epicenter of it was near Lebanon, N.J., around 50 miles from New York City. It was recorded at a depth close to 3 miles. 

It was the strongest quake in the New York City area in the past 140 years, according to local media outlet The City.

Ground stop at airports

FILE – A taxi passes under the entrance to JFK Airport in the New York borough of Queens, Aug. 15, 2003. (AP Photo/Stuart Ramson, File)

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued ground stops at New York City’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport following the quake. 

Arrivals at Newark Liberty International Airport are delayed by up to 45 minutes

JFK airport said later in an update that it “remains open and operational.” 

President Biden briefed

President Biden delivers remarks at the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Headquarters, near the site of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, on April 05, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Anna Moneymaker, Getty Images)

President Biden has been briefed, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at 11:25 a.m. 

“He is in touch with his team who are monitoring potential impacts,” Jean-Pierre said Friday on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The White House is in touch with federal, state, and local officials as we learn more.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) said his office is in touch with the White House and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) office. 

Biden spoke with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) about the quake Friday. 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he is “closely” monitoring the earthquake. 

How far the earthquake was felt

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul addresses the media during a press conference, March. 13, 2023, in New York. (Yuki Iwamura, Associated Press file)

Hochul said the quake was felt throughout the state. She wrote on Twitter that it “hit west of Manhattan,” angering New Jerseyans.

It was also felt in Philadelphia and Boston, according to NBC News. Rhode Island residents also reported feeling the quake. 

Warning of aftershocks

New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a news conference at City Hall in New York, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Aftershocks are common following an earthquake, and there is a 3 percent chance of a large aftershock occurring, according to USGS. 

Officials warned residents to be prepared. 

“If you feel an aftershock, drop to the floor, cover your head and neck and take cover under a solid piece of furniture next to an interior wall or any doorway,” Adams said during a press conference. 

“New Yorkers should go about their normal day,” Adams said. “First responders are working to make sure the city is safe.”

Impact

Zachary Iscol, NYC Emergency Management commissioner, said at a midday press conference that “there are currently no impact no major impacts or safety events related to this earthquake.”

Earlier in the day, New York City’s public schools reported no damage. 

“The safest place for our kids right now is in our schools, schools are operating as normal,” NYC Department of Education spokesperson Nathaniel Styer said on X. 

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New Jersey’s rail system’s trains could be delayed up to 20 minutes due to bridge inspections. Newark Light Rail service was suspended because of track inspections. 

Adams said he did not feel the quake when it occurred this morning. 

“I didn’t feel it, my security detail brought it to my attention,” Adams said.

Social media reactions 

The sun sets on the skyline of midtown Manhattan and the Empire State Building in New York City on February 18, 2024, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

A social media account for the Empire State Building posted, “I AM FINE,” in a post on X.

There were no immediate reports of deaths or major destruction, and New Yorkers largely laughed off the event on social media.

“And remember that a 5 in NYC would be an 8 almost anywhere else in the country,” wrote former journalist and Meta communications staffer Tom Gara.

“Guys we have to be cool about the small earthquake thing lest we look weak to the people on the west coast,” said Business Insider reporter Emily Stewart.

Others took more political angles to their responses.

“Bet Eric Adams finds a way to turn the earthquake into a demand for more police,” said writer Hugh Ryan.

Pundit Keith Olbermann wrote that he was waiting for former President Trump “to reveal there would have been no earthquake if he’d been Prez because earthquakes fear him.”