New Jersey Earthquake: Everything We Know After Shaking Felt in New York

A small earthquake rattled parts of the Northeast on Friday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

The quake hit Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, and registered at a magnitude 4.8. The USGS originally reported that the epicenter was in Lebanon, New Jersey. Shaking was felt throughout the region, including New York state, Connecticut and Pennsylvania and as far away as Maine.

The USGS said that although it was uncommon, an earthquake of this magnitude isn't unexpected in New Jersey. It was the strongest quake in the area since 1950. Newsweek reached out to the USGS by email for further comment.

The earthquake triggered a quick response from state and local leaders. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy urged people not to call 911 to report the quake unless they had an emergency.

"Our region just experienced an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.7, with an epicenter near Readington in Hunterdon County," he posted on X (formerly Twitter). "We have activated our State Emergency Operations Center. Please do not call 911 unless you have an actual emergency."

New York City Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy said no major damage has been reported so far.

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"New York City just felt the impacts of a 4.8 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter of Lebanon, New Jersey," Levy posted on X. "@NYCMayor is being briefed. While we do not have any reports of major impacts at this time, we're still assessing the impact."

In a follow-up post, Levy advised residents what to do in the case of aftershocks.

"In case of an aftershock, drop to the floor, cover your head and neck, and take additional cover under a solid piece of furniture, next to an interior wall, or in a doorway," he wrote. "We will be updating the public very soon with additional updates."

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said his office and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency were monitoring the situation.

"A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit New Jersey and was felt in parts of Pennsylvania. My team and @PEMAHQ are actively monitoring the situation and in contact with counties on any damage. We will keep Pennsylvanians updated," he posted.

People took to social media to express their concerns about the shaking shortly after it occurred.

"Is everyone ok?!? We just had an earthquake that was felt in all of New York and New Jersey and Connecticut....not sure where else..." one user posted.

"Social media users reported shaking in New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Connecticut and Philadelphia," user Colin Rugg posted. "According to the Fire Department of New York there are currently no reports of damage."

"Heard about the earthquake from some local coworkers...how scary! Hope everyone is safe!!" another user said.

It's unknown how much damage, if any, has been caused by the quake. The USGS said it's not simple to predict how much damage could occur based on an earthquake's magnitude.

"There is not one magnitude above which damage will occur. It depends on other variables, such as the distance from the earthquake, what type of soil you are on, building construction, etc.," the USGS said on its website. "That being said, damage does not usually occur until the earthquake magnitude reaches somewhere above 4 or 5."

Update 4/5/24, 11:08 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information and background.

Update 4/5/24, 1:18 p.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information from the U.S. Geological Survey, including the earthquake's exact magnitude.