New York City Shaken by a “Light” Earthquake, Generating Surprise along East Coast and Some Fun Memes
The ‘epicenter’ of today’s quake is in New Jersey, on the Ramapo Fault (the longest system of cracks in the Northeast). The same area reported a small quake last month.
It seems like only yesterday I was writing about how the rigorous building codes in Taiwan prevented major destruction and high death tolls in the wake of the powerful Richter Scale 7.7 earthquake that hit the island nation.
Oh wait…it was yesterday.
Clearly, Earth seems to be busy with some interesting seismic activity as New York City and the surrounding region was hit with a “light” earthquake today.
A 4.8-magnitude earthquake struck near New York City on Friday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said, shaking buildings up and down the East Coast and surprising residents in an area that rarely experiences notable seismic activity.
The quake’s epicenter was in Tewksbury in central New Jersey, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of New York City. It occurred just after 10:20 a.m. ET (1420 GMT) at a depth of 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles), the USGS said.
No major damage was reported, but New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned of the possibility of aftershocks at a news conference. Engineering teams are inspecting roads and bridges.
“This is one of the largest earthquakes on the East Coast in the last century,” she said.
Given that the quake’s epicenter was close to the nation’s media capital, there has been a great deal of attention given to this event. However, as I teach earthquake safety regularly in my day job, I would like to point out that this shaker would be classified as “light”.
Today's earthquake in #NYC would be classified as "light". #nycearthquake pic.twitter.com/TjqtQedoCM
— Leslie Eastman ☥ (@Mutnodjmet) April 5, 2024
Earthquakes of this magnitude cause unstable objects to fall and unstable people to get hysterical.
For those of your trying to be “earthquake experts” today, here is some important information about the Richter Scale pic.twitter.com/0VfLzzqhrx
— Leslie Eastman ☥ (@Mutnodjmet) April 5, 2024
‘Make it stop!’ The View star Joy Behar and cohosts left stunned as New York City earthquake al… https://t.co/ksAZ5TUxL3 @DailyMailCeleb#earthquake
— daryl lawson (@daryllawson) April 5, 2024
As California has a number of active fault lines and is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire that is robustly geologically active. most of us would brush off the 4.8 Magnitude shaker and carry on with the day. East Coasters, unaccustomed to a moving Earth, are more sensitive.
Mr. Adams, a Democrat in his third year in office, acknowledged that earthquakes were unusual in New York City and could be “extremely traumatic” for some. He urged New Yorkers to be aware that aftershocks could happen, though Mr. Iscol said the probability was “low.”
One of the biggest concerns was that an emergency alert went out about 40 minutes after the earthquake occurred.
At 11:02 am, an alert was sent out to millions of people who were shaken by the quake, which happened at 10:23 am.
‘4.7 magnitude earthquake has occurred in the NYC area,’ the alert read.
‘Residents are advised to remain indoors and to call 911 if injured.’
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake, which the agency revealed was actually 4.8 in magnitude, was centered near Lebanon, New Jersey.
The Fire Department of New York said there were no initial reports of damage.
I would argue that while the notice about what happened was likely helpful, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake is not the same 7.7-scale shaker, which is 1000 times more powerful. Therefore, it wasn’t so much an “emergency” as an interesting surprise.
Earthquakes along the East Coast are rare, but not unknown. In fact, the fault responsible for today’s quake was the center of a smaller one last month.
The ‘epicenter’ sits on the Ramapo Fault, the longest system of cracks in the Northeast, which formed 400 million years ago – much older than California’s 28-million-year-old San Andreas.
But the fault also triggered a small quake near the epicenter last month.
The system spans from upstate New York, through New Jersey and down into Pennsylvania – and experts have long believed it has the potential to produce a major seismic event.
Kenneth Miller, a professor at Rutgers University, confirmed to DailyMail.com that the Ramapo Fault was ‘certainly what caused Friday’s earthquake,’ while nothing that a 6-to 7-maginitude quake would have been devastating to the northeast.
I tell my staff to begin emergency earthquake procedures when a Richter Scale 5.5 or higher shaker is reported, as that is when extensive building damage begins to occur. In fact, the New York area had a 5.8 magnitude quake in 1944 that caused some property damage.
It caused about $2 million worth of damage, causing the most destruction on the East Coast since the 1944 earthquake hit New York.
Messena, New York suffered $2 million in property damage in 1944 when a 5.8 magnitude earthquake – the largest to ever hit the state – destroyed chimneys, home foundations and plumbing systems.
The $2 million recorded in 1944 would amount to roughly $35 million in 2024.
Some of the memes generated from today’s earthquake are hilarious.
New York City earthquake.
We will rebuild. pic.twitter.com/bCX3lENBYa— Gene Valaitis (@genevalaitis) April 5, 2024
We survived the NYC earthquake.
We will rebuild pic.twitter.com/8Zwvlz2Jg5
— Brandon Trusso (@brandontrusso) April 5, 2024
And remember that a 5 in NYC would be an 8 almost anywhere else in the country https://t.co/qnrw1LABSf
— Tom Gara (@tomgara) April 5, 2024
New York seeing where the earthquake originated pic.twitter.com/mVswA3xEwT
— Cody Wimmer (@Cody_Wimmer) April 5, 2024
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Comments
Climate change. Is there anything it can’t do?
Too late, I’m surprised that Leslie didn’t catch it.
https://twitter.com/Christina4NJ/status/1776266970226204841
I followed the link. I am sorry I did. The stupid…it burned.
(However., the replies were awesome).
Climate change is a serious issue that should be addressed with extreme urgency
(It fogs the minds of fools and has the potential to replace capitalism with communism)
https://twitter.com/DanCrenshawTX/status/1776371991945101582
I’m in central Texas right now, preparing to take photos to show how climate change blots out the sun. Photos, you poser!
That was supposed to be a reply to JR, below, but the cell network out here puked.
That’s part of the global warming, Mr. Bowman
/must I?
Hoser. Photos you hoser.
This has nothing to do with climate change.
Please provide a link to a source that can support your claim.
I talked to a friend in NJ right after the quake. She said it was scary and they thought a bomb had gone off. Given what’s going on in Ukraine and Israel, I wonder how many people looked out the window to see if there was a mushroom cloud?
The poster was being sarcastic.
Oh wait… you don’t do sarcasm?
I remember when a 1.1 earthquake in Cleveland, a mere 100 miles away, caused a tape write ring to fall to the floor by the computer.
Was that one of those write ring populists?
We Prefer ALT-WRITE
Well-played!
This must be caused by Cllimate Change. Given that it was reported that this was the strongest in NJ since a 5.3 one in 1783, FJB needs to propose an Earthquake Reduction Act including, especially, benefits for people suffering from trauma due to the shaking of their safe spaces.
Or just tax it. That seems to “fix” everything else, right??
I TOLD YOU
ITS THE CHINESE TESTING THEIR NEW EARTHQUAKE WEAPON
WORLD WAR 3 IS IMMINENT
HOLD ONTO YOUR BUTTS PEOPLE
Bro…it was the Illuminati testing their focused energy weapon they have in Antarctica. They need to recalibrate it after Taiwan
I read that it originated in a Trump golf course.
Is that where gain of function research on earthquakes was bring conducted?
Gain of friction research.
I was thinking about saying gain of friction, but didn’t know if anybody would get it. I have sadly misunderestimated the quality of my audience. Thank you.
Wimmer tweet should have included a picture of Chris Christie with the question “Where is he?”
Yesterday lightning strikes the Statue of Liberty
Today 4.8 earthquake, epicenter Trump National Golf Club
Coincidence or sign of impending apocalypse?
It is a “sign”. Trump is destined to shake things up.
BREAKING: The tectonic plates in NJ will now be known as Trump’s Fault.
Well played.
Epic. Well done
Total eclipse, baby! It’s the end times for sure! Food factories burning, measles and plague blowing up, the holy land at war… war, death, plague, and famine! They’re heeeerere!
Of course for most of the world it would be shrugged off, but New Yorkers are still a little gun-shy, and even a light quake like this one could be a little concerning when you’re 40 floors up.
There is a very tall and very skinny building with a black facade adjacent the Chrysler building. It looks like it might be an apartment house of some kind. I imagine that thing sways quite a bit, even in just the wind. I imagine with today’s earthquake they must have had quite a ride in that building. I don’t know what it’s called, but it appears in several well-known skyline photos.
From what I have been reading, NYC is on the verge of a Cat 8 economic quake.
Here in Trenton NJ I heard the quake shaking windows and doors more than felt it. During the 1989 Loma Prieta quake I was in Mountain View CA and that felt like liquefaction was occurring under the pavement of the parking lot I ran out to. Been thinking about that earthquake a lot today; think I have PESD from it.
I was in Monterey during the Loma Prieta quake. I was driving when it happened and didn’t feel a thing. I just remember forgetting my wallet at a mini mart in Pacific Grove and having to drive back there to get it. I was annoyed that all the traffic lights were out. I got to the mart and the clerk there was in shock. I thought, “hmmm, weird. Wonder what happened?” Didn’t find out until I got home and a friend told me.
I was in DLI barracks (co-ed) on the Presidio when that one let go. I was talking to one of my soldiers about something in the hall when the shaking started. I grabbed her to stand in the door frame with me until it was over. After we had checked for injuries and major damages and reported to company HQ, I kidded her about her dinner plate-sized eyes during the quake. She told me I must have been looking in a mirror because mine were the same size. We had a good chuckle about that, albeit in the dark.
The Loma Prieta quake was 6.9 in magnitude, which is classified as strong. It’s a testament to how well Taiwan was prepared that their cities handled the 7.7 shakers as well as they did.
Just in-The tectonic plates in NJ will now be known as Trump’s Fault.
Well played, Neo, well played
And, here I thought the Tectonic Plates were found by Joseph Smith
/someone had to…
Bigotry masquerading as humor. And bigots rate you up for it.
Are yamaka magic beanies? What about Orthodox Blues Brother suits? Magic outerwear?
Can untrimmed, bushy beards, ward off evil spirits?
The Chinese invasion tunnel will be completed in time to suspend the election.
Zero injuries, minimal property damage, wall to wall live coverage. The Seinfeld of broadcasting.
Some buildings I think Jersey City were condemned
Water main on side road in Randolph burst
My garbage can got tipped over (But there was a high wind event earlier in the week)
I am grateful that the earthquake didn’t capsize NJ.
“East Coasters, unaccustomed to a moving Earth, are more sensitive.”
I was in The Emerald City for the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. Vacating the buildings like a fire drill, the Left Coasters started bragging like frat bros about the bigger quakes they’d been in. I, being a rational East Coaster, was freaked right the heck out. There is no more or less bouncy, bouncy-ground. Bouncy ground, bad.
Meanwhile these left-coasters freak out at the slightest weather. This one time there was snow for more than a day, and the wind blew. (OMG!)