An earthquake measuring 3.0 on the Richter scale shook areas of northern New Jersey on Saturday night, with the tremors reaching as far as New York City. This information was confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake struck at approximately 10:22 p.m. and was centered in Hasbrouck Heights, Bergen County.
According to the USGS, the epicenter was located less than a kilometer northeast of the town, suggesting it was a shallow quake, which explains the broad perception of the shaking.
People from various counties such as Jersey City, Bergen, Morris, and Essex reported feeling the earthquake. Residents in areas like Harrison and East Orange also experienced the tremor, according to Patch.
The effect of the quake was noted beyond New Jersey, with reports of shaking from parts of New York City and as far as Westchester and Rockland counties in upstate New York.
Residents in New York City also mentioned hearing a loud boom accompanying the vibrations. In response, the Empire State Building humorously assured everyone with a tweet saying ‘I am fine’ following the incident.
Despite the surprise, no injuries or property damage have been reported as of Saturday night.
The Paterson Police Department stated they are working with both state and county authorities, advising those impacted to contact 911 to report any injuries or emergency situations.
A magnitude 3.0 earthquake rattled parts of northern New Jersey on Saturday night, with tremors felt across the region – including in New York City – according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The shaking extended beyond New Jersey, with reports of movement coming in from parts of New York City (pictured) and even as far as Westchester and Rockland counties in upstate New York
Social media users were quick to respond to the quake.
‘I was laying in bed and suddenly there was a rumble, a bang and my bed shook! I thought my furnace exploded,’ one user wrote on X.
‘I went down to the basement to check it and I could hear all my neighbors gathering outside and that’s when we realized it was an earthquake.’
‘Felt nothing on LI but my sis was who happens to be in Astoria did! She thought it was the tenant upstairs vacuuming, and it lasted pretty long she said!’ another user wrote.
‘Felt on Staten Island. Was like a ripple shockwave. Shook my house a bit,’ wrote another.
Manhattan resident Jacqueline Bolier was at home in her Upper West Side apartment when she felt the brief tremor.
‘My floor – I thought it was going to cave in. My floor has never shook. I thought WTF!’
‘I texted my friend in New Jersey and he said, “My entire house just shook and the dogs woke up. Did you just feel an earthquake?” Yes!’
The late-night quake comes just a day after a massive earthquake off the coast of Russia was detected more than 4,700 miles away in Upstate New York, highlighting the incredible reach of seismic waves.
Data from the USGS showed the tremor struck about 84 miles east-southeast of Kamchatska at around 7:24pm EST on Friday.
The quake struck at approximately 10:22 p.m. and was centered in Hasbrouck Heights, Bergen County
With a magnitude of 8.8, it ranks as the sixth strongest earthquake ever recorded.
Meteorologist Howard Mange revealed that shockwaves from the megaquake were picked up by a seismometer in Binghamton, New York.
The first waves to arrive were the primary waves, or P-waves, reaching the seismometer about 11 minutes after the initial quake.
These are the fastest seismic waves, traveling in the same direction as the wave itself, similar to sound waves, and are typically the first to be recorded following an earthquake.
These are the fastest seismic waves, moving in the same direction as the wave itself, similar to a sound wave, and are the first to be recorded after an earthquake.
Approximately 22 minutes after the event, the seismometer detected secondary waves, or S-waves. These slower waves move particles side-to-side and cannot travel through liquids.
A meteorologist in New York revealed shockwaves from the megaquake that hit Russia were picked up by a seismometer in Binghamton
Finally, around 36 minutes after the quake, the slowest but often most powerful surface waves arrived in New York.
‘These waves travel as a group around the surface of the earth and are usually the largest waves seen on the seismogram,’ Mange shared on Facebook.
‘The further away the earthquake, the more spread out the surface waves are in time.’
Alex Nikulin, associate professor at Binghamton University, explained that an earthquake that powerful is capable of sending waves around the world multiple times.
‘Importantly, they are not felt at that point by humans because you’ve attenuate out most of the frequencies that would have been felt, but they’re felt by sensors.
He told local 12News that ‘it was the largest recorded in the region since 1952,’ referring to the 9.0 magnitude that hit in Kamchatka, Russia – the same location as the tremor that struck this week.
