HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, New Jersey — A small earthquake in New Jersey shook parts of the Tri-State Area on Saturday night.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a 3.0 magnitude earthquake struck the New Jersey suburb of Hasbrouck Heights, located less than 8 miles (13 kilometers) west of Central Park, at an approximate depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers).
Mayor Ron Kistner of Hasbrouck Heights and Bergen County authorities both said there were no reports of damages or injuries.
One resident of New York’s Brooklyn borough described it as a very brief tremor, just a slight swaying for a moment.
Nevertheless, social media quickly lit up with people who felt it. The official account of the Empire State Building posted on X to say: “I AM FINE.”
New York City Emergency Management said there were no immediate reports of significant impacts.
The USGS tectonic summary described the tremor as “a result of faulting at shallow depths in the crust,” noting that “‘intraplate’ earthquakes are possible and can occur” even at distances from traditional fault lines.
The USGS mentioned that “While this earthquake is relatively small on a global scale, such magnitudes are typically widely felt in the eastern United States due to efficient seismic wave propagation in the area.” Historically, since 1950, there have been 43 additional earthquakes of magnitude 3 or larger that have taken place within roughly 155 miles of this recent event.
USGS does not consider earthquakes at 3.0 and below to be very dangerous or damaging.
USGS Analyst Xan Davidson informed ABC News via phone, “A 3.0 is not expected to cause significant damage, it would primarily result in shaking… a 3.0 is generally not considered a major earthquake.”
Davidson further explained, “Earthquakes do occur here, though infrequently,” highlighting a 4.8 magnitude quake that happened southwest of Saturday’s epicenter roughly 18 months prior.
Davidson said the vast area of people who reported feeling the quake, reaching as far as Connecticut, is not unexpected.
“You’re sitting quiet at home… You could see the light fixture swing or something like that,” she explained.
Despite the shock of an unexpected quake, Davidson said there is no reason for alarm.
He assured, “I would not be particularly worried about a magnitude 3 event. It depends on individual concerns, but I don’t view this as something alarming.”
In April 2024, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake centered in Northern New Jersey rattled the area with reports of at least 10 aftershocks.
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ABC News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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