Janice R. Andrews
Early on Friday morning, a little earthquake with a magnitude of 2.9 trembled through sections of New Jersey. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that the earthquake happened at 3:50 a.m., with a depth of around 4 miles and an epicenter roughly 3.7 miles west-southwest of Gladstone, New Jersey.
Located in northern New Jersey, Gladstone is roughly forty miles west of New York City. This earthquake is one of several aftershocks that followed a larger, more powerful 4.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked the area on April 5. The earthquake was felt by millions of people and was the biggest to hit the East Coast in a century.
Comprehending Earthquake Magnitude:
The moment magnitude scale, which is logarithmic, is used to determine an earthquake’s magnitude and strength. A tenfold increase in observed amplitude and approximately 31.6 times more energy release are shown by each whole number increase on the scale. The impacts of various earthquake magnitudes are broken down as follows:
- Below 2.5: Not felt very often
- 2.5 to 5.4: Minimal or absent harm
- 5.5 to 6.0: Mild structural damage
- 6.1 to 6.9: Considerable harm
- 8.0 or higher: Severe harm that could wipe out entire communities
With a magnitude of 2.9, Friday’s earthquake is classified as mild and should cause little to no damage. Nevertheless, it should serve as a reminder of the region’s seismic activity, especially in light of the large earthquake that occurred in April. It is recommended that locals keep up to date on safety precautions and earthquake preparedness.
