Janice R. Andrews
Residents in the greater New York City area were startled this morning by an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8, which also caused delays for trains and airplanes while officials assessed the damage.
Later that day, an aftershock from the original earthquake rattled the area, sending inhabitants on edge from Pennsylvania to New Jersey.
Based on preliminary data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), an earthquake measuring 4.0 was located at around 5 p.m. local time, southwest of Gladstone, New Jersey, and not far from the epicenter of the morning’s earthquake.
The office of emergency management in New York City responded to the seismic activity by guaranteeing that no significant damage was reported after the aftershock.
In locations not used to such seismic events, New York City, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, reports of shaking buildings and ground tremors were sparked by the earthquakes.
Kishor S. Jaiswal, a structural engineer with the USGS, stated that aftershocks may linger for days or even weeks, highlighting the necessity of ongoing attention.
The earthquakes caused substantial disruptions to daily life, even though no major damage or casualties were reported. Flights at John F. Kennedy Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport were temporarily halted, and arrivals at Teterboro Airport and La Guardia Airport were also impacted.
Based on magnitude and intensity, seismologists evaluate earthquakes; they prefer the Moment Magnitude scale over the antiquated Richter scale because of its dependability.
Governors Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Kathy Hochul of New York, and Ned Lamont of Connecticut all stated that they had received a briefing on the seismic activity and were assessing any possible effects.
Although there have been no reports of severe damage or injuries as of yet, authorities are nonetheless on guard as the aftershocks continue.
