Aftershock follows rare M4.8 New Jersey quake that was felt in Canada
A rare magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck the U.S. state of New Jersey Friday, with widespread shaking felt as far as Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick
A strong magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck northern New Jersey on Friday morning, temporarily halting air traffic in the region as buildings rattled from Maryland to New Brunswick.
The quake struck near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, just after 10:20 a.m. ET on Friday, with a noticeable M4.0 aftershock rattling the same area several hours later around 5:59 p.m. ET.
No damage was reported by Friday afternoon, but shaking was felt in New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, and across the eastern U.S. -- areas that rarely experience notable seismic activity like this.
There were even tremors reported in parts of Canada, including Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick.
“Thankfully there have been no reports of injuries or damage, but additional aftershocks are still possible. Please be prepared and take steps to stay safe,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Friday afternoon.
Following the earthquake, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop at nine major airports from Baltimore to New York City while crews assessed air traffic control facilities. Flights resumed about an hour later, with residual delays lingering into the afternoon.
While this particular earthquake’s location was unusual, tremors are common across the eastern half of North America.
Much of the West Coast’s earthquake risk stems from interplate fault lines, areas where tectonic plates rub against one another. Friday’s rattle was an example of an intraplate earthquake, or one that occurs entirely within a tectonic plate.
“While this earthquake is relatively small globally, earthquakes of this magnitude are commonly widely felt in the eastern United States because of efficient seismic wave propagation in the region,” the USGS said on Friday.
A 5.8 earthquake that struck central Virginia in 2011 caused significant damage in the region, including to the iconic Washington Monument. The 2011 quake was widely felt throughout southern Ontario and southern Quebec.
A significant fault line beneath coastal South Carolina triggered a devastating M7.0 earthquake in Charleston on August 31, 1886.
Friday’s tremor is possibly the fourth-largest earthquake ever recorded in New Jersey, and the strongest reported there since a magnitude 5.3 quake struck in 1884—140 years ago.
WATCH: Earthquake rattles residents in eastern U.S.
Be sure to check back for updates on this developing story.
With files from Reuters
