An earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale struck the northeastern United States on Friday morning.
The quake was felt from Boston to Baltimore at 10:23 a.m. ET, according to the US Geological Survey.
In New York City, where people felt the earthquake for more than 30 seconds, there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, but the quake caused numerous delays and temporary closures of transportation infrastructure in the area.
The epicenter of the quake was discovered about 45 miles west of New York City and 40 miles east of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in an area north of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, according to the US Geological Survey.
Earthquakes as strong as Friday are relatively rare in the northeastern United States, and the intensity and duration of Friday's quake stunned people across the region. The quake was the third largest earthquake recorded around the New York metropolitan area in nearly 75 years.
“Everyone at the NYSE took a big look at each other,” CNBC's Carl Quintanilla tweeted from the New York Stock Exchange in lower Manhattan after the tremors struck.
“I'm fine,” the Empire State Building X social media account tweeted.
The National Tsunami Warning Center said there was no tsunami risk on the east coast after the quake.
A magnitude 2.0 aftershock occurred at 11:20 a.m. ET in northern New Jersey.
The US Geological Survey said there was a 46% chance of another earthquake measuring 3.0 or greater next week.
The Federal Aviation Administration inspected the runways of the three major airports in New York City and Newark, New Jersey. The agency briefly halted departures there, and as of 12:40 p.m. ET, the stop at Newark Liberty International Airport was lifted but flights were delayed about one hour.
United AirlinesThe airline, which dominates Newark Airport, said in a statement that two United flights from Newark were diverted due to ground stops there, and there were some minor delays on flights bound for JFK and LaGuardia airports in New York.
The carrier has offered travelers booked to travel the opportunity to change their flights to Newark, LaGuardia or Philadelphia without paying a fee or fare difference if they can fly late next Thursday.
New Jersey Transit said commuter rail service is subject to systemwide delays of up to 20 minutes.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the Hudson River crossings, said the Holland Tunnel, which connects lower Manhattan to New Jersey, was temporarily closed to traffic inspections.
“My team is assessing the impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a tweet.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the quake and is in contact with his staff who are monitoring possible impacts.
New York City's emergency alert sent out a cell phone warning at about 11:46 a.m. ET, warning that “aftershocks may be felt,” but adding: “New Yorkers can continue their usual activities.”
