The European Mediterranean Seismology Center (EMSC) and the US Geological Survey reported The earthquake in New Jersey had a magnitude of 4.8. The epicenter was around 65 kilometers west of the “Big Apple”.
“That was one of the largest earthquakes on the East Coast in 100 years“, said New York State Governor Kathy Hochul. Inspections of infrastructure and searches for damage are taken “extremely seriously.” “Fortunately, we are masters of disasters here in New York. We know how to deal with it.”
At first there was no reports of damage or injuries yet. However, people in New York City reported significantly shaking walls. The fire department also said it had received reports of shaking buildings. “We respond to calls and assess structural integrity,” the fire department said in a statement. “There are currently no major incidents.”
One minute of tremors
The quake was reportedly felt for about a minute in a wide area around the epicenter and along the coast from Baltimore to Boston, around 600 kilometers further north.
In Manhattan it came across as a slight grumble, but that nonetheless shocked many people. Dogs started barking and many people left their houses. The tremors were also clearly felt in the Brooklyn district: “The entire building shook”said a resident in the Greenpoint neighborhood. Her neighbor said she had never been so scared.
Landing stop at airports
Several airports in the affected area temporarily stopped take-off and landing to check the runways for possible damage.
Several tunnels and train routes were also temporarily partially closed for inspections. Warnings on cell phones informed people in the region and made them aware of the possibility of aftershocks.
Numerous schools and kindergartens immediately informed parents that everything was fine. “The only thing that fell was a box of tissues”it was said from an elementary school on the Upper West Side in Manhattan.
Quake during UN meeting
The quake was also felt at the UN headquarters in eastern Manhattan when the Security Council was meeting to discuss the conflict in the Middle East. The chairwoman of the non-governmental organization Save the Children, Janti Soeripto, who was speaking, paused.
“They make the ground shake”commented the Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour.
Empire State Building: “I’m fine”
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